c.1937 Epiphone Electar Lap Steel Guitar

Well, I don't see these too often!

According to the serial, this is a '37 Electar and it's in pretty-much original shape. The volume pot has been replaced but the rest of it is stock. This includes the two tone controls/single volume setup and the (often stolen) original horseshoe pickup!

Tonally? Sonically? Volume-wise? These things rock! The pickup is very hot and responsive and sounds fantastic. If I wasn't selling this for its owner I'd be on it in an instant. The deco touches and simple black finish give it a sweet look, too. 

I've got it strung-up with nickel "burnished" strings (slightly slicker feel so the slide doesn't chatter as much) and tuned to GBDGBD at the moment. It's got the shorter (for the time) 23" scale.

The front facing is actually a screwed-on metal plate that's been coated in black and some etched deco-looking line work. It's pretty striking and gives the instrument a retro-modern feel.

Cool angular headstock shape and "Electar" label. The nut is a big old piece of plated brass.

Rosewood board with inlaid position lines, binding, and some multicolored dots.

Gosh I love that horseshoe pickup! It's pretty fun that it's been finished in black, too, to match the rest of the guitar. The bakelite screw-tight knobs are original, too.

The felted maple backplate removes easily with 4 screws to reveal the electronics cavity.

These original Grover tuners are worth some good money in themselves! One screw is a replacement but otherwise they're original.

Unlike many other lap steels from the time, the pickup jack is a convenient 1/4" style and it's in the right place!

There's the serial.