bought my first vintage lap steel. Any information?

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

So I just picked up this Rickenbacher Electro 6 string lap steel. It appears to have been picked plenty with metal finger picks, as the whole board is worn off.
It has a neat "crinkle" style paint on it. I am most likely going to let it be as is, however I am curious if there are folks out there that refinish these old steels?
It also appears to be all original. The horseshoe pickup sounds HUGE ! Like a Piano!
I have it strung with 10-46 and tuned to C6. It is really eye opening whats possible on these little instruments with no pedals!
I am hooked.
Any information on its value, year made, model etc. is greatly appreciated!
Its serial appears to be a very personal number to me E 1271.
Thanks
Jeff

[John Dahms]

Looks like a model 59 from 1938-9.

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

Thanks! That’s where my research led me as well.

[Miles Lang]

Looks just like mine but with a different color scheme.

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

Looks just like mine but with a different color scheme.

So how do you like yours? I can't get over how much fun it is to play. I've debated lap steel for some time now and would be a much better steel player had I taken it up years ago.

[Stephen Cowell]

Should be stuffed with newspaper inside with the date made.

[Tim Whitlock]

Is that 10 - 46 set for standard guitar? You should get a properly gauged set for C6. Click on the "Strings" tab at the top of the page and then click "Non-pedal Steel". I use the "Scotty's C6th 6-String" on my 6 string lap steels. They sound good and have a bit less string noise. And buying from Bob supports the Forum.

The crinkle finish is very nice. I would get it restored if you can. I have a '37 Silver Hawaiian and the glare from the bare metal makes it hard to navigate the fretboard. Enjoy your new steel! That big horseshoe pickup is magical!

[Glenn Wilde]

Like Stephen said, the newspaper inside will be dated, if you feel like lifting the pickup to find out.

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

Any idea of the value? I may sell it in the near future. All original , fully functional.

[Glenn Wilde]

Any idea of the value? I may sell it in the near future. All original , fully functional.

Nice one's seem to move at around $600.00, one in yours condition would probably sell pretty fast at $400.00, players grade, you know?

[Allan Revich]

Any idea of the value? I may sell it in the near future. All original , fully functional.

Might fetch as much as $750 or $800 on Reverb/EBay on a good day. Glenn’s suggestion of $400 as a player is a lot more likely. The condition pretty much kills any value as a collector grade instrument.

I’d be tempted to just hang on to it. It would be great instrument to just toss in the backseat on a road trip.

[Nic Neufeld]

The fact that the finish is so evenly worn off makes me wonder if someone stripped it purposefully...maybe to see the fretboard better? Although I would think it would make it actually harder.

"I have it strung with 10-46 and tuned to C6." 10-46 sounds more like standard guitar strings...generally considered not optimal for any version of C6 I know of (which is a lot closer in intervals than normal guitar...10 would be floppy on E for a lap steel, and 46, I'd be impressed to see it get up to the low C). You can certainly make a set of C6 strings by usually discarding one or two of the outer strings and adding another string appropriately gauged in the middle.

[George Piburn]

Turns out that this is one of several found to have come over with Columbus.

[Noah Miller]

Turns out that this is one of several found to have come over with Columbus.

Ah yes, the famous voyage of the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santo Farina.

[Joe Cook]

Turns out that this is one of several found to have come over with Columbus.

Ah yes, the famous voyage of the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santo Farina.

Nice one, Noah!

[Mike Schway]

The fact that the finish is so evenly worn off makes me wonder if someone stripped it purposefully...maybe to see the fretboard better? Although I would think it would make it actually harder.

That crossed my mind too. The loss of finish is far too even and in improbable places if it was just pick wear. OTOH, If it was just for visibility, white paint, a detail brush and a steady hand would probabliy do a better job.

Re, using the newspaper as a method of dating: I recently bought a '39 Silver Hawaiian (NS100) in need of new controls. I pulled out all of the old newspaper and it was a squirrel's nest of long 3/8"-wide neatly torn strips of paper. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't find a date anywhere, but I could barely make out that it was from the LA Herald Express; consistent with a late 30s date. I restuffed it with a half dozen or so 4" square beanbags made out of sheer slippery fabric and stuffed with Fiberfill (thanks, Margie K!) I imagine I can fine-tune the damping by repositioning the beanbags, sort of like moving a fiddle's soundpost around, but I'll save the experimentation for later; it sounds great so far and it's now my favorite steel.