early 7-string Rick Fry Pans.

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 28 Nov 2010 7:54 am

does anyone know how many 7-string fry pans were actually made by Rickenbacher, and in what years? i've never seen one with anything more than a volume control, so that narrows down the time frame...

thanks in advance for any info you can offer.

k.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 28 Nov 2010 8:42 pm

It's not likely that anyone knows how many were made, since serial numbers are not a good reference, and it seems that no records of them were kept. Tone controls show up on some, but it's hard to say if they were factory or added later. I was told that mine is a '34, which I doubt, because they may not have produced 7 string types that early(?) Serial is not very readable, but appears to be 1194, or 1104, and has just the volume control. It's a short scale of course. The very early models had the thick, like 3/8", magnets, but not sure which year the thinner magnets started to be used. I seem to remember that their patents became effective in August 1937 (?), which would mean mine is before that, with a PAT PEND stamped behind the bridge.

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 29 Nov 2010 6:38 am

thanks, bill.

i have a 7-string -- s/n# 0138 -- with credible documentation of its first sale in april, 1935. the horseshoe magnet stock on it is 3/16" inches thick, and the edges are slightly rounded; my 6-string -- s/n B(or R?) 240 -- has the same thickness horseshoe magnet stock, but without the rounded edges. neither has a tone control pot.

life is fraught with mystery.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 29 Nov 2010 10:47 pm

Mystery is right! I read somewhere that the serial numbers were for numbers in a production batch. No way to really know I guess. I'm more interested in how a particular one sounds, rather than it's history, since there are frypans that don't really sound all that good, due to maybe core shift in the castings? Hard to say. I've re-furbished/repaired 7 frypans in recent years, 3 for Bobby Ingano. I guess he like frypans

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 30 Nov 2010 6:46 am

what's there not to like?

thanks!

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 30 Nov 2010 9:37 am

Kirk Francis wrote:what's there not to like?

...no pictures?!

I think Bill alludes to the very thick, 1/2", magnets that were used on the earliest and rarely seen (? anybody else remember these being called...) pancakes.

It amazes me how these scarce, historically significant, maybe best made/sounding steels ever, get such little respect... unless being sold!

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 30 Nov 2010 10:19 am

here you are, ron. it sounds just as good as it looks.

Patti Maxine · Post by **Patti Maxine** » 30 Nov 2010 12:27 pm

Hi Kirk-
Is this the steel from Seattle that was just on ebay?

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 30 Nov 2010 12:44 pm

Say no and hide it many miles away with me, Kirk... That's a winner!

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 30 Nov 2010 1:10 pm

Hey Kirk, that's really a nice one!

Patti Maxine · Post by **Patti Maxine** » 30 Nov 2010 2:03 pm

Again-
Is this the steel that was just on ebay from Seattle?

James Williamson · Post by **James Williamson** » 30 Nov 2010 5:30 pm

Hi Kirk and others,

Is that the original knob in the pictures of your 7 string frypan? I have been restoring one too (serial #005) ...its a 6 string.

I've attached a picture of a knob that I've found after countless hours of searching and would like to confirm it is the right size...mine measure 1/4" high and 1" in diameter from point to point (of the octagons). Is yours the same?

Had to use flash to be able to see more clearly, knob is dark brown.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 30 Nov 2010 5:43 pm

James, that could well be an Epiphone knob. The original Ricky knob is similar but a bit smaller (diameter) and slightly taller. Harder to find as well... I think Harry Sheppard posted a shot of his original knob a few months back when this topic came up previously.

James Williamson · Post by **James Williamson** » 30 Nov 2010 5:50 pm

Thanks Ron, of course diameter depends on if measured at points or in the flat space its a little smaller...this is why I asked Kirk or others to give me real measurements of theirs to compare...its hard to guage by pictures.

I think the epiphone knobs where white...I guess there could be some which are dark brown.

Anyway, any measurements and pictures would be very helpful as this is a challenging task to say the least. The good news is the tuners are all in tack and working (with exception of one working replacement) and pickup is secured, pot is original..now only the knob remains and I can let you know how this one sounds...

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 30 Nov 2010 5:53 pm

Here's the thread with the Sheppard pix http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... =rick+knob

#005, eh? I wonder if it had the super (1/2") thick horseshoes originally...

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 30 Nov 2010 6:08 pm

amigo.

here're shots of the knobs on my two (yes, 2: i'm a lucky man) fry pans. the 7-string came with a lousy knob when i got it, and i have since refitted it with the one here, and which looks like yours. the other one is on my 6-string, and is i believe the standard rick issue. that (epiphone?) replacement for the 7-string cost me a bit, but what price dignity for such an axe?

i hope this answers your question. if anyone has any spare knobs of either type pictured here that they would like to sell, please advise.

aloha,

k.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 30 Nov 2010 6:38 pm

The knob with raised lines in it is an Epiphone knob for sure. I had one on my Fry Pan, too. The Rickenbacher knobs were plain.

Just love those Fry Pans--wish I still had one....

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 30 Nov 2010 6:59 pm

p.s. (measurements of knobs).

CAVEAT: given that i am physiologically incapable of cutting a 2X4 to the correct length without screwing up, i offer herewith my measurements of the two knobs pictured in my earlier post:

-- the "true original-issue" rick knob is almost exactly 3/4" from any flat side to its opposite flat side AT THE TOP -- there is a decided, ever-widening taper towards the bottom.
-- the other, so-called "epiphone", knob measures b/t 13/16" and 27/32" along the same plane.

again, my sincere thanks to all for your continued interest!

k.

James Williamson · Post by **James Williamson** » 30 Nov 2010 7:20 pm

Thanks very much Ron, Kirk and Mike, this is very helpful...now Kirk if you could give me one more measurement of the height of the know, that would be great and who knows, maybe I'll score the motherload for us all.

Best,

james

Kirk Francis · Post by **Kirk Francis** » 30 Nov 2010 7:38 pm

dude.

having wasted enough 2X4s in my life already, i have removed the knobs and re-measured:

"epipihone": peak-to-bottom -- 3/8"
breadth at bottom, flat side-to-flat side -- 7/8"

"true rick": peak-to-bottom -- just an "RCH" under 3/8"
breadth at bottom, flat side-to-flat side -- 13/16"

as a bonus, here's a shot of their nether-regions:

aloha,

k.

James Williamson · Post by **James Williamson** » 30 Nov 2010 7:43 pm

Thanks very much Kirk, this is very helpful info.

I'll let everyone know what if anything I can come up with.

Best,

james

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