Fender Champ Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1954), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 8358, yellow pearloid finish, hardwood body, original tweed hard shell case.

This is a fine example of Fender's "bread and butter" lap steel guitar from the first half of the 1950's. Although designed as a student instrument, the Champion Steel is a great-sounding guitar well suited to professional use then or now, with a Broadcaster style flat pole pickup fully equivalent in sound to the legendary 1950's Teles. The flashy plastic-covered symmetrical two-bout body has a chrome bridge and cover plates with dome-top knurled knobs. The serial number "8358" is stamped on the bridgeplate where the strings anchor through the body. The metal fingerboard plate pinned to the body has black paint screening to outline fret positions.

The headstock has metal facing with integral nut and Kluson Deluxe strip tuners with plastic buttons. The peghead is stamped with lighting bolt logo and "Fender Electric Instrument Co. Fullerton, California". All screws re Phillips-head, typical of 1954 Fender production...and the pots date to that the end of year. A year or so later the Champ design was altered to a less well regarded design with a smaller plastic-covered pickup that is cleaner and much tamer sounding. Nice examples of the original style Champ are increasingly harder to find; many have been sacrificed over the years to provide electric components for Telecaster recreations. This is a very cool steel guitar for playing or collecting, a nice 50 year old Fender instrument at a reasonable price!.
 
Overall length is 29 3/4 in. (75.6 cm.), 7 1/2 in. (19 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/4 in. (57 mm.). Some dings and pits to the metal fingerboard; otherwise quite clean overall with only minor play wear. All original except for replaced tuner buttons, complete and unmolested including the (great sounding) original pickup and wiring..a real screamer when cranked. A really nice Champ, complete with the original tweed HSC, solid but a bit dirty with the plastic part of the handle gone. Excellent - Condition.

Item # 5968

$1,200.00