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Topic: NGD Silver Hawaiian - questions |
Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 21 Dec 2018 12:30 pm |
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I've been lusting for an old Ric lap steel for some time now. I saw this Rickenbacher ("with ch") Silver Hawaiian come up on Craigslist today so I grabbed it. It's got quite a bit of pitting and tarnish but overall not too bad for three bills. The pickup is strong and sounds like angels singing. Serial number is D198. The seller says he thinks it's a 1939 but I've seen photos of others with higher numbers that date to 1937. Can anyone help me date it?
As mentioned the sound is just thrilling, BUT there is very little clearance for the strings between the pickup and the horseshoe. If I press down even a little with the bar the strings buzz against the pickup. I'd shim up the bridge but then the strings will touch the horseshoe. Any advice on how to get more clearance between the two?
(sorry for the crappy photos!)
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 21 Dec 2018 12:43 pm
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If my memory serves me well, I believe the tone pot was introduced in 1937, so your single control guitar would be before that. Great score!
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Larry Carlson
From:
My Computer
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Posted 21 Dec 2018 12:54 pm
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.
Here's what I used to date mine.
Nice buy by the way.
I absolutely love the tone. The only trouble I have is that it is so shiny it is hard to play.
Mine is a '39.
_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying. |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 21 Dec 2018 2:33 pm
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Thanks Larry! Looks like mine is a '37!
I think the body has warped slightly over time. I had to shim up the pickup adjuster mounting bracket a bit to get the pickup assembly level. Now the strings pass through just fine. I'll have to work on my technique because the fingerpicks tapping the body sound like rain on a tin roof! |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 21 Dec 2018 3:00 pm
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In Australia, rain on a tin roof is music 
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Larry Carlson
From:
My Computer
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Posted 21 Dec 2018 3:52 pm
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| Tim Whitlock wrote: |
Thanks Larry! Looks like mine is a '37!
I think the body has warped slightly over time. I had to shim up the pickup adjuster mounting bracket a bit to get the pickup assembly level. Now the strings pass through just fine. I'll have to work on my technique because the fingerpicks tapping the body sound like rain on a tin roof! |
I guess it is an advantage that I don't use finger picks but I ain't opening that can of worms again.... 
Like I said before, it is a beautiful sounding instrument but I have a lot of trouble with reflections and glare.
It's sort of like playing a mirror.... 
I hope you enjoy the heck out of yours.
I got mine for $450 and I thought I got a deal.
Good job..........
_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying. |
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Andrea Tazzini
From:
Massa, Italy
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 2:23 am
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| Hello Tim, for pickup setting refer to Rick Aiello’s website horseshoemagnets. Andrea |
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John Dahms
From:
Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 6:54 am
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Tim, that would be a '37. The earliest ones had nickel(?) plated nut and saddle, then they were black (Bakelite I guess) like other Rics. Maybe there will still be newspaper inside used to stop resonance that could have a date on it.
Have fun.
_________________
Time flies like an eagle
Fruit flies like a banana. |
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Jesse Pearson
From:
San Diego , CA
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 8:01 am
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| Wow, amazing buy! Congratulations... |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 9:16 am
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| Polish it & play it ! That's what you bought it for !! |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 11:20 am
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| Bill Creller wrote: |
| Polish it & play it ! That's what you bought it for !! |
Good advice! I've been playing to Hank Williams all day and trying to learn some more Jerry Byrd licks. The guitar tone is dead on played through my old Oahu amp. |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 11:21 am
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Double post
Last edited by Tim Whitlock on 23 Dec 2018 11:57 am; edited 1 time in total |
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C. E. Jackson
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 11:27 am
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Here is information on my Silver Hawaiian from a previous post.
1937 RICKENBACHER ELECTRO SILVER HAWAIIAN (1 knob)
The SILVER HAWAIIAN ELECTRO STEEL was the first RICKENBACHER ELECTRO produced in 1937 with the body
made from chrome-plated brass sheet metal. The 1937 SILVER HAWAIIAN ELECTRO model also used the same
chrome-plated 1 1/2" wide magnets for the adjustable pickup (patent no. 2089171) as the 1937 bakelite
Rickenbacher models. The 1937 Silver Hawaiian Steels have an excellent sound that, in my opinion, is superior
to later non-brass sheet metal steels with different pickups.
C. E. Jackson
_________________
My Vintage Steel Guitars
My YouTube Steel Guitar Playlists
My YouTube Steel Guitar Songs
A6 tuning for steels |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 22 Dec 2018 12:45 pm
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Adolph Rickenbacher had been a partner in the National guitar company in the late 1920s. His own manufacturing company did the sheet metal stamping for the National metal body acoustic guitars; the Tricone etc.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2018 12:04 pm
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| C. E. Jackson wrote: |
Here is information on my Silver Hawaiian from a previous post.
The 1937 Silver Hawaiian Steels have an excellent sound that, in my opinion, is superior
to later non-brass sheet metal steels with different pickups.
C. E. Jackson |
Beautiful photos C.E.! The sound of these Silver Hawaiians is truly special. The bass is clear and punchy, the highs are clear and sweet and the critical midrange peeks through at just the right frequency. Plugged into my old Oahu amp it nails the Jerry Byrd sound on those old Hank Williams' recordings. I don't even want to touch my Fenders now. |
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