Epiphone presents the Electar Inspired by "1939" Century Lap Steel Outfit, a one-of-a-kind reissue of the Art Deco-style Hawaiian lap steel guitar originally designed by legendary Epiphone salesman, electronics developer Herb Sunshine and good friend of founder Epi Stathopoulo.
Herb Sunshine was one of Epi Stathopoulo's key employees at the "House of Stathopoulo" headquarters in New York and helped inspire Epiphone to become the leader in affordable professional instruments. "Epi's father had brought back their Greek traditions from the old country and Epi continued where the old man left off. They had great pride. Epiphone personally examined every guitar and banjo," Sunshine told the historian Jim Fisch, of Epiphone. "We called the electric guitars and amplifiers 'Electar,' a name I made up."
The new Epiphone Electar Inspired "1939" Century Lap Steel 6-string Outfit features the same body profile as the vintage original with a one-piece mahogany body and neck with an ebony finish. The back of the body has non-slip rubber padding.
The neck of the "1939" Century features a classic plexiglass fingerboard and a traditional Art Deco replica "1939" with 28 frets that are properly tuned for great intonation in all positions. The headstock bears the vintage metal Epiphone badge used on early Epiphone electric archtops from the 1940s until the introduction of the Epiphone Casino in 1961! The 2.5" aluminum nut is a raised slide and the Wilkinson "Deluxe" 3-in-line keys have ivory colored buttons.
The new Electar Inspired by "1939" Century Lap Steel is powered by a powerful Epiphone 500B "Blade" Humbucker with beautiful Epiphone "Circus Tent" reproduction knobs for Master Volume and Tone. The bridge and tailpiece are aluminum with a period-correct nickel-plated steel cover.
The Epiphone Electar Inspired by the "1939" Century Lap Steel Outfit comes with a fitted gigbag.
Details
- Body material: Mahogany
- Neck material: Mahogany
- Handle shape: Square
- Ladder length: 22.5
- Key material: Plexiglas
- Fingerboard design: Traditional “1939” Art Deco replica
- Headstock: Traditional with old-fashioned metal "Epiphone" badge
- Frets: 28
- Strings: 6
- Pickup: Epiphone 500B "Blade" Humbucker 500B
- Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone
- Buttons: Old “Circus tents”
- Bridge / Tailpiece: Aluminum with nickel-plated steel cover
- Nut: aluminum, raised
- Nut width: 2.5"
- Hardware: Nickel
- Keys: Wilkinson "Deluxe" 3-in-line with ivory colored buttons
- Back: Non-slip pad on body and handle
- Includes: Deluxe Soft Case