Supro Dual Tone 1955

Some guitars may be cool, but few are as cool as this 1955 Supro Dual-Tone in White Wood! This is an early wood-body example of one of Supro’s best-known electrics, with the compact single-cut shape, black headstock, large block inlays, gold-covered pickups, wooden bridge and stepped trapeze tailpiece that define the model.

Supro was the budget brand within the National Dobro and later Valco family, and the Dual Tone was already in the catalog in the early 1950s. Rory Gallagher’s archive notes that the second iteration of the Dual-Tone first appeared in 1954, which places this 1955 guitar in the early development of the model, before the later fiberglass-bodied versions. Vintage Guitar also notes that Valco instruments often show small detail variations from guitar to guitar, which is part of the appeal with these mid-century Supros.

The model is closely associated with Link Wray, who moved to a Supro Duo-Tone after “Rumble” and used it on many of his Swan-era recordings. Rory Gallagher also owned Dual Tones, and David Bowie’s later interest in the model helped keep its profile high with a newer generation of players. The pickup design is part of the story as well: Supro’s Vista-Tone units look like humbuckers, but are actually single-coils in dual-coil-style housings. That mix of unusual construction, strong visual identity and real artist association is a big reason original Dual Tones remain collectible.

Weight is 3600g. It includes the original hardshell case. Frets have approx. 90% life remaining, the guitar plays well, and it looks all original.

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: Supro
Model: Dual-Tone
Year: 1955
Body style: single-cut solidbody
Body material: wood body
Finish: white
Neck construction: bolt-on
Neck finish: black
Fingerboard: rosewood
Inlays: large white block inlays
Headstock: asymmetrical Supro headstock with metal logo badge
Nut: white nut
Pickups: 2 gold-covered Supro single-coil pickups in humbucker-style housings
Pickup positions: neck and bridge
Controls: individual volume and tone controls for each pickup
Selector: pickguard-mounted pickup selector
Bridge: compensated wooden bridge
Tailpiece: stepped trapeze tailpiece
Pickguard: black and white Dual Tone guard/control assembly
Output jack: front-mounted on lower control section
Tuners: 3-on-a-side strip tuners with cream buttons
Hardware: original-style mixed metal hardware as fitted
Layout: pickguard-mounted electronics with rear body left clean of large cavity covers
Orientation: right-handed
Case: original hardshell case included