| Author |
Topic: Richenbacher Electro B-6 |
JOZEF SMITH
From:
WESTMINSTER - CA - USA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 12:35 am |
|
WAS THERE EVER A B-6 LAP MADE WITH BLACK COVERS?
SO FAR I HAVE SEEN WHITE PAINTED AND CHROMED ONES.
MAHALO. |
|
|
 |
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 6 May 2009 3:55 am
|
|
| The only black covered Ricks I've seen were on ebay. Likely painted by an owner sometime. Easy enough to repaint. Many white covers have been chromed. I like white on mine. |
|
|
|
Russ Tkac
|
Posted 6 May 2009 4:25 am
|
|
| The one that I have with red plates I've had for 30 years. I bought it that way. They have been painting them for a long while. I've had 4 others, two chrome and two white. I like the white as well. |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 6 May 2009 4:44 am
|
|
If you look in the Buy and Sell, Doug Freeman just sold one a few days ago. It's a real beauty.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 7:49 am
|
|
| They also used opaque plastic white covers during the war to conserve on metal. |
|
|
|
JOZEF SMITH
From:
WESTMINSTER - CA - USA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 9:38 am
|
|
Mahalo for all the responses. I have one that was white but I had them chromed many years ago when I bought the B-6 for $65 at a pawn shop. I like the chromed ones since it matches the T logo and the pick-up assembly. I bought the one from Doug Freeman.
Yes it is in very good working condition. I have a few steel guitars but IMHO the Rick B series have the best sound regardless what amp I use except you have to retune it more often. The black covers look good and different. Thanks again gents. |
|
|
|
Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 10:19 am
|
|
| There were indeed original black (plastic?) covers for bakelites during, I believe, the WW2 era. Rarely seen, much like the red and green V/T knobs. |
|
|
|
Doug Freeman
From:
Los Angeles, CA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 12:08 pm
|
|
I've always been under the impression that in addition to chrome originally, by the early '40s they were doing painted black metal plates as well as white ones. I know I've read it in the guitar literature somewhere, and though I don't know what this guy's ultimate authority is, for years he's listed them as appearing in black as early as 1940 on the following website:
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/rick.html#ricklaps
I believe this site is pretty well respected in the guitar community and have found it to be very accurate in matters I'm more knowledgable about than steel guitars. |
|
|
|
Kevin Greenberg
From:
Lakewood, CA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 3:05 pm B6
|
|
Hey Jozef, How's that one sound compared to your other one? I'm gonna have to come over and drool on it a bit. I'm gonna call you up here in the next few days.
You friend, Kevin |
|
|
|
JOZEF SMITH
From:
WESTMINSTER - CA - USA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 7:58 pm
|
|
Aloha Kevin,
Long time no hear. The black one sounds the same as my other one. It looks very nice and everything is still original. Give me a call anytime.
Thanks Doug for the Rick website. It was nice meeting you yesterday. Have a great day. |
|
|
|
Doug Freeman
From:
Los Angeles, CA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 9:24 pm
|
|
| Thanks, Jozef. Pleasure was mine. |
|
|
|
Jamie O'Connell
From:
Medford, Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 6 May 2009 10:57 pm
|
|
| I happen to own a black plate B6. It has the old small Rickenbacher logo, and 1 1/4" pickup in a tail piece. I am pretty sure it was done that way in the factory as the original knobs are white on it, and a few scrapes on one plate show bare metal underneath. It sounds awesome -- every bit as good as my chrome B6, 1 1/2" pickup with strings through the body. |
|
|
|
Doug Freeman
From:
Los Angeles, CA
|
Posted 7 May 2009 11:09 am
|
|
| That mirrors my experience, having a 1940-'41 white plate B6 and this post-war black plate B6 side-by-side. Despite the differences in pickup width, strings through body, molded vs. metal bridge, etc. these two guitars are indistinguishable in tone, response, and playability. Puts the myth around those differences firmly to bed as far as I'm concerned. |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 7 May 2009 5:56 pm
|
|
Seems like there is nothing quite like a bakelite, regardless of cover finish, magnets, string through etc. They seem (to me) to be in a class by themselves.
Kind of strange that they were cheap in pawn shops and music stores a few decades ago. People must have forgotten how well they sound, with the flood of wood guitars, multi-necks etc in later times. Maybe just not flashy enough along side a big slab with strings all over it.
Now the bakelites have a new popularity, and are coveted.
Strange  |
|
|
|
Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 7 May 2009 7:16 pm
|
|
That's because besides sounding great, they always were flashy and very cool.
The cream always rises to the top, no matter how many times the bottle is shaken. |
|
|
|
Doug Freeman
From:
Los Angeles, CA
|
Posted 23 May 2009 4:47 pm
|
|
| Happened to be browsing George Gruhn's vintage guitar guide the other day and noticed that he lists black plates appearing on bakelite Ricks circa 1940. I knew I'd seen that somewhere else before. Pretty strong authority. |
|
|
|
