1953 Fender® Champion

 

  • SOLD!

  • Year: 1953
  • Manufacturer: Fender®
  • Model: Champion
  • Case: Original Soft
  • Color: yellow pearloid
  • Condition: Excellent
  • Description: Fender® Champion Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar, c. 1953, made in Fullerton, California, serial # 4242, yellow pearloid finish, hardwood body, metal fingerboard, original brown chipboard case. A very fine early example of Fender®'s "bread and butter" lap steel guitar from the first half of the 1950's. Although designed as a student instrument, the Champion Steel is a great-sounding guitar fully suited to professional use then or now, with a Broadcaster style flat pole pickup fully equivalent in sound to the legendary 1950's Teles. The flashy plastic-covered symmetrical two-bout body has a chrome bridge and cover plates with dome-top knurled knobs. The serial number "4242" is stamped on the bridgeplate where the strings anchor through the body. The metal fingerboard plate pinned to the body has black paint screening to outline fret positions. The headstock has metal facing with integral nut and Kluson strip tuners with plastic buttons. The peghead is stamped with lighting bolt logo and "Fender® Electric Instrument Co. Fullerton, California". All screws are Phillips-head, typical of post-1952 Fender® production. Such nice examples of the Champion are increasingly harder to find; many have been sacrificed over the years to provide electric components for Telecaster® recreations. This is a great steel guitar for playing or collecting.Overall length is 30 in. (76.2 cm.), 7 1/2 in. (19 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 in. (559 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/4 in. (57 mm.). Very clean overall; new tuner buttons but otherwise all original, includes a battered original chipboard case. Excellent Condition.