Fender Champion Lap Steel Electric Guitar , c. 1952
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Item # 4542
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Fender Champion Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar, c. 1952, made in Fullerton, California, serial # 3159, yellow pearloid finish, hardwood body, original hard shell case.
A nice early example of Fender's "bread and butter" lap steel guitar from the first half of the 1950's. Although designed as a student instrument, the Champion Steel is a great-sounding guitar fully suited to professional use then or now, with a Broadcaster style flat pole pickup fully equivalent in sound to the legendary 1950's Teles. The flashy plastic-covered symmetrical two-bout body has a chrome bridge and cover plates with dome-top knurled knobs. The serial number "3159" is stamped on the bridgeplate where the strings anchor through the body. The metal fingerboard plate pinned to the body has black paint screening to outline fret positions. The headstock has metal facing with integral nut and Kluson strip tuners with white plastic buttons. The peghead is stamped with lighting bolt logo and "Fender Electric Instrument Co. Fullerton, California".
Good intact examples of the Champion are increasingly harder to find; many have been sacrificed over the years to provide electric components for Telecaster recreations. This Champ spent some time in the sort of typical student hands it was designed for, very close to home...the body bears a label from "Cunningham Music Center, Santa Monica Calif-established 1939". Who knows what future Surf, pop or psychedelic pickers may have plucked their first electric notes on this very Fender?
Overall length is 29 3/4 in. (75.6 cm.), 7 1/2 in. (19 cm.) width, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 in. (559 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/4 in. (57 mm.). Nice overall; pots replaced (around 1972!) and new repro Kluson tuners but pickup and all other parts original. Some small nicks and wear spots on the metal fingerboard and into the celluloid but no major wear or damage. Complete with the early grey-covered, red lined HSC. A great gigging or learning steel with the typical bright Fender sound. Excellent Condition.
A nice early example of Fender's "bread and butter" lap steel guitar from the first half of the 1950's. Although designed as a student instrument, the Champion Steel is a great-sounding guitar fully suited to professional use then or now, with a Broadcaster style flat pole pickup fully equivalent in sound to the legendary 1950's Teles. The flashy plastic-covered symmetrical two-bout body has a chrome bridge and cover plates with dome-top knurled knobs. The serial number "3159" is stamped on the bridgeplate where the strings anchor through the body. The metal fingerboard plate pinned to the body has black paint screening to outline fret positions. The headstock has metal facing with integral nut and Kluson strip tuners with white plastic buttons. The peghead is stamped with lighting bolt logo and "Fender Electric Instrument Co. Fullerton, California".
Good intact examples of the Champion are increasingly harder to find; many have been sacrificed over the years to provide electric components for Telecaster recreations. This Champ spent some time in the sort of typical student hands it was designed for, very close to home...the body bears a label from "Cunningham Music Center, Santa Monica Calif-established 1939". Who knows what future Surf, pop or psychedelic pickers may have plucked their first electric notes on this very Fender?
Overall length is 29 3/4 in. (75.6 cm.), 7 1/2 in. (19 cm.) width, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 in. (559 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/4 in. (57 mm.). Nice overall; pots replaced (around 1972!) and new repro Kluson tuners but pickup and all other parts original. Some small nicks and wear spots on the metal fingerboard and into the celluloid but no major wear or damage. Complete with the early grey-covered, red lined HSC. A great gigging or learning steel with the typical bright Fender sound. Excellent Condition.