Gibson EH-100 Seven-String Lap Steel 1939 Sunburst

No sales tax for customers outside California.

This 1939 Gibson EH-100 seven-string lap steel is a beautifully preserved prewar example from Gibson’s golden age of electric Hawaiian and lap steel instruments. With its rich Sunburst finish, binding, and Art Deco aesthetic, the EH-100 represents some of Gibson’s finest early electric craftsmanship. The seven-string configuration—far rarer than the standard six-string—offers expanded harmonic possibilities, fuller chord voicings, and broader melodic range, making it a prized instrument for collectors and players alike.

The original Charlie Christian style, single-coil pickup delivers warm, singing sustain with excellent clarity and vintage character. Paired with the solid maple body, it produces a smooth, vocal tone ideal for Hawaiian, Western swing, blues, and roots styles. Original hardware, tuners, and electronics remain intact, and the instrument shows only light wear for its age. The Sunburst finish retains strong color and patina, further elevating its historical appeal.  Everything is original here - no changes, repairs, or issues.

The sharp-looking original case is included.

At Mahar’s Vintage Guitars, every vintage piece is inspected, photographed accurately, and described with full transparency.

We buy, sell, and accept trades on rare Gibson instruments and amps. Explore the rest of the lap steels currently in stock, our Gibson Guitars Collection, Vintage Guitar Amplifiers, or Sell or Trade Your Gear page.

If you're shopping for one of these, this is the nicest one out there on the market!

Everything works flawlessly.  It is just a beautiful piece!

Excerpts from real online user reviews of Gibson EH-100 lap steels:

• “Prewar Gibson steels have unbelievable warmth.” – The Steel Guitar Forum
• “Seven-string layout opens up amazing chord options.” – The Gear Page
• “Classic Gibson pickup—smooth, rich, and expressive.” – Reddit r/guitar
• “A piece of lap steel history.” – Harmony Central
• “Plays beautifully and records even better.” – Vintage Guitar Forum

Specs:

• Color: Sunburst
• Weight: 5lbs 15ozs
• Top: Maple
• Body: Maple
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Brazilian Rosewood
  
• Inlays: Mother Of Pearl dots
  
• Fret marker count: 29
• Nut: Original Metal
• Nut width: 2 1/4"
• Scale: 22 1/2"
• Total length: 31 7/8"
• Lower bout: 8 11/16"
• Waist: 5 5/8"
• Upper bout: 6 9/16"
• Body depth/thickness: 2"
• String gauge: .015-.042"
• Hardware Color: Nickel
• Bridge Pickup: Gibson
  
• Pickup Original?: Yes
• Bridge: Original 
• Tuners: Original
• Pots: Original
• Knobs: Original
• Case: OHSC
• Notes:

Shipping policy:

Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions.  If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com.  Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.