Vintage & Rare Guitar Of The Week: 1965 Teisco Model Z Lap Steel

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This guitar - a Teisco Model Z lap steel from 1965 - is about as simple as they come: slab-bodied, single pickup, single volume control, but I find it absolutely fascinating. I've not seen one quite like this before but that grey-green colour is a typical Teisco finish.

Note how the plastic-bodied pickup is not only inlaid with green pearloid but also appears to be "scalloped" with channels for each of the strings. I also like the contours of the metal components: the tailpiece, panel carrying the volume control, and the little pickup bracket. Compare this with modern lap steels with use generic bridges and Strat-like single coil pickups.

Note also that the fingerboard appears to be inlaid with real frets which is unusual on a lap steel where the only function for frets (or fret-lines as on most examples of this type of instrument) is as visual markers.

I love the Teisco label on the reverse on the head complete with a mis-spelling on the word "guitar", and also the label from an accordion retailer where this lap steel was originally purchased.

The guitar even comes in its original hard case, and is available for sale via Vintage & Rare for a very reasonable €250.

G L Wilson

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