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D'Angelico 14 string Lap Steel from 1937

Posted: 6 Jul 2023 12:43 pm
by Lynn Wheelwright
Never thought this would happen.

Image

Posted: 6 Jul 2023 1:10 pm
by Jack Hanson
Wow!!!

Posted: 6 Jul 2023 2:49 pm
by Noah Miller
Interesting.

I'm curious to see the pickup if it's original. Stylistically, this is totally different from D'Angelico's later electric Spanish guitars, which feature bodies and pickups from other companies.

Posted: 6 Jul 2023 3:11 pm
by David Matzenik
Its crazy that builders don't use standard fret mark positions. 5 7 9 12.

Posted: 6 Jul 2023 3:51 pm
by Lynn Wheelwright
Unfortunately, the original pickup and electronics were missing. I had to best-guess what it would have been based on the routing under the original cover plate as well as the holes in the cover plate. Pickup the latest issue of Fretboard Journal for the entire story as well as pictures.

Posted: 6 Jul 2023 4:47 pm
by Mike Neer
Saw this in FJ. Just astounding.

Posted: 6 Jul 2023 6:11 pm
by Allan Revich
Too cool!

It looks like it was designed to be played like a double neck, with two different 7 string tunings.

Posted: 7 Jul 2023 7:39 pm
by Larry Chung
Hi Lynn:

Thanks for sharing this incredible piece of musical instrument history with all of us via the Fretboard Journal. I was just blown away by the excellent photos and the story/details behind this fascinating steel guitar.

I've been an FJ subscriber for many years and this literally made my jaw drop when I flipped the page on the latest edition (FJ 52) and there was The Unicorn. (: Delightful to read and see.

Best wishes,
LC

Posted: 8 Jul 2023 5:27 am
by Tim Toberer
That is some real eye candy! Guitars from the late 30's have a very special mojo about them. I was able to check this out a few years ago. original link died. here's another https://thedutchluthier.wordpress.com/2 ... -daquisto/

Posted: 13 Jul 2023 12:26 pm
by Bill Hatcher
Anyone have a link to the article about this guitar. Thx

Posted: 13 Jul 2023 7:08 pm
by Anthony Blair
Argh... I made an offer on this guitar when it was on Reverb. The seller countered, but it sold on Ebay before I had a chance to respond.

Not sure I would have been able to sort out what it was though- I did a bit of research at the time, but came up empty.

Glad Lynn got it.

Posted: 14 Jul 2023 7:01 am
by Dennis Saydak
Bill Hatcher wrote:Anyone have a link to the article about this guitar. Thx
Bill, I just ordered the downloadable issue #52 (contains a very detailed Unicorn article) for a very reasonable price direct from the FB Journal web site. The article is delivered almost instantly in PDF format.

Posted: 14 Jul 2023 5:47 pm
by Bill Hatcher
Anthony Blair wrote:Argh... I made an offer on this guitar when it was on Reverb. The seller countered, but it sold on Ebay before I had a chance to respond.

Not sure I would have been able to sort out what it was though- I did a bit of research at the time, but came up empty.

Glad Lynn got it.
how much did it sell for on ebay?

Posted: 15 Jul 2023 8:39 am
by Dennis Saydak
[quote="Bill Hatcher"
how much did it sell for on ebay?[/quote]

$595.00 according to the article.

Posted: 16 Jul 2023 11:28 am
by Anthony Blair
Yes, $595 is what I have in my notes. I offered $450 (it was just an unmarked unusual steel with no electronics), and he countered at $500... but it was sold by the time I saw the counter-offer.