Vintage Rickenbacker Electro Model 59 Lap Steel Guitar
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A true piece of electric guitar history. Offered here is a vintage Rickenbacker Electro Model 59 six-string Bakelite lap steel finished in the iconic black crinkle finish, featuring the legendary horseshoe pickup that helped shape the sound of early electric steel guitar.
Built during the golden age of Rickenbacker, the Model 59 remains one of the most desirable lap steels ever produced thanks to its remarkable sustain, clarity, and unmistakable tone. The original horseshoe pickup delivers everything these instruments are famous for—rich lows, sparkling highs, incredible note separation, and endless sustain that has made these steels favorites among Hawaiian, Western Swing, Country, Blues, Rock, and modern slide players alike.
This is the later two-knob version equipped with independent Volume and Tone controls, both of which function smoothly and exactly as they should. The volume knob has a small cosmetic chip along the edge but operates perfectly.
The instrument currently wears an Open G tuning, making it immediately ready for blues, rock, and roots playing, though it can easily be restrung and tuned for traditional Hawaiian, Western Swing, C6, E7, or any preferred lap steel tuning.
Overall, this is a very honest vintage example. The Bakelite body remains structurally excellent with only normal cosmetic scuffs and edge wear accumulated over decades of careful use. The tuner buttons have been replaced sometime during its lifetime, and the upper bass and treble tuner shafts show a slight bend, though both continue to tune smoothly and hold pitch without issue.
A previous owner added small yellow position-reference markings along portions of the molded fretboard to help identify fret positions while learning. These are purely cosmetic and do not affect playability.
Features
â—† Vintage Rickenbacker Electro Model 59
â—† Approx. late-1940s production
â—† Original legendary Horseshoe Pickup
â—† Black crinkle Bakelite construction
â—† Independent Volume & Tone controls
â—† Incredible sustain and articulation
â—† Open G tuning (easily changed to your preferred tuning)
â—† Professionally tested and fully functional
Condition
- Original horseshoe pickup sounds fantastic
- Volume and tone controls work smoothly
- Replacement tuner buttons
- Slight bend to the two upper tuner shafts, functioning properly
- Small cosmetic chip on the volume knob
- Previous owner added removable visual fret-position markings
- Typical cosmetic scuffs and edge wear from age
- Structurally solid and ready to play
clipboard case is included.
Professionally packed, fully insured, and shipped with the utmost care.
| Listed | 5 days ago |
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| Condition | Good (Used) Good condition items function properly but may exhibit some wear and tear.Learn more |
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