Detail 01
Single pickup
One voice, no pickup switching. Tone shaping happens at the amp and with your bar and pick hand.
Product detailSKU #1273888004521
Gretsch GuitarsElectromatic Lap Steel Guitar Tobacco Sunburst
1/3
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
A single-pickup lap steel in tobacco sunburst, played flat on the lap with a bar. An affordable entry into slide and steel playing.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Guitarists adding steel textures to country, blues, or roots recordings
- A first lap steel without committing to a pedal steel
- Open-tuning slide work where a standard guitar's action fights you
- Home recording where one voice needs to sit apart from the guitars
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Anyone expecting to fret it like a normal guitar — it's played with a bar
- Players wanting pedals and knee levers for pitch changes mid-chord
- Multi-neck players needing more than one tuning at once
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Lap steel format
Strings sit high off the fretboard. You never press them down — a steel bar slides over them to set pitch.
Detail 03
Fret markers, not frets
The lines are visual reference only. Intonation is entirely in your bar hand, which is the main thing to learn.
Detail 04
Tobacco sunburst finish
Dark edges fading to amber. Cosmetic, and the traditional look for this style of instrument.
Detail 05
Entry-level price
Gets you playing steel for far less than a pedal steel rig, with a simpler setup to learn on.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01A steel bar and fingerpicks are essential and are not part of the instrument
- 02Needs an amp and cable — this is an electric instrument
- 03Most players tune to an open tuning, not standard; expect to buy a matching string set
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Do I play this like a regular guitar?
No. It lies flat on your lap or a stand, and you slide a steel bar along the strings instead of pressing them to the fretboard. The technique is its own thing.
02What do I need besides the guitar?
A steel bar, an amp and cable, and usually fingerpicks and a thumbpick. Many players also want a stand so they can play standing up.
03What tuning should I use?
Open tunings are standard for lap steel — open E, open G, and C6 are common starting points. Which one you pick shapes the chord shapes available under the bar.
04Is this the same as a pedal steel?
No. A pedal steel adds foot pedals and knee levers that bend individual strings while you hold a chord. This is the simpler, older format without those mechanics.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsPickups & controls
- Pickup Configuration
- S
2 detailsBody & build
- Color
- Sunburst
- Color Finish
- Tobacco Burst
