New Guy... some questions

[Bill Nedela]

Great to be on this forum! I have been lookin'-in for some time now and impressed by the knowledge, information, and friendly atmosphere!

I bought a Rickenbacher lap steel last summer. Been playing in C6 along with some DVD help. It's a blast!

I have some questions. I read (or heard?) somewhere that these hollow-bodied Ricks are better if stuffed with something to help with it's sound. I imagine it takes some of the echo or "hollow" out of it. Can someone let me know if it helps? Stuff it with??

Someone stuck some ugly cheapo tuners on it. I'd like to get some original or closer to the originals. Don't know what "originals" look like- singles or 3-on-a-plate?

Volume and tone knobs are not original either ( I think). I plan on changing them since they were markered with "V" & "T"

Also it's missing the wedge-shaped Richenbacher logo from the center of the headstock. Anyone out there have "parts" or know where I can find some.







And... I think someone painted the front too. I saw one on eBay that had a brighter "burst"



Anyway, it sounds good! Just trying to dress the ol' girl up!

thanks in advance,
happy new year!
willy

[Jon Nygren]

Welcome Bill!

Those old metal rics were originally stuffed with newspaper at the factory. Might as well take a look inside and see if its there, the previous owner may have taken it out?(that would be a shame) Also a good way to get an approximate date of the steel.

[Rick Aiello]

I stuff all my hollow Rickys with terry cloth hand towels ...

I use a coat hanger to jam the towels up into the neck ...

Throw in a couple desiccant packs ...

Then stuff the body ... leaving just enough room for the pickup, pots, and jack to be reinstalled ...

Save the newspaper in a large ziplock ... if you ever want to return it to "all original" condition ...

[Bill Nedela]

Rick, Jon

Thanks for your replies. First few "wads" were plain ol' white paper. BUT stuffed way up there was some newspaper. It didn't come out in one piece (probably not put in one piece) but I pieced together some of it. I'll get some more done later- BEFORE I seal it for "vintage-sake" as Rick suggested



So I guess it's a '46
Nice of them to include the sports section! "Acme Beer- the Beer with the HI IQ", Plus some want adds- but no good deals on lap steels

Now to distract the wife to get to the terry cloth towels! Thanks again!

willy