Rickenbacher Model 59 Reclamation Work

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

A few of the guys have asked to see my work on the reclamation of a Model 59 I bought about 15 years ago as a completely stripped body. It had also had two additional holes for tuners drilled in the peg head, and two extra slots behind the bridge to anchor the strings.

My first task was to fill and sand the extra holes. It was missing the metal plate inside the body that the bridge anchors to, so I fit a 1" x 1"piece of koa the length of the pickup opening and gorilla glued and clamped it to the top of the body behind the pickup to give me something to screw the bridge into.

Then I did something that people may not like, but for me it has proven to be a tone enhancer on these hollow body metal guitars. First I filled the area behind the pickup all the way down to the slots for the strings with Plaster of Paris. After that set up I took a funnel and tube and filled the inside of the head stock with Plaster of Paris all the way to about the first fret. I stuck dowels in the tuner holes and painters tape over the screw holes until it set up. I feel the extra mass the POP provides after it drys really adds some depth and sustain to the tone. Until the POP fully cures it is heavy and produces a dull thud when you tap it. After it is dry however it has a very crisp and ringing tone when tapped. It takes several weeks to fully dry. A benefit is that it does not shrink.[img]

I noticed I could see daylight under the nut. The metal below the nut was not level having high spots around the holes where the nut inserts. I took a file to it and now the ebony nut I made has full contact. That will be a big tone helper![/img]

Then I made a wooden cradle to hold a P-90 I plan to put in it. It will attach to the four holes that were used to mount the horseshoe. You can see where I have carved out the plaster of Paris in the slots where the strings go.

Thanks for your interest.

Will Houston · From: Tempe, Az

Cool project, interesting. I have a model 59. Looking forward to seeing the progress of the project.

Bill Groner · From: QUAKERTOWN, PA

Thanx for the pics Steve. Good luck with your project and keep the pictures coming. So, was the POP your idea and if so how did you come up with that? How much weight will it add?
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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Thanks, Will! I really like these guitars.

Bill Groner, I heard about the plaster of Paris a long time ago. It seems like some Hawaiian player, maybe Dick McIntyre, had told someone he had put ballast in his hollow body guitar to give it a richer tone. As I remember, someone had picked up the guitar and commented on the weight. Also the first Model 59 I bought - again completely stripped - had a very odd and smelly material poured into the area behind the pickup. I chipped it out, but felt compelled to replace it. That is when the POP thought came to my mind.
I would guess that once it is dry it adds about a pound or two.

John Dahms · From: Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA

Regarding the black smelly substance you chipped out of the guitar; There was a discussion about that several years ago on this forum. Maybe you can search it if you are interested. I don't know what it really is but it seems like something from the Labrea Tar Pits was scooped into the base of some guitars down below where the pickup and strings attach when it was sitting in an upright position.
As for stopping wolf notes and resonating frequencies, Rick Aielleo suggested some time back that he packs model 59 or NS style Ricks with a terrycloth towel. it doesn't add much weight and does the trick. I know it does, I did it on a Magnatone Melodier (Rectangular hollow metal stamped model with a removeable bottom plate).
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Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Hi John,
I remember that discussion about the tar pit stuff from years ago. It was nasty stuff. I have also followed Rick's suggestion of terry cloth on one of mine. I am no expert on acoustic properties, but it makes sense to me to have the headstock filled. These are the only guitars I can think of with a hollow headstock. Maybe there are others, but I have not seen them. It gives the strings and nut a solid place to anchor.

Bill Groner · From: QUAKERTOWN, PA

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Bill Groner,
Very nice,indeed. I have admired your instruments in the past. You are doing fantastic work. Never heard one,but they are very visually pleasing!

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

I totally get what you're shooting for with filling the body. My Silver Hawaiian is one of those guitars that you either totally dig for its unique resonance or....not. I...not. Because of the pristine condition of my 1939 guitar, I have no intention of doing anything radical to it. But working with a reclamation project, I'm all for it. Plaster of Paris, though-----that is a surprise. I never would have thought it was a workable material for such an application. Interesting!

