Rickenbacher Bakelite B6 user report.

Denny Turner · From: Oahu, Hawaii USA

For anyone contemplating the purchase of a Rickenbacher Bakelite B6; This is a follow up on a previous message I posted about one I acquired.

I just wanted to say that I now realize why there is so much rave about the Rick B6. I have now had the sporadic opportunities to play this Steel for several hours here at my home/shop. I must say that this Steel plays and sounds better BY FAR than any Steel I have ever played. It is a joy beyond measure to play it. (There are many fine Steels I have not played enough to compare and report on; I'll leave that to others that have / can).

It's frets are unpainted raised bakelite and quite difficult to see well. I will try applying automotive pinstriping tape to the frets. Pinstriping tape is designed to stay put on a car but can be rather easily removed.

I will replace the previously replaced tuners with either Martin or Grover tuners discussed in this SGF thread.

Aloha,
Dt~

[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 05 October 2004 at 04:56 PM.]

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Ain't that the truth. Nothing can touch a Rickenbacher IMO (although I'm eager to get my mitts on an Aiello Dustpan). I only have my Frypan left, but once you play one, it's hard to go back--at least for Hawaiian. Frypan is still my favorite.

[This message was edited by Mike Neer on 05 October 2004 at 05:18 PM.]

[This message was edited by Mike Neer on 05 October 2004 at 05:32 PM.]

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Actually Jeff, those were short scale as well. The bridge is more forward than on the steels, which stretches the neck and gives the illusion of being long.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Hey Jeff! Adjust! Be flexible! You can adapt to "short scale" as easily as you have all other things in life, thus far. Give it a real honest try. You'll like it. Would I ever steer YOU wrong?

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

What Ron states is correct. My friend Ed Mayers had a spanish guitar bakelite many years ago. The big difference of course was the round neck vs the square neck. The body appeared to be identical as I recall.

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Hi Denny,

Another Ric Bakelite convert. I still enjoy my Stringmaster, but the pre-1937 Bakelite certainly has a special sound. I really appreciate how those "glassy" highs cut through without ever sounding offensive. And it seems like the higher you go on the neck the better it sounds.

In time you should get used to the lack of visible frets. I'm always careful to angle the guitar to catch a little light that brings out the three-dimensional moulded frets.

Meanwhile, I'm anxiously awaiting the local weekly Thursday night jam at Casey's Bar in Archer, FL ("Cultural Crossroads of the South," yeah, right). I've missed the last two.

Enjoy your Ric.

[This message was edited by Bob Stone on 06 October 2004 at 06:32 AM.]

joe long · From: San Antonio, Texas

Denny, I have the same opinion of the Bakelite as you. I recently purchased mine from Mike Neer and it has opened a new door to my playing. The tone is outstanding and the 6 string is really making me think a head of my playing.

I would sure like to get in contact with William Tanner, does anyone have a phone number for him? I read somewhere that he was in the San Antonio area.

Mike Ruffin · From: El Paso, Texas, USA

I need educating. What is the difference between B1's,B2's, etc? Date of manufacture?

Thanks
Mike

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Ain't no B1, B2--the "B" stands for bakelite, and the "6" for 6 string. You also have B7, B8 and B10. The bakelites were made from the late 30s to, I believe, the mid 50s, with numerous differences through the decades, including composition of the bakelite formula, horseshoe magnet size, etc. It's all here in the archives--if you do a search you'll find loads of stuff about the Rickenbachers.

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

So Jeff, what steel are you bringing with you to Joliet next week?

------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 06 October 2004 at 12:17 PM.]

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Gerald see if you can get this wonderful young man three Rick Bakelites, one each of 6, 7, and 8 string varieties, so he, the man of the hour, can have his pick of the litter, so to speak. He deserves that much having to fly so loooooooong and faaaaaaar to be the star of your fine show.

Sally and I both wish we could be there to see his grande performance. We sure did enjoy watching and hearing his fine stylings
while in Waikiki. The crowd will surely be
hooked by his warm, sincere and endearing
happy smile! A bright new face in the world of steel guitar.

Thanks Jeff.....most kind of you. Much appreciated to be sure.

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Brad Sarno · From: St. Louis, MO USA

I've seen some Rick B6's that have a bridge that seems to feed the strings thru the body and others that have a metal tailpiece that holds the strings behind the bridge. Anyone know what's up with the different bridge setups?

Brad Sarno

Richard Shatz · From: St. Louis

All of the B-6's with the tail piece are post-war models. Most string through body B-6's were pre-war although a few were made after WW2.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

And, some Bakelite's had holes drilled thru both the tailpiece and body to allow the stringing options of 'thru' or 'hook on'.

I've seen this factory option on only the 50s era with the 'strip' Rick logo on the headstock.

They sound great.

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: