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Topic: A Bakelite Ricky with vibrato |
Bernard Beck
From:
Paris France
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Posted 10 May 2005 12:36 am |
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Well, I never heard of a vibrato on a steel.
Here is a fine example.
Mr and Mrs Charle do manage to get us beutiful instruments in Paris, France.
Now is this vibrato a custom add-on or is it a regular model produced by Rickenbaker.
http://www.rfcharle.com/HTML/PhotosInstruments/RickenbacherBLap.html
Keep on picking and steeling
Bernard
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 10 May 2005 12:56 am
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Yes Monseir Charle has a great shop.
In a VERY cool location. Like popping back 150 years.
Never see this Rick of course, haven't been there in while... eve though I was in PAris yesterday very fast.
Lots of great manouche guitars to be had there.
This old JAntz with amp is cool http://www.rfcharle.com/HTML/PhotosInstruments/Jantz.html
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Colin Brooks
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Posted 10 May 2005 1:07 am
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| That's a spanish model Rick. I wonder how straight the neck is. |
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Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 10 May 2005 9:48 am
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high as hell prices, too.....
Amazing, I could go to Europe and pay for the trip by selling Martins. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 10 May 2005 7:20 pm
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| Definitely not a "lap" guitar....note the round neck for finger style. |
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Robert Salomone
From:
Carefree, Arizona
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Posted 10 May 2005 9:19 pm
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I've got one of them. Theu're interesting to display, but there's not a lot you can do with them.
You have to be careful about wearing down the frets playing the thing, and it's as heavy as a cannonball.
I notice one sold on Ebay last week for $1700.++ |
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colinmcc
From:
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Posted 21 Jun 2005 1:37 pm
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Robert,
1,700!!! Ouch! I gave Michael Messer a round neck one many years ago in exchange for my first Hawaiian Guitar lessons..
Bernard, the vibrato is original I think, Robert will know for certain!
Aloha![This message was edited by colinmcc on 21 June 2005 at 02:38 PM.] [This message was edited by colinmcc on 21 June 2005 at 02:39 PM.] |
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Robert Salomone
From:
Carefree, Arizona
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Posted 21 Jun 2005 1:55 pm
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That Vibrola is an original; there was also a Kaufman Vibrola that actually brought the bridge in and out of pitch. These instruments had a mounting bracket off treble bout that affixed to the Electro amplifier. Must have been a welcome feature as these Bakelites are very heavy/
Supposedly less than a 100 were made and very few had the Kaufman feature.
Incidentally John Sprung had a couple of the Vibrato units listed on Ebay as seen on the Charles instrument. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 21 Jun 2005 4:55 pm
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| It would be interesting to hear one with a raised nut, might sound good. It could be done easily enough just to try it. |
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Robert Salomone
From:
Carefree, Arizona
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Posted 21 Jun 2005 9:57 pm
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"It would be interesting to hear one with a raised nut, might sound good. It could be done easily enough just to try it"
I've got one of these Spanish neck Rickenbacher Bakelite guitars, and I've put a Hawaiian nut riser on it and tried to play it like my other Bakelