c.1940 Oahu Lap Steel
Ah, yum. I love a good lap steel.
This is a solid mahogany plank more than likely made by Kay in Chicago for Oahu (who sold it out of Cleveland by mailorder) in the early 1940s or at the earliest late 1930s. Frets are actually real, raised frets, set into the face of the one-piece-through-body square neck.
Scale length is long for a lap steel -- 25 3/4" -- and that combined with a wider-than-normal body and 12th fret join, makes this guitar feel more like a normal acoustic Hawaiian guitar in the lap (I am especially appreciative of that as I learned to play Hawaiian-style guitar on an acoustic). It also means that the tension on the strings is higher which yields big old tone.
My work included cleaning, replacement of the old tuners (currently looking through my odds and ends to see if I can revive them, but no luck so far...), a bit of setup, and voila, ready to roll.
This is a solid mahogany plank more than likely made by Kay in Chicago for Oahu (who sold it out of Cleveland by mailorder) in the early 1940s or at the earliest late 1930s. Frets are actually real, raised frets, set into the face of the one-piece-through-body square neck.
Scale length is long for a lap steel -- 25 3/4" -- and that combined with a wider-than-normal body and 12th fret join, makes this guitar feel more like a normal acoustic Hawaiian guitar in the lap (I am especially appreciative of that as I learned to play Hawaiian-style guitar on an acoustic). It also means that the tension on the strings is higher which yields big old tone.
My work included cleaning, replacement of the old tuners (currently looking through my odds and ends to see if I can revive them, but no luck so far...), a bit of setup, and voila, ready to roll.
Nicely shaped headstock and cool decal... and a honking big piece of bone.
MOP inlaid dots.
These knobs and corresponding "dial" plate are the coolest ever.
...and not to mention the nice mahogany sunbursted wrist rest!?
...or the cast aluminum top-loading "pyramid bridge." I totally wish someone would make something similar to this bridge in an adjustable version to retrofit onto various projects. It looks so cool.
Lookin' good.
New Klusons.
That backplate for the electronics housing is actually a piece of steel that's been coated.
Strange painted brown top and back "binding."
And, heck yeah, it has its original case. With a functional handle. Tops.
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