Lap Steel Guitar Solid Body Herrnsdorf Cramer Electro Artis 1950's

Herrnsdorf is a German instrument maker dating back to the 19th century that rose to prominence after World War II, producing high-quality electric guitars and lap steels in the Markneukirchen region (then in East Germany).

Herrnsdorf's “Electro/Elektro Artist” series appears in catalogs and on instruments dating from the 1950s and early 1960s, a period during which German luthiers in the region offered solid, decorated instruments (e.g., pearl veneer) equipped with simple but effective electronics, often intended for the European market and club musicians.

In the 1950s, the electric lap steel remained very popular in Hawaiian music, honky-tonk country, and certain popular repertoires. Figures such as Sol Hoʻopiʻi (who died in 1953), Jerry Byrd, and Don Helms shaped the playing style and demand for horizontal electric instruments during this era, explaining the rise of electric models and their solid-body variants.

Herrnsdorf was then integrated into the Musima industrial group in the 1960s and 1970s, which explains the current scarcity and value of Herrnsdorf instruments produced in the 1950s.

All in all, this is an excellent Herrnsdorf Cramer Electro Artis lap steel from the 1950s, a rare instrument with vintage charm, offering a bright, warm, and expressive tone, perfect for lovers of authentic timbres and vintage musical sensations.

Technical specifications:

• Fingerboard: Ebony and white plastic
• Nut width: 56.5 mm
• Radius: Flat
• Frets: 24 frets
• Scale length: 582 mm
• Hardware: Chrome
• Pickups: Original Elektro Artis
• Controls: Volume
• Country of manufacture: Germany
• Year: 1950s
• Finish: Gray pearloid
• Decorations: Rectangular and white dot fingerboard markers
• Details: Non-slip coating on the back / Slight signs of wear and normal use given its age / Comes with its original paper / Comes in its original case

Like all our instruments, this lap steel has been carefully adjusted.

This makes it very comfortable to play.

Its tone is rich, bright, and penetrating, offering silky sustain, clear harmonics, and a warm presence ideal for slide solos and Hawaiian or vintage country textures.

Its timbre stands out with a round warmth, lively texture, and appealing vintage character that is expressive, singing, precise, and full of depth, perfect for musicians seeking an authentic sound.