Magnatone Jeweltone S-8 Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1949-50), made in Los Angeles, black Lucite finish, Lucite and aluminum body, original tan tolex hard shell case.

This superb piece of 1950's Populuxe is certainly one of the most unique lap steel guitars ever offered for sale-and considering the variety of steels out there that's saying something! Available for only a short time around 1949-50, the Jeweltone models were the top of the Magnatone steel line for a fleeting reign and simply one of the most incredible examples of industrial design ever brought to fruition as a musical instrument. Three color combinations could be had, "Vibrant Ruby Red and Crystal" "Lovely Sapphire Blue and Crystal", and this one: "Striking Onyx Black and Opal White".

The construction of the Jeweltone is totally unique. Starting with a felt clad sheet of colored Lucite on the bottom, followed by a sheet of clear and topped with a second sheet of color, the body was formed as a 3-ply plastic sandwich. This was topped with the structural core of the instrument, a sheet of polished aluminum that stretched from one end of the guitar to the other. The tailpiece was simply recessed holes for the strings and at the other end, the tuners were screwed right into the metal, which tipped back a few degrees to form the peghead. A thin sheet of colored Lucite was used as a peghead veneer with the company logo decal applied across the top.

The fifth layer in this musical club sandwich was a sheet of clear Lucite for the fingerboard, painted from the backside and routed for fret markers. The headstock mounted 'Safti-String Post" Kluson Deluxe tuners capped with matching hand-cut Lucite tuning buttons. The look was and complemented at the other end by transparent octagonal knobs the color of the body. Polished aluminum was used for the rather large nut and bridge. Capping the whole look was a large, rectangular pickup cover, lined on the sides with more colored Lucite and covered with a square chrome handrest. The Jeweltone models were available in regular (22 1/2) or long (25) scale length with six or eight strings; this is the eight-string standard scale model. This is one of the most interesting early examples of the use of non-standard materials in electric guitar construction, pre-dating many more recent standard guitar designs using metal and/or plastics instead of wood. Most likely due to the complexity of construction the line was quickly discontinued but the rare survivors like this one stand as testament to how far-out the steel guitar can get, while still remaining fantastic instruments both functionally and aesthetically.

Thanks to our mate John Teagle for help in sorting this story out!
 
Overall length is 30 in. (76.2 cm.), 7 1/8 in. (18.1 cm.) width, and 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm.) high. Scale length is 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.). Width of nut is 3 1/2 in. (89 mm.). This instrument is in fantastic original condition overall, with only slight signs of use. A small metal plate section has been added just in front of the original saddle to raise the strings slightly up to better clear the pickup polepieces-this is inconspicuous and could be removed if desired. Both guitar and case are in exceptionally fine condition and we are thrilled to have another example of this exceptionally distinctive lap steel on the wall. Excellent + Condition.