Help with instrument identification/info, please

Bill Erchul · From: Raleigh, NC, USA

A new neighborhood friend showed me this Audiovox lapsteel from the â€˜30s that his mother played. He did some internet research and knew about Paul Tutmarc being head of Audiovox and Paulâ€™s many contributions. Heâ€™s also seen the promo photo of Paul holding this model guitar.

The steel has a solid walnut octagonal body. Itâ€™s an 8-stringer (probably marketed originally as a 7) thatâ€™s currently set up for 6 and has a bridge and nut that appear to be made of brass. The pickup is a split-coil (2 pc) design and may be the humbucker that some say Paul invented in the â€˜30s. I could not find a serial number.

My friend is not interested in selling but rather setting it up to be in playable condition and then keep as a family heirloom.

Some questions:
1. What else can you tell me about this lapsteel?
2. Who would you recommend to rewind/repair the pickup?
3. Who would you recommend to restore the guitar?

Noah Miller · From: Rocky Hill, CT

It's the earliest Audiovox design, introduced somewhere between 1933 and 1935. The tone knob is most likely a later addition. It's interesting that the nut and bridge are slotted for six strings; all the other ones of these I've seen had seven strings, and I can see that there are holes in the body for seven strings.

Tom Brantley is the king of oddball rewinds. If the guitar needs additional work, the folks at RetroFret know their way around an Audiovox.

Bill Erchul · From: Raleigh, NC, USA

Thank you, Noah, these are wonderful insights. I agree the second hole for a tone pot was likely added later. Also thought of Tom as the person to approach for the rewind but did not know about RetroFret.

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