An early example of Fender’s Dual 8 Professional Lap Steel—two 8-string necks, original tweed case, original legs. Likely dating to early 1951, this one is in great shape, complete, and ready for studio, stage or your collection. Full details below.

Fender’s Dual 8 Professional was part of the company’s early 1950s expansion into electric instruments, capitalising on the popularity of Hawaiian and Western swing music at the time. Produced from 1947 into the mid-1950s, these lap steels featured two 8-string necks, each with a Fender "Direct String Pickup" (a predecessor of the Strat and Tele units), designed to deliver clear, powerful tone across a wide frequency range. Used by country and western players as well as early experimental rock and blues musicians, these instruments marked Fender’s commitment to innovation before the rise of the solid body electric guitar.

This example is in excellent condition for its age, and is believed to date from around early 1951. Serial number is 1750, and one pot clearly shows a date code of 304109 (9th week of 1951). The other pot date is covered in solder, which is common for the era. While Fender didn’t keep consistent serial records for lap steels in this period, this serial and component combination lines up well with other documented examples from 1951.

The instrument features two solid maple necks, finished in a walnut nitro. The “ashtray” pickup covers and original knobs are intact, along with the original tuners - the selector switch tip appears to be non original but itself dates to roughly the period of manufacture. Usually these lap steels come with the Tele style barrel switch tips. Both pickups are strong and clear, delivering the classic wide-range, rich tone these are known for—perfect for pedal-free ambient textures or cutting country lead work.

It comes with its original three detachable legs (which screw into the underside), making it a fully functional console-style lap steel, and is housed in the original tweed hardshell case, which is in excellent condition with all latches and handle intact.

Cosmetically, there are some moderate signs of age and honest wear, but nothing out of character for a 70+ year old instrument. It remains fully functional and a joy to play.

Whether you’re a player looking for unique tones, a collector of early Fender gear, or a studio owner in search of something inspiring, this Dual 8 Professional is a rare and beautiful piece of early Fender history.

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