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Topic: Bakelite Colors? |
Paul Crawford
From:
Orlando, Fl
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Posted 27 Nov 2000 7:58 pm |
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OK, the new Rick fan is confused. Since I've been playing with a little swing group, I've been listening to a LOT of late 40s and early 50s music, a suprising amount of which has steel guitar on it. To my still learning ear, this sounds a lot like a Rickenbacher, (a lot of sounds like Jerry Byrd.) So, I've been developing a case of Rick lust, which Tom Brumley completed with his set on his old Rick at St. Louis. I do indeed know that Rick won't make me sound like Brumley or Byrd, but never the less, I'm in the market.
I've been keeping a eye on Buy & Sell and over at ebay, and have been reading a lot of hte excellent information and history you folks have been posting lately. So, I know enough to be confused. I've been seeing several Ricks come through in different colors. The more popular, (and expensive), ones have been black, with either chrome or white trim pick guards and pick up covers. Then you see a lot of gray Ricks, mostly with black pick up covers. Based on my Fender experience, I've like what I could see of the gray ones just because they have through the body strings. Now I've seen a brown one wander by.
I assume some of the differences in colors was the war time Bakelite formula change that talked about a couple of weeks ago. But which ones? I'm under the assumption right now that to get my "keeper", it needs to be black with the trim pieces and the rather bland looking gray ones are perhaps less desirable student models. But rather than guess, I thought I'd come here and ask the experts.
What's up with the different colors and trim? Is there any particular one to seek out or to stay away from? |
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J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
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Posted 27 Nov 2000 8:24 pm
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Paul, it's just like with your black push-bull, ahem... I mean pull... If it is for keeps, you want the "real deal" and nothing less, or you will always second guess your guitar.
Check out my post on the recent thread: Topic: What's the difference between Rick eras?.
For the sound you fell in love with, you want a pre-war model, 6 or 7 string. Keep in mind, that there have been at least ten 6-string models built for each 7-string, so the 7-string models are much, much more expensive. Also, the 6, 7 and 8 string models all used the same neck, so the more strings, the narrower the spacing and the harder the slants. The 7-string is still very playable though.
As I explained in the other thread, yes they changed bakelite formula starting with the 1940 (and up) models. These still have the wide pick-up on it and can be mistaken as pre-war models, as some even still had chrome plates.
However, here is one sure-shot way to distinguish them:
The newer formula models have small groves on both sides of each fret, filled with white paint (the frets are outlined). The older formula models don't.
They were all black except for the Bronson model and the student ACE model.
For a more detailed list of features, please read my post in the above mentioned thread.
If you see one, and you're unsure, tell me about it and if it's a good one at a good price, I'll "snipe" it from you  ... No, serious.. before you get burned... let me know what you're looking at. If I can't tell you for sure, I'll tell you that too.
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The future belongs to culture.  jaydee@bellsouth.net |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 28 Nov 2000 10:46 am
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The gray lap steels you've seen which appear similar to the BD series are actually made of stamped sheet metal rather than Bakelite. The one I used to own was hollow and filled with newspaper from 1947. It didn't sound too good; it had a very thin sound compared to my BD-6.
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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
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Paul Crawford
From:
Orlando, Fl
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Posted 28 Nov 2000 2:35 pm
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Thanks a ton guys! That straightens me out on the path. And Brad, I wouldn't dream of asking the circumstances of finding out the date on that newspaper.
Thanks Again! Paul |
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J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
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Posted 28 Nov 2000 5:44 pm
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It is said that the workers at Rickenbacher used to stuff the new guitars with news paper. Most of the sheet metal and brass (Siver Hawaiian) guitars and possibly most Frypans. It is therefor suggested, that if the newspaper is still present, it is a good method to "date" the guitar.
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The future belongs to culture. jaydee@bellsouth.net |
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