1938 Gibson EH-150 7-String Lap Steel Electric Guitar

This Gibson EH-150 7-String Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar was handcrafted in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and features a sunburst lacquer finish, maple body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, and the original tweed hard shell case.

This Gibson EH-150 is fitted with the second generation blade pickup with the smaller U-shaped magnet underneath in place of the long bar "Charlie Christian" type magnets but the same coil structure as earlier models. This allowed Gibson to make the body a bit sturdier, doing away with the screwed-on back body plate of the original 1936 design. Pickups of this era are widely regarded as being among the finest sounding lap steel guitars in Gibson history, in addition to being one of the first successful electric instruments.

This lap steel guitar is stunning, with its lovely flame maple top and back triple-bound in celluloid and pearl peghead inlay. These semi-hollow body maple steels all have a very rich, powerful tone with a lot of definition. It's a great-sounding and playing steel, as well as a stylish instrument with a classic Gibson look! This rarer 7-string variant was cataloged but was not as common as the standard 6-string.

One interesting note is that the original brown and black Bakelite tone and volume knobs are model No. 479 (not the standard No. 504-A) a knob typically used on other Gibson Lap Steels of the day such as the EH-100! This must be due to the placement of the tone pot in relation to the optional upgraded hand rest.

Overall length: 32 in. (81.3 cm.)
Lover Bout: 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm.)
Depth: 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm.)
Scale length: 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.)
Nut Width: 2 in. (51 mm.)
Serial Number / FON: DG-42276

This rare steel shows signs of use but remains largely original and is a wonderful sounding instrument. At least one of the bridge screws is a replacement. The finish has a collection of dings, dents, and chips overall, with rub wear and some deep scratches on the back near the heel. The sunburst lacquer has a deep, rich patina and has faded a bit.

Very Good Condition