Whether you want to start your guitar journey off a little differently or just want to expand your musical repertoire, a lap steel guitar can be great to have. This remarkable instrument may be best known in Hawaiian music, but lap steels have made memorable appearances in blues, country, and western records.
However, if you're new to the world of these interesting instruments, you may be uncertain of how to choose the best lap steel guitar for you. To help you get started, here are our top nine picks.
9 Best Lap Steel Guitar
Best Acoustic
Imperial Royal Hawaiian Ltd Edition Weissenborn Style
Best High End
Gold Tone LS-6
Best Value
Epiphone Electar
Review of our Top Picks
Best Aesthetic - Gretsch G5700 Electromatic Lap Steel
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You may already know Gretsch for their hollow body electric guitars, but this company also makes an impressive lap steel guitar. This one has a solid mahogany body finished in a classic sunburst. The geometric fretboard inlays make it a real visual standout, too. This guitar also has a string-through-body design. You often see this on electric guitars, but on a lap steel guitar, it has the same effect -- you get even more sustain.
Like most Gretsch instruments, this one is also well-appointed despite being fairly affordable. You get high-quality touches like chrome-plated open-gear tuners, and the control plate's silver volume and tone knobs contrast beautifully with the guitar's darker finish.
Our Star Rating
We think this lap steel has the best aesthetic on the list. We give it four out of five stars.
Best Beginner Lap Steel -- SX LAP 3
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If you're just getting into lap steel guitars, chances are good that you don't want to spend a huge amount. And while you may look askance at first at SX -- a brand that makes its guitars in China -- you might be relieved to hear that this is surprisingly good-sounding lap steel. Much of that comes from its one-piece design. The body and neck are made from a single piece of basswood. Of course, basswood isn't the greatest tonewood out there, but it does well enough -- especially on a guitar this affordable.
You also have a 23.75" scale length with a full 36 frets, making this a great choice for lap steel guitar players who want as much range as possible. We also like that it comes with both a slide and a gig bag, so you'll be able to take it on the go, too.
Our Star Rating
We think this is the best beginner lap steel guitar on the list. We give it four out of five stars.
Best Value -- Epiphone Electar
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If you prefer a lap steel guitar with some historical significance built-in, then the Electarmay will be for you. This one is modeled after Epiphone's "1939" Century Lap Steel, and even its appointments are time-period correct. Like the original 1939, the Electar has a single-piece mahogany neck and body, so you get warm, dark tones and ample sustain. Chrome hardware adds a high-quality touch, and like most lap steels, it has a 22.5" scale length with 28 frets.
Even the volume and tone controls have vintage circus-tent style knobs, and the vintage headstock logo completes the picture. Still, this lap steel guitar has a couple of key modern touches. It's equipped with an Epiphone 500B Blade humbucker, and the back and neck have non-slip padding to keep it comfortably in your lap.
Our Star Rating
We think this one is the best value on the list, and we give it five out of five stars.
Best Budget Option -- Rogue RLS 1
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You may already know that Rogue is the in-house brand of Musician's Friend. And while Rogue instruments are designed to be very affordable, most of them are of surprisingly good quality. The Rogue RLS 1 lap steel guitar is no exception. Design-wise, it's a bit of an oddity -- the red sides of the body go up all along the neck, making the guitar have a triangle-like shape. (The scale length is 21", making it shorter than some lap steels.) However, if you want to rest your hand while playing, this is likely to be an asset.
The RLS 1 is somewhat unique in that it comes with legs. This way, you can try playing it in your lap and try playing it on your legs, then choose whichever method works best for you. The unique stainless steel pickguard and Telecaster-style bridge and single-coil pickup give it some pizazz, too. And it comes with a gig bag so you can easily take it with you, too.
Our Star Rating
We think this is the best budget lap steel guitar on the list, and we give it three and half out of five stars.
Best Electronics -- Recording King RG-32 - SN
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Recording King may not be the most recognized guitar manufacturer out there, but they make respectable instruments that are surprisingly affordable. We think this one may be another good lap steel guitar for beginners -- it's surprisingly affordable given its build quality, and the body looks a little more like a traditional guitar than some lap steels do.
We especially like that, just like some other lap steels on the list, the Recording King RG 32 is made of solid mahogany and has a string-through design for better sustain. The sunburst finish contrasts beautifully with the Pearloid fingerboard, too. The neck has a fairly average scale length of 23.5". But what we like most about this lap steel guitar is the fact that it comes equipped with a P 90 pickup. This pickup may not be ideal for everyone, but it delivers a thick, versatile tone that makes this lap steel guitar great for a variety of genres. (If you're unfamiliar, the P 90 pickup is the pickup used in the Les Paul, among other guitars).
Our Star Rating
We think this lap steel has one of the best and most versatile pickups on the list. We give it four out of five stars.
