C. Kahlmen Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1940s)
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C. Kahlmen Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1940s), made in New Jersey, iridescent fabric and engraved plastic finish, hardwood body and neck, black gig bag case.
It's pretty much safe to say we have never seen another lap steel as fancy as this one! It is an almost indescribable creation, with iridescent green/red/gold/silver fabric covering the entire body and neck. The top and sides are further decorated with incredibly detailed engraved plastic pieces AND copious Rhinestones. The finish is some sort of clear lacquer which has hardly aged or yellowed at all. Photos really don't do this guitar justice, as the color changes as the light hits it at different angles and the whole instrument seems to glow.
The craftsmanship on this instrument must be seen to be believed, it looks almost otherworldly! This showpiece was built by one C. Kahlmen whose name is very neatly engraved on the peghead, with "Patent Pending" added for good measure! (in case anyone dared to try and copy it!) These are a few other known steels out there from this same maker, usually covered in colored pearloid but nothing like this level of flash! About the only information on Kahlmen that has survived is that the instruments were made and sold in New Jersey, each likely a one-of-a-kind hand build. Whoever made it this is a genuinely presentation grade piece, showing an incredibly deft command of the various materials used.
Beyond the decoration the instrument is a very solid player with a lovely warm sound. The pickup is either a re-purposed or old stock mid-1930s Vega double coil pickup, OR an amazingly close copy of that groundbreaking but quickly abandoned design. The body and neck are some sort of hardwood under the fabric, the fingerboard is ebony plastic with inlaid gold sparkle position markers and small pearl dots. The trapezoidal body and slotted headstock are bordered in a raised line of bound gold sparkle plastic. The bridge and nut are aluminum. This piece is hard to date exactly but the Waverly tuners (some of which appear original, some replaced early on) did not exist before the 1940s. Whatever its story this is pretty much the coolest, most unique lap steel we have ever seen, a truly spectacular find!
Overall length is 31 3/4 in. (80.6 cm.), 9 1/8 in. (23.2 cm.) across at the widest point, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 2 3/16 in. (56 mm.).
This instrument has survived in extremely fine condition, looking not too much used showing only some minor handling and play wear. The only oddity it the tuners are all single unit Waverlys with plastic buttons; but from two slightly different periods (but all 1940s or '50s). We can't say if this is original or some were replaced, but no other style of tuner has ever been on the instrument. We wish we knew more of its story, but this is a playable enigma par excellence! There is no case with it, but a modern gig bag suffices for protection. Overall Excellent Condition.
It's pretty much safe to say we have never seen another lap steel as fancy as this one! It is an almost indescribable creation, with iridescent green/red/gold/silver fabric covering the entire body and neck. The top and sides are further decorated with incredibly detailed engraved plastic pieces AND copious Rhinestones. The finish is some sort of clear lacquer which has hardly aged or yellowed at all. Photos really don't do this guitar justice, as the color changes as the light hits it at different angles and the whole instrument seems to glow.
The craftsmanship on this instrument must be seen to be believed, it looks almost otherworldly! This showpiece was built by one C. Kahlmen whose name is very neatly engraved on the peghead, with "Patent Pending" added for good measure! (in case anyone dared to try and copy it!) These are a few other known steels out there from this same maker, usually covered in colored pearloid but nothing like this level of flash! About the only information on Kahlmen that has survived is that the instruments were made and sold in New Jersey, each likely a one-of-a-kind hand build. Whoever made it this is a genuinely presentation grade piece, showing an incredibly deft command of the various materials used.
Beyond the decoration the instrument is a very solid player with a lovely warm sound. The pickup is either a re-purposed or old stock mid-1930s Vega double coil pickup, OR an amazingly close copy of that groundbreaking but quickly abandoned design. The body and neck are some sort of hardwood under the fabric, the fingerboard is ebony plastic with inlaid gold sparkle position markers and small pearl dots. The trapezoidal body and slotted headstock are bordered in a raised line of bound gold sparkle plastic. The bridge and nut are aluminum. This piece is hard to date exactly but the Waverly tuners (some of which appear original, some replaced early on) did not exist before the 1940s. Whatever its story this is pretty much the coolest, most unique lap steel we have ever seen, a truly spectacular find!
Overall length is 31 3/4 in. (80.6 cm.), 9 1/8 in. (23.2 cm.) across at the widest point, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 2 3/16 in. (56 mm.).
This instrument has survived in extremely fine condition, looking not too much used showing only some minor handling and play wear. The only oddity it the tuners are all single unit Waverlys with plastic buttons; but from two slightly different periods (but all 1940s or '50s). We can't say if this is original or some were replaced, but no other style of tuner has ever been on the instrument. We wish we knew more of its story, but this is a playable enigma par excellence! There is no case with it, but a modern gig bag suffices for protection. Overall Excellent Condition.