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Topic: RICKENBACHER Bakelite |
Brendan Mitchell
From:
Melbourne Australia
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Posted 3 Aug 2011 2:19 am |
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My friend has this guitar , bakelite Ricky and it has a round neck with frets .
I have never seen another or heard of them . Trouble is the frets are just raised bakelite and have worn away in spots .
Has anyone heard of these guitars or have any knowledge about refreting them with conventional fret wire ? |
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Ron Simpson
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 3 Aug 2011 6:10 am
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| According to the book on Rickenbacker history, the original concept was to simply replace the bakelite neck when the frets wore out. The author also states that Rickenbacker did replace a few of the necks with a wooden neck with conventional metal frets. At this point in time that would seem the only option. An alternative would be to use it as a steel guitar, since the necks were also know to have a tendency to bow. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 3 Aug 2011 10:25 am
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| Ron Simpson wrote: |
| An alternative would be to use it as a steel guitar. |
The frets and low strings make this very difficult, some of the early B6 steels had very low strings as well, both requiring a soft touch towards any success. |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 3 Aug 2011 2:43 pm
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| Ron Whitfield wrote: |
| Ron Simpson wrote: |
| An alternative would be to use it as a steel guitar. |
The frets and low strings make this very difficult, some of the early B6 steels had very low strings as well, both requiring a soft touch towards any success. |
I don't know if this would work with a B6 but with my 1937 Silver Hawaiian I added a metal shim under the bridge to raise the strings up a bit. Along with washers under the mounting brackets for the pickup.
Steve Ahola
_________________
www.blueguitar.org
Recordings on electric guitar:
http://www.box.net/blue-diamonds
http://www.box.net/the-culprits |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 3 Aug 2011 8:39 pm
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Raising the strings and pickup shouldn't be too much work. It's likely the only option left. Those guitars were a bad idea from the start, with frets that wore out, heavy as hell for a Spanish type guitar, etc  |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 3 Aug 2011 9:18 pm
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| Yeah but risers dilute tone, not good. |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 3 Aug 2011 9:38 pm
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| Bill Creller wrote: |
| Raising the strings and pickup shouldn't be too much work. It's likely the only option left. Those guitars were a bad idea from the start, with frets that wore out, heavy as hell for a Spanish type guitar, etc |
At least back then guitarists didn't have to fly across the stage like Peter Pan as they do nowadays. 
Ron, I fabricated shims for my 1937 Silver Ricky and 1947 Gibson Century 6 using steel bar stock from Ace Hardware and to my ears both of the guitars sounded better after doing that. I matched the footprint of each bridge exactly to optimize the transfer of vibrations to the body. Perhaps it would not work as well with a bakelite body but I would give it a shot. And maybe fabricate a steel nut that would raise the strings up enough to use it as a lap steel. (Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about bakelite guitars.) |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 4 Aug 2011 4:29 pm
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I think it wouldn't be a big deal either Steve. Never had any issues with the nut or bridge being a problem with transfer. (yet!)  |
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J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 4 Aug 2011 7:30 pm
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Good thought about the neck. I wasn't thinking about the round bottom neck, which as you say, wouldn't hack it for a steel set-up. Time for a new neck, made of wood or ?
Probably a good wall-hanger ! |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 4 Aug 2011 8:18 pm
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| Bill Creller wrote: |
| I think it wouldn't be a big deal either Steve. |
I tried it years ago on my B8 with a high nut groove 'problem', no way. I solved the problem by changing tunings and going from a high E to G#, and would never use the typical risers but you certainly can get a sound, so if it's a last resort... |
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Brendan Mitchell
From:
Melbourne Australia
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Posted 8 Aug 2011 11:16 pm
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Thanks for all the replys .
JD is right , it is a "spanish guitar" round neck .
I will pass these comments on to my friend . |
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