Best Extra Features -- SX Lap 2 Ash 3TS
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This is another model from SX, a maker of affordable lap steel guitars. The SX Lap 2 Ash 3TS is well-appointed lap steel with a lot of features that most on the list don't have. It has a body made of American swamp ash, which you don't often see. This is a great wood if you want something a little brighter than mahogany, and American swamp ash also has a beautiful grain. It also has a rosewood fretboard, which is a relative rarity in the electric lap steel guitar market. Most options have plastic or plexiglass fretboards.
This one also has a longer scale length and more frets than many guitars on the list. The scale length is 24.75", and there are 36 frets -- perfect for the player who likes lap steel with extended range. It has an SX P 90 pickup, and it comes with both a stand and a padded gig bag.
Our Star Rating
Since this model has a handful of features you don't often see on lap steels, we think it has the best additional features of the bunch. We give it three and a half out of five stars.
Most Durable -- Morrell PLUS Series
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When you look at the price of this electric lap steel guitar, you might think it's an inexpensive made-in-China model. However, This lap steel, like all Joe Morrell lap steels, is made in the U.S. It's the most durable model on the list for a simple reason -- the poplar body is thicker than that of most other lap steel guitars. This thicker body offers more than just durability, though -- the thicker slab of wood translates to better resonance. Poplar is known for having a fairly bright tone with a bit of bite, and it's often used in less-expensive metal guitars.
This may be part of the inspiration for this one's aesthetic -- the shark-tooth fretboard inlays are reminiscent of shredder guitars. There's a two-octave fretboard that gives you plenty of room for tonal experimentation, and the volume and tone controls let you get a range of sounds out of the single-coil Kent Armstrong pickup.
Our Star Rating
We think this is the most durable lap steel guitar on the list, and we give it four out of five stars.
Best Acoustic Lap Steel -- Imperial Royal Hawaiian Limited Edition Weissenborn Style
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Thus far, we've focused on the electric lap steel guitar. After all, many lap steel guitars fall under this category. However, if you've been looking for an acoustic lap steel (with electronics if you want to plug in), this stunning model from Imperial Guitars may be right for you. This guitar has an extra-deep body for improved resonance, and the solid Sapele top will only sound better with age. The back and sides are laminated Sapele, but they nonetheless produce an excellent tone.
This lap steel guitar also has several stunning visual touches. The most noticeable is the Weissenborn-style rope binding. The rosewood fingerboard is another beautiful touch that's also comfortably playable. And if you want to plug in, the Fishman Presys+ system is ideal for any gig.
Our Star Rating
We think this outstanding model is the best acoustic lap steel guitar on the list. We give it five out of five stars.
Best High-End Lap Steel Guitar -- Gold Tone LS-6
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If you want a model that hearkens back to the heyday of lap steel guitars, this is a great one to choose. It's a replica of the famous Oahu Tonemaster, and the pickup and other specifications are true to the original. This lap steel guitar is made entirely of mahogany, and the traditional soapbar pickup delivers a crystal-clear vintage tone. Its aesthetic is unmistakably vintage, too -- the ornate tailpiece is balanced out by the simple Pearloid fretboard inlays. You get a 25" scale length with 19 frets.
Our Star Rating
We think this is the best high-end lap steel guitar on the list, and we give it five out of five stars.
What Should You Consider Before Buying a Lap Steel?
Tonewoods
As with any guitar, the tonewoods on a lap steel matter. As you may have noticed on the list, many lap steels are made with mahogany. This is a warm, rich-sounding wood that seems to enhance the sound of any lap steel. However, if you want something brighter, ash or poplar is a good choice. Occasionally, you may see lap steels made with basswood or other cheaper woods. These aren't necessarily bad, but the best lap steel guitars tend to be made with higher-quality wood.
Electronics
Unless you're going for acoustic lap steel, electronics matter. And you can find lap steels with all manner of electronics installed. Many come with single-coil pickups, which have a classic sound. If noise is a concern, you may want to go with a humbucker. And if you want a gritty sound that combines the best elements of single coils and humbuckers, a P-90 may be best. It's a good idea to listen to sound demos if you're unsure of the tone you want.
Playability
As the name suggests, lap steels are designed to be played on your lap, and plenty of modern lap steels have bonus features that make them especially playable. For instance, some have felt or another kind of backing that makes it less likely they'll slip as you play. A few even come with legs, which let you experiment with playing while standing up, too.
Final Thoughts
While we don't think you can really go wrong with any lap steel guitar on the list, we think the best lap steel guitar on the list is the Epiphone Electar. This guitar is based on a historically significant design, is equipped with excellent electronics, and is highly playable. Perhaps best of all, it's a great value that won't break the bank. If you have a little more to spend, we think the vintage tone and stunning good looks of the Gold Tone LS-6 may suit you. And if you want high-end acoustic lap steel, be sure to check out the Imperial Royal Hawaiian. Whichever you choose, remember to take your time and do your research, and you'll be well on your way to an exciting new musical adventure.