From the NMAH Collection

Slingerland Songster
Slingerland Musical Instrument Manufacturing Co.
Chicago, Illinois
1939

The Slingerland company, best known as a drum manufacturer, also made guitars and banjos. This rare Slingerland Songster electric guitar, featured in a 1939 company catalog, pre-dates Les Paul's "Log" guitar and is probably the earliest Spanish-style solid-body electric guitar model. The guitar's pickup includes individual string magnets as well as a large horseshoe magnet. Slingerland ceased making electric instruments in 1940 in order to exclusively focus on producing percussion instruments.