Fender/White High Steel Electric Guitar, c. 1956, made in Fullerton, California, blonde finish, alder body, metal fingerboard plate, grey tolex original hard shell case.
Leo Fender paid tribute to his production manager Forrest White by naming this steel guitar for him. It was intended as a high-grade student guitar for music studios. Because the instruments were not sold through regular Fender dealers, they did not carry the Fender name. Basically similar to a 1956 Champ lap steel with legs, the White 6-string steel is something of a Fender obscurity having been in production only a few years in the mid/late '50s.
The slightly asymmetrical body carries a metal fingerboard plate, metal "ashtray" tuner well with 6 plastic-button Kluson tuners, and a chrome plate carrying the pickup, bridge, two ribbed Tele-style knobs, and jack. The pickup is white plastic-covered and the bridge is a single steel bar adjustable at each end.
A plastic cover is snapped down over the entire assembly. The "White, Fullerton California" logo is a decal on the body, which is finished in an off-white reminiscent of the paint on the '50s Duo-sonic and Musicmaster guitars. Three telescoping chrome legs screw to the bottom of the guitar, and stow in the bottom of the red-fleece lined oblong hardshell case. This in an interesting '50s Fender obscurity as well as a good-sounding six-string steel.
Overall length is 31 in. (78.7 cm.), 6.5 in. (16.5 cm.) width, and 1.5 in. (3.8 cm.) deep. Scale length is 22.25 in. (565 mm.).
Generally excellent with some minor wear and discoloration to the finish. All original and intact except plastic bridge cover which is chipped and the attachment pegs broken off. Case excellent with only minor wear.
