Up for sale, a 1951 Supro Student DeLuxe lap steel in excellent condition and in good working order. Produced in Chicago by the Valco company (the parent company of Supro and National among others), this steel is a ton of fun to play, with the signature sound of Supro's split coil pickup. The tone is quite warm and articulate, with just the right amount of twang and snap when you dig in. The Art Deco styling is readily apparent, with stair stepped graphics and the "Student DeLuxe" script on the fretboard On the headstock, the original metal "Supro" badge is present, and on the reverse side the V prefix serial number dates this steel to late 1951. The tuning machines are modern Kluson reissues which turn smoothly and hold pitch well, matching the original mounting pattern and cosmetic appearance of the originals perfectly. The hammerite control plate looks great, with the original screw on cover over the chrome pickup. The original volume pointer knob is also one of the coolest early Valco knobs we've ever seen! Even the original attached 1/4" cable is present and still works as it should with low noise and a solid connection. Cosmetically, the instrument shows wear around the edges, and some dings in the top best captured in photo #8. Aside from honest use over the past nearly 65 years, this is a lovely example of vintage USA Supro craftsmanship and a great sounding steel. A well padded hard case with zippered vinyl exterior is included.
