Fender Champion Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1955), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 9084, yellow pearloid finish, hardwood body, period chipboard case.
This is a great sounding original example of Fender's "bread and butter" lap steel guitar from the first half of the 1950s. Although designed as a student instrument, the Champion Steel was -- and remains -- fully suited to professional use then or now. This one has the serial number 9084 stamped on the bridgeplate where the strings anchor through the body. The early Telecaster-style pickup, pots and wiring are original; the date codes on the pots are neatly soldered over but the serial number likely dates this one to later 1954 or the model's final year 1955. Fender revamped the Champion steel for 1956 with a less iconic plastic-covered pickup and different overall design, and these earlier versions have long been considered superior both sonically and aesthetically.
The flashy plastic-covered symmetrical two-bout body has a chrome bridge and cover plate with dome-top knurled knobs. A metal fingerboard pinned to the body has black paint screening to outline fret positions. The headstock has metal facing with integral nut stamped with lighting bolt logo and "Fender Electric Instrument Co. Fullerton, California". Over the years many of these 1949-55 Champs have sacrificed their pickups to provide the engine for vintage Telecaster recreations -- this one has fortunately avoided that fate. It remains a fine-sounding steel guitar with a bright, singing tone and a genuine early 1950s Fender instrument at a relatively reasonable price!
Overall length is 29 3/4 in. (75.6 cm.), 7 1/2 in. (19 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/4 in. (57 mm.).
This is a nice original Champion, showing some typical wear overall but no major issues. The metal handrest and headstock show some light wear and corrosion spots, there are many small dinks to the fingerboard. The plastic body covering is largely intact showing some minor nicks and dings. Most of the flocking is gone from underneath the body, as is nearly always the case. The only alteration is the original Kluson strip tuners have been replaced with modern repros; the originals buttons have nearly always crumbled by now so this is not uncommon.
The all-important original pickup and electronic components are complete and undisturbed, so the steel sounds excellent as it always has. Sadly the trend of stripping the vintage Telecaster-style pickups out of these original Champions has accelerated recently leaving fewer and fewer unmolested original examples. This steel remains mostly as it left Fullerton around 1954-5, in a period chipboard case that is of the times and picturesque if not exactly correct Fender issue. Overall Excellent - Condition.
