1936 Oahu 68K Jumbo DeLuxe Hawaiian Lap Steel

Imagine yourself as a hotshot professional Hawaiian guitar player in 1936. Hawaiian music is booming and you need a flashy pearl-topped lap steel for the stage. You have a tough choice. For $100 you could buy C.F. Martin’s fancy 00-40H model, or you can step up to $158 for the Oahu Jumbo Deluxe, the top of the line presentation grade model sold by the Oahu Publishing Company.

Obviously you pick the Oahu for the larger body and flashy fingerboard! Imagine pulling it out of the case for the first time after only seeing the catalog illustration. The Jumbo Deluxe is an absolute stunner with a tight waisted 15 3/4″ rosewood body and a long 25 1/2″ scale. The vine of life inlay sparkles from the bound, fretted fingerboard. The 12 fret square neck is designed for acoustic lap steel play with a straight bridge saddle and ladder braced body. The beautifully figured rosewood and gorgeous Adirondack spruce represent the finest woods available. Even the tuners are specially designed with patented string posts.

Oahu’s high end Jumbo and Jumbo Deluxe models are nothing like the entry-level catalog guitars they made to sell sheet music to new students. They are the pinnacle of 30’s custom shop craftsmanship. The fit and finish, the painstakingly crafted abalone shell work are every bit the equal of Martin work. These premium guitars are also extremely rare since most people purchased the cheaper models.

Condition is considered museum quality, completely original down to the bridge pins and plush-lined hard case. The guitar has barely been played or handled, with hardly a mark on the original finish. Even the tuners are gleaming. Luthier Ross Teigen addressed a couple short, tight side cracks along the grain which are now practically invisible. The guitar is otherwise crack free. Ross set the guitar up by adjusting the nut height slightly for perfect slide action without using a nut extender. Strings are Newtone Aloha brand, a wonderful choice for vintage acoustic lap steels.

Playing this guitar out will surely attract attention – folks will respond to the beauty of this guitar as well as its sensational sound.