Rickenbacher lap steel help

Eric Philippsen · From: Central Indiana, USA

I have a chance to buy a Rickenbacher (old spelling) lap steel. Can someone give me some info on it, please? I don't have pics so I'll try to describe it as best I can.

It's a 6-string. Thick, black, small, guitar-shaped Bakelite body. Horseshoe pickup. Instead of chrome metal plates on it's face (like its earlier version?) it has white plastic plates.

It's in great shape except that one of the plastic faceplates is cracked. The asking price is $750 but I know that's negotiable. I still think that's high but I'm definitely no expert on the lap steel market.

What model is it and, with the plastic faceplates instead of the metal ones, what general year might it be?

Thanks for whatever info you can give.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I believe what you are looking at is a post war model
but that should have the new spelling for Rickenbacker. I don't know if the company produced any instruments during the war but, due to the fact, that steel was rationed, that could be the reason for the plastic covers.
I'll leave it up to pickers who are more knowledgeable

Mike Neer · From: NJ

How wide is the magnet on it? What does the name badge look like? What does the bridge look like--is it part of the bakelite body where the strings go over it then through the body, or is it an aluminum endplate?

I had a wartime model with white plastic plates. It could be a wartime. They have 1 1/2" magnets, as opposed to the later 1 1/4".
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Ian McLatchie · From: Sechelt, British Columbia

Eric: The plastic-plate instruments date from the end of the so-called "pre-war" era - that is, the period before Rickenbacher switched to a 1-1/4" wide pickup, steel reinforced neck, etc. I believe the plastic-tops were actually made during the war years but I'm no expert. The plastic is fairly brittle and prone to shrinkage over time. Probably more than half of the plastic-plate instruments I've seen have had at least one cracked or broken plate. Otherwise they're the same as the ones with metal plates, although the plastic covers do seem to give a slightly different tone; maybe it's just the luck of the draw, but the few plastic tops I've played have sounded exceptionally good.

$750 for a pre-war or inter-war Model B in good condition is well below market value and if you can get it for less than that you're doing very well. I'm sure there people here who can give you suggestions for repairing or replacing the cracked plate. A luthier friend in Toronto did such a mend of his own instrument and the repair was almost invisible.

This is a little more expensive than the instrument you're considering, but still a great bargain on what looks to be a very well preserved Model B. If I hadn't just bought another guitar I'd want to grab this one myself:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=203798

Erv: Rickbach(k)er was not a company prone to let stock go to waste. The "ch"
spelling continues to turn up on instruments made well after the company ostensibly changed its name. I owned both a Model B and an NS with all post-war features but with the original spelling on the name plate or decal.

S.M. Johnson · From: Oregon, USA

Wouldn't your Ric be considerably earlier than 1939 with the hex, single knob volume control?

By 1939, weren't they making the two knobs on the audience side model?

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

yes..a '37 had one knob on each side....single knob before that, i think.

Robert Salomone · From: Carefree, Arizona

I have what I believe is a pre-war 1940s (?) Richenbacher B6 Bakelite with white pearl plastic plates and the sought after 1.5" Horseshoe pickup. One of the plastic plates had a crack running thru it; I used glue sparingly and taped it up to keep pressure applied, that was 15 years ago, never had any further problem with it. Upon close examination, the Bakelite surface looks somewhat polished compared to my other pre-war Bakelites, it also has a bit more bite tone-wise; overall great instrument and a lingering artifact from the Art-Deco period.

By the way Chris, how is that small Behringer amp for Bakelites?

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

robert..well actually it's just a cheap little amp. it works but i'm still looking for small tube amp with a warmer sound. my rickenbacher is pretty bright unless you shut the tone way down.

Robert Salomone · From: Carefree, Arizona

Thanks for the reply Chris.....I've been on the lookout for a smaller amp for my lap steels, something that's versatile tone wise. I've got a small Supro, but you need to add an equalizer and reverb to give it some depth. I also have a couple of Fender Blackfaces, a Vibrolux Reverb and a Super Reverb, they make it sound a lot better, but it's no fun lugging one around with a couple of blown discs in my back.The Marshalls and Komet that I have are all "guitar" amps, way too loud. About the only amps that sound good just plugged in straight are my '55 Fender tweed Deluxe, or my '57 tweed
Fender Super clone. So every time I see a smaller amp like yours I wonder if it's a good
candidate for the Rics. One thing that I've found with the Silver Hawaiian is that the ones with metal (nickel plated brass) bridge and nut do scream a lot more than those done up with Bakelite nut and bridge.

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