Bakelite Rickenbachers

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Just in case ANYONE is interested.....there are two Rick's for sale on eBay at this time.
Price ranges from $152 to $700!

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Here's the $700 one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1461963186
Here's the one currently at $152:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1461988273

Note the lack of bids on the higher priced item.

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A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

I love those "ca. 1937" statements on most of these post 1945 guitars

... J-D.

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

JD
Just the fellow I want to talk to! I recently bought a pre-war B6 on eBay for $325 (using BuyItNow

). It has a professionally repaired neck crack... no problem..., chrome plates, volume/tone knobs on opposite sides, and a 1.25" pickup. I assume the pickup is a replacement of years ago.

Anyway, the sound of this horn is so close to my pre-war original as to be virtually the same, and noticeably different from my post-1945 guitar with the same pickup but with metal tailpiece. So my assumption is that the main determinant of "the Sound" is the string-through-body feature.

Does this jive with your opinion, or is the presumed different formula of Bakelite on later guitars also a contributing factor? Your experience with these instruments is greater than mine.

Muchas gracias, mi amigo.

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[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 04 September 2001 at 02:07 PM.]

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

Herb, it´s the neck-crack. IMO every one ought to just slam those thing on that tile floor...

No... I can´t really tell you without seeing the guitar. Chrome plates and knobs on the opposite... that looks like a pre-war but then again....

Where´s the plug?
Facing the player (pre-war body) or facing the audience (post-war body).
Are the edges of that body evenly rounded (post-war) or unevenly beveled (pre-war)?
Are your chrome plates magnetic (post-war) or not (brass: pre-war).
Is there a chrome frame around your 1-1/4" pu? If so take it off to check if there are the holes of the original "ears" that held the original pu.
Is the bridge an integral part of the body (pre thru war time) or added to the body (post-war)

I´ve recently sold an early 50´s Rick just before I left the US for Spain and that one had an amazing ring, maybe the best of all I´ve ever had. The PU is too bright for MY taste but it was one of the great sounding instruments.
Prewar models seem to have been more brittle (material) however they where the ones that would be hard to keep in tune and some of them have bent necks... So, "duh" you go (?)
The later ones had a much more workable bakelite formula, which would mean less brittle but they where less dificult to keep in tune... Go figger

.

I wished I could be somewhat more of help to you but I think the only thing I can tell you is: If it sounds that good... for 300 bucks who cares what it is!

Hasta la vista... J-D.

PS: And yes, the tail piece is garbage. They got back to string thru in the 50´s.

[This message was edited by J D Sauser on 06 September 2001 at 11:40 AM.]

Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

JD
It's definitely a pre-war body: jack hole on the player's side, beveled edges, integral molded bridge, the neck cavity is for a 1.5" pickup, no pickup mounting ring, no white fret outlines, small lightning bolt "non-T" logo plate, etc. Identical to my pre-Aug.'37 guitar except for the 1.25" pickup.

I took your advice and dropped my other pre-war guitar on the garage floor and...

OOOOPSSS! Didn't see that smiley face at first glance!!

Oh well...

Por favor, donde puedo comprar la otra guitarra de Rickenbacher? Y una pistola, tambien!!

Seriously, though, I think this is a pre-war guitar that simply had a post-war pickup added to it at a later date.

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J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

I knew you´d go for the dropping thing! Makes mine more valuable now

.
Hay estos gringitos!

Anyway, I thought you might find it interesting to know that I have a spare 1-1/5" pick up! But I won´t sell it!

Enjoy! ... J-D.

Cartwright Thompson · Posted 12 Sep 2001 1:49 am

Hey JD,
I do hope you moved to Spain solely to work on your book about Bakelite Ricks! I can hardly wait for publication.

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

A book??
I hope to eventually post some informative pictures on a website, when I´ll get around to it.
I moved to Spain because the food is good there and the girls at the beach go top-le$$.

... J-D.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Forget the BOOK!!!!!!

SEND US PICTURES!!!!!

Jerry Fleming · From: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Happy Holidays All,

I have a B6 Panda Rickenbacker that was passed to me from my grandfather. It has the vertical "RickenBacker" and Electro on the keystock. It has the 1.25" pickups and the 1/4 plug faces the volume and tone control. I can not find a serial number on it anywhere. It is really good condition. Do you guy have any idea what is worth?

I do not know how to post a picture.

Jerry

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Jerry,

Send the photos to me and I'll try to get them up somewhere so we can all see them.

Why didn't you start a new topic rather than resurrecting a four year old topic?

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Jerry Fleming · From: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Hi Brad,

Will do. Please over look the missing strings. I don't even know what gauge strings to put back or how to tune it.

All the best,

Jerry

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

These pictures appear to show a post-WWII Rickenbacker B-6 lap steel.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 14 December 2005 at 01:03 PM.]

Jerry Fleming · From: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Thanks Brad.

I appreciate the information and your help.

Happy Holidays,

Jerry

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Thats a circa 1949 to 1952 B6.

The big clue is that "logo" ...

They used a T-Logo from about '46 to '48/'49 ...

That "shield" is usually associated with the "flip top" peg head covered ... BD6s ...

In '53 they went back to string thru the body with a mounted bridge on the "surround" that frames the pup.

Should be a real "dandy" ... and seems to be in excellent shape.

Enjoy ...

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Aiello's Cast Steel Guitars

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 14 December 2005 at 03:32 PM.]

Russ Young · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

I've got its twin brother ... although my magnets have been to the House of Gauss for a jolt. (Thanks again, "Magneto.")

My wife bought it on eBay as a Christmas present for me in 2002 -- $520.

Jerry Fleming · From: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

I have a question for you guys.

The Keys look a bit fragile. Should I replace them or keep it 100% original?

Many Thanks,

Jerry

Mitch Druckman · From: Arizona, USA

I would suggest you remove the original keys and keep them in a safe place. Install new tuners that do not require any drilling or modification to the guitar. The new tuner screws should fit exactly where the old screws were. If you eventually want to sell the guitar you can reinstall the original tuners and it will be exacly as it is today, or sell it with the new tuners installed and include the originals.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

A similar overhaul was performed on another Bakelite sold recently on eBay and when inserting the screws, the head stock was split in two and when repaired, there was a tremendous gap between the two pieces.
Go very carefully in doing any inserting and twisting of screws. CAUTION is the word.

Jerry Fleming · From: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Good advice.

Many thanks.

Happy Holidays,

Jerry

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