Rickenbacker Electro Lap Steel Dating

This item needs some work missing one cav.

Rickenbacker electro lap steel dating.

This rickenbacher electro model b lap steel guitar features a bakelite body with strings through body design. The following information is courtesy carl dixon as posted on the steel guitar forum. To the right and below you will find some images that will hopefully help you to locate the complete serial number on your instrument. A cool late 30s instrument this rickenbacker electro silver hawaiian lap steel has a chrome plated stamped sheet metal body with an integral 35 fret finger.

They specialized in the construction of electric steel guitars until the 1950s. Rickenbacker serial numbers have been issued in a number of formats. In 1931 he founded the company electro patent instruments together with the american inventor george beauchamp. It s equipped with a horseshoe magnet pickup.

23 frets 22 5 8 scale 2 1 4 nut width. Also according to the smith book rickenbacker didn t start producing lap steels until mid 1932 and only 13 were sold the first year so it is unlikely that the brochure is from 1931. Original hardshell case included. Rickenbacker did not keep serial to date records until after the second world war.

Please be aware that some instruments manufactured in the late 50s cannot be interpreted by this decoder. Soon the name of the company was changed to rickenbacker manufacturing company. I will tell you what is generally known and some distinguishing features that should help. Email from brad bechtel on october 25 1999.

Most orders are eligible for free shipping. Enjoy the lowest prices and best selection of rickenbacker lap steels at guitar center.