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Thanks Jon, I would never think of touching a pristine guitar.I have always loved the look of the Silver Hawaiians, and I have left the paint off of two NS/59s I have made so far. Kind of like a poor man's Silver Hawaiian. I am pretty sure I did not come up with the plaster of Paris idea, but forget exactly where I heard it. One nice feature is that it does not shrink. I have had it in one guitar for about 20 years now. No sign of coming loose in the guitar. Once it dries I like the sound. When it is wet is kind of deadens the sound a bit.

Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

Beautiful work on that metal guitar Bill Groner !! Very Happy

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Hi Larry,
That stuff was very stinky, too! The guitar I have that had the tar was just a body when I got it, so I could not tell if it had gotten into the pots. I could imagine if the mystery substance was applied hot, and then the guitar got turned it could run down into the control area. I am surprised the pots worked at all!

Would love to see a picture of your 39!
Steve

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Hi Bill Groner,
I was admiring again the pictures you posted, and noticed you have increased the mass on the top part of the neck under the nut, and the amount of metal in your headstock is substantially more than the NS/59 models. I think that is what I was trying to accomplish with the plaster of Paris.

Bill Groner · From: QUAKERTOWN, PA

The head is made from 3/4" thick aluminum. It has a thin walled compartment under the head which houses 2 pushbutton switches. Originally I was going to use LEDs and light up all the fret dots with one switch. The other switch, the one I used, lit up the inside cavity of the body. I thought maybe 10 dot markers lit up would be a little much.

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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

That is amazing, Bill! I wish I had the chops to work with metal. There is even more mass to your headstock than I thought. I bet it sounds great. Is there mass where the strings attach? Hard to tell from the photos.

Bill Groner · From: QUAKERTOWN, PA

No mass where the strings attach. Top plate is 1/8" thick with keyholes for the strings to attach.

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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Hey Bill,
I would call the 1/8" top plenty of mass. Think of how thin the metal is on the 59/NS guitars. What type of music do you play?

Bill Groner · From: QUAKERTOWN, PA

Sad to say, I am a builder, not a player......but hopeful. I have been a machinist for 50 years. Maybe if I keep practicing Lap Steel for 50 years the two will be equal....however, I am doubtful. Sad

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Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40

Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

That is a beauty, Larry. The Silver Hawaiians are one of the best looking steels ever in my opinion. I see the tuner buttons had deteriorated when it came in, what else did you do to it to get it back on the road? Thanks for posting!

Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

Steve,

Not a lot.
Replaced buttons.
The volume pot was frozen. I soaked it in WD40 for a week, blew it out, let it dry and it popped loose.
It works great now. Folks in here said I was just lucky.
Personally I think I am just that darn good........ Razz

Replaced the cap.
I popped out a dent in the bottom right below the pickup and forward a bit.
It was a smooth round indentation. I laid a wad of rags on it from the inside and gently tapped it using a hammer on a 2X2.
It went <boink> and it was gone. Cool.
Other than that, nothing. The guitar is so simple there isn't much to go wrong with it.

The finish is still pretty good.
It sat in it's case since 1947 in the garage of the original owner.
I bought it from him through a local music store I deal with.
Paid $450 two years ago.
I love this little guitar.
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I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying.

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Way to go, Larry! You did a great job, there.
You also stole that guitar at $450 Very Happy

I remember you saying the mystery tar pit stuff had gotten into the control area and pots. I wonder if that could have happened from being stored so long in a garage that might have gotten pretty hot? Maybe the guitar was on it's side in the case all those years, the tar stuff became unstable from the heat, and you know the rest. I would hate to think Rickenbacher would have let that out the door like that.

Steve Wilson · From: Morgan Hill, California, USA

Bill Groner ask me how much weight adding the plaster of Paris added to the weight of the instrument. I said a pound or two, but realized I have no way to really know. I just weighed my 45 NS with a 1.25" pickup that is complete except for the bridge I sent to Mr. Boards to replicate and the paint. It weighed 6.5lbs. The headstock up to the first fret and the area behind the pickup are filled. Pretty sure the POP is dry now, it has been 15 years.

I was hoping someone might toss their NS on the scale for comparison. Thanks!

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