Electric guitars first came onto the music scene during the big band era of the 1930s and they were a boon to players—at last they were not constantly drowned out by the brass section! But nowhere was the electric guitar more appreciated than in Hawaii, especially by players of the lap steel guitar. These musicians had struggled to be heard over the sound produced by regular guitars and ukuleles even in small groups because, with their acoustic instruments lying flat on their laps, most of their sound projected upwards, not out toward the audience.

For lap steel guitar players, and the uniquely Hawaiian style of slack-key (open tuning) they used, the electrified “pickup” and amplification of their acoustic guitars was a major advance. And it did not take long for them to catch on to yet another development: the semi-acoustic and solid body electric guitars that produced an even richer tone, volume that could be controlled at the turn of a knob on the instrument itself, and the previously impossible ability to sustain notes and chords almost indefinitely.

This Gibson EH 275 is an example of what was the last of a series of models the famous guitar company made during the ’30s. The code number EH stands for “Electric Hawaiian” but the company discontinued the line during World War II and only 25 EH 275 guitars were made and sold, making this a scarce historic instrument. It features a hollow, maple body with a sunburst finish, rosewood fretboard and dot inlays and the so-called “Charlie Christian” ES-150 pickups named for the renowned jazz guitarist who played with Benny Goodman and Count Basie among other all-time greats. This instrument bears the serial number EGE 6375 and is a six-string version, although some EH 275 models came set up with seven or even eight strings.