Slingerland Songster Electric Guitar: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This electric guitar was made by the Slingerland Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Illinois, around 1936–39. It pre-dates the experimental "log" guitar of Les Paul from 1940 and is one of the earliest commercially marketed solid body, Spanish neck electric guitars. Slingerland ceased making electric instruments in 1940, changing exclusively to production of percussion instruments. This electric guitar is a Songster Spanish style and serial #114. In a late 1930s Slingerland catalog, this electric guitar, case and amplifier sold for $150.00

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date made: 1939
• maker: Slingerland Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company
• Object Name: guitar
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 93 cm x 30 cm x 5 cm; 36 5/8 in x 11 13/16 in x 1 31/32 in
• Place Made: United States
• ID Number: 1997.0063.01
• catalog number: 1997.0063.01
• accession number: 1997.0063
• Credit Line: Gift of Robert J. Kent
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.