1930s Epiphone Electrophone??

[Tim Halse]

I found this beautiful lap steel in Australia. Can you help me identify it? It looks a lot like a 30s Epiphone Electrophone but I'm not sure.
https://youtu.be/LgIFEngU6XQ

[Noah Miller]

It's not an Epiphone, though that does appear to be an inspiration behind it. It incorporates elements of early Vega steels too, though it's not one of theirs either.

There was an Australian builder called Maxim who basically ripped off Epiphone, at least visually; I wonder if this came from them.

[Tim Halse]

Cheers Noah.

[Bill Sinclair]

Sounds pretty awesome, even played with a finger slide. I'm guessing that's a real horseshoe pickup and not the fake magnets you sometimes encounter. Get yourself a solid bullet bar, you'll love it even more!

[Tim Halse]

Cheers Bill. The slide I use is a heavy brass slide. I tend to prefer it to my bullet bars.

[David Matzenik]

From the overall quality and style, I would say Maxim. They made some nice horseshoe pickups.