A Real Piece of Electric Guitar History
Before Fender, before Gibson solidbodies took over the world, there was the lap steel — and Electromuse was right there at the beginning. This Chicago-built instrument carries the brand's patented Eye-Beam pickup, one of the earliest practical electromagnetic pickups ever put to market. If you've ever been curious about where the electric guitar actually came from, you're looking at it.
Lap steel playing is its own world: you lay the guitar flat, tune to an open chord, and move a steel bar along the strings to create those gorgeous gliding, singing notes you know from Hawaiian music, country, and blues. No fretting required — just your ear, your hands, and a feel for melody. These Electromuse "canoe paddle" steels were student instruments in their day, but they have real character and a tone that holds its own.
This one needs a cable repair before it's ready to plug in, and it shows honest wear from its decades of life — but if you're a vintage enthusiast, a collector, or someone who loves a good project guitar, that's part of the story.
This Electromuse Lap Steel is in Non-Functioning Condition
The Eye-Beam Pickup
Electromuse patented the Eye-Beam pickup as one of the first commercially available electromagnetic pickups, manufactured right in Chicago, USA. It converts the vibration of the metal strings in a magnetic field into an amplified electrical signal — the same fundamental principle every electric guitar pickup still uses today. On this instrument, the pickup is present and the electronics include volume and tone controls.
Note that the hardwired output cable needs repair before the guitar can be used with an amplifier. This is a known and common issue on instruments of this age, and a straightforward fix for any tech or handy player. All other electronics should be inspected at the time of repair.
Build and Construction
Electromuse built their student lap steels with a hardwood body in the characteristic elongated "paddle" shape — simple, sturdy, and practical. The fretboard is typically a clear plexiglass panel with position markers, and the nut width on these instruments runs approximately 2 inches. Controls are mounted on a chrome combination plate that also serves as the tailpiece and pickup mount.
This is a 6-string instrument. The tuners, fretboard, and hardware should all be inspected in person, as specifics can vary across examples from this era. Photos of the actual guitar are your best reference for this unit's exact configuration.
Who This Guitar Is For
This Electromuse is a fit for the vintage collector who wants a genuine piece of early electric instrument history, the slide player curious about the roots of the form, or the adventurous player who enjoys a hands-on project. It is being sold as-is, used, with the cable repair noted. At the right price, instruments like this are hard to find and impossible to replicate.
Product Features:
- Brand: Electromuse — Chicago, Illinois, USA; operated 1940s–1950s
- Pickup: Patented Eye-Beam electromagnetic pickup, one of the earliest on the market
- Controls: Volume and tone
- Strings: 6-string configuration
- Body: Hardwood construction in classic "paddle" lap steel shape
- Fretboard: Clear plexiglass panel with position markers (typical for this model)
- Output: Hardwired cable — needs repair before use with an amplifier
- Condition: Non Functioning — Needs Cable Repair - finish chips and minor dents consistent with age and use
Brand: Electromuse
Model: Lap Steel with Eye-Beam Pickup
SKU: U-LAPSTEEL|ISI91826A
Condition: Used
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