Lapsteel Guitars

If you’re a steel player, then you’ll probably have heard of the old Rickenbacker steels, with their legendary horseshoe magnet pickups – and everything you’ve heard is true! The fully adjustable string-thru horseshoe design really packs a punch, giving this superb 46yo instrument an incredible edge over any modern day steel. Built at the Rickenbacker factory in Santa Ana, California, in September, 1964, we’ve listed this as a Model 105, but it could be a Model 102 – available literature fails to make the difference clear – one came with screw-on legs, one without. Whichever mod...

In the world of vintage steel guitars, National has it over everything else out there! And this National ‘Grand Console’ model, (from only the second year of production), is one of the best-looking, killer-sounding steels you’re ever going to find. First appearing in 1947, the Grand Console was the National model that Fender “borrowed” from, in designing their Stringmaster steels, introduced in 1953. This unbelievably fine twin 8-string model is in simply wonderful condition – for over 60 years old, we’re calling it Excellent+ condition. The Perspex, (“Lucite”) board overlays ar...

What a find! Part of a very small Chicagoan production run featuring the elongated art deco National logo, some minor tarnishing of the chrome control plate is about all that stops this very rare National model looking near new! With only the top-of-the-line New Yorker model above it, 1961 had been the last year the Chicagoan appeared in the National catalogue, however a production run in January of 1966 included a very small number of ex-catalogue Chicagoans, in order to use up a handful of fretboards remaining in the factory. By 1962 The Chicagoan had officially become the “St...