[StereoNut]

A friend of mine has a 1950's-ish tube intergrated wooden console unit with a 4 speed record player and dual knob tuner. (I have no idea as to why there's two knobs.)  It's labeled National, but is apparently made by Matsushita.  Can anyone provide any background on a piece like this?  - Thanks!

[TheChairGuy]

National was the name Panasonic used on many products outside of North America...your amp may have originated from Japan, Europe or elsewhere originally.  Then again, in 1950, Matsushita may not have have had a brand strategy and used the National name on several things.

Where are you located/do you live?

I think, today in the US at least, Matsushita/Panasonic only uses the National name for Rice Cookers (many, perhaps most, rice cookers in US are bought by Asians who, alongside the Zojirushi and Tiger branda, love their National rice cookers)
http://www.amazon.com/National-Panasonic-SR-TE18N-Electronic-Cooker-Warmer/dp/B0001KHS7M

National was the brand of rice cooker they knew and bought in their native countries...so Panasonic markets them under the National name for them, primarily.

So, it's not any information relative to the amp that you have itself, just National name if you were looking for it.

[JoshK]

I've heard of National brand tubes (different from National Union). 

[StereoNut]

Hi guys!  Obviously, I haven't been on the site for a while.  Thanks for the replies.  The piece is actually owned by a friend of mine who lives in Maine.  I will relay the info. to him.

[denjo]

The ChairGuy

You are absolutely right about the historical background of the name "National". There were intellectual property issues which prevented Matsushita from using the by then household name of National. They made the best rice cookers (still do IMHO) and I have one from way back in the leate 70s. It is still working after all these years!

Dennis

[JoshK]

These things are always difficult because one company will have had a certain tube in a certain time frame made from another company via OEM.  RCA had tubes made from Sylvania, Sylvania had tubes made from RCA...the list goes on.

I know some tubes were made in Canada from national that were really made by big name US brands such as Sylvania, NU, RCA, Tungsol, etc.  Its really hard to know without playing detective.