Gibson E-150 Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar, c. 1935, made in Kalamazoo, cast aluminum, original tweed hard shell case.
Gibson's first electric guitar! Fit with an early Charlie Christian style pickup -- single blade for the three bass strings and segmented blades for the three treble strings. Two black Bakelite flower petal-like knobs on opposite sides of the lower bout. The shoulders are rounded and angle into the neck at a sharper angle than the later EH-150. Unbound rosewood fingerboard with a V-shaped end, white flush fret inlays, and mother-of-pearl dot markers. Open back tuners are stamped Grover and made of nickel-plated steel.
Gibson's shipping records indicate that only 98 of this model were shipped from October 1935 into the beginning of 1936. Most had ebony fretboards, but this particular one has an unbound rosewood fretboard, of which only a few were made in early production. The body, neck, and headstock are raw aluminum.
Its lack of a logo and the other appointments mentioned above classify this as one of the rarest models in production of Gibson's electric instruments.
Comes with the original case and cable, which has rubberized insulation and Bakelite quarter inch plugs.
Overall length is 31 3/4 in. (80.6 cm.), 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth at side. Scale length is 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.). Excellent Condition.
