Epiphone Electar Model M Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1936), made in New York City, black lacquer finish, wood body with aluminum cap, original tweed hard shell case.
A particularly attractive and very early lap steel from Epiphone, designed (according to company lore) by Epi Staphopolo himself. The Model M was intended as the company's first deluxe steel guitar, and is quite a distinctive instrument. The black-painted wooden body features Art Deco ornamentation etched into a metal top overlay; the overall effect is very "1930s skyscraper at night."
The horseshoe-magnet pickup is similar to period Rickenbacker units except for a rough black finish on the magnets. The coil is wrapped in black tape and features a solid bar polepiece. Tone and volume knobs are mounted on either side of the pickup. The bound rosewood fingerboard has colorful dot inlay and inlaid fret lines. The nut and tailpiece/bridge combination are milled aluminum. Tuners are individual open-back fancier Grovers with metal buttons.
A metal plate pinned to the headstock reads "Epiphone Electar" and there is a plate on the back referencing the licensed patents of Meissner Inventions, a firm that in the 1930s claimed patent protection on the concept of electric musical instruments. Meissner demanded royalties from any manufacturer building electric instruments; some, including Epiphone, acquiesced. This is one of the earliest Electar instruments (bearing a very low serial number) and is a particularly nice period piece.
Overall length is 30 1/4 in. (76.8 cm.), 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/8 in. (54 mm.).
All original except knobs; some playwear, but overall very nicely preserved. A one-owner instrument complete with original case, cord, bar, and picks. Excellent + Condition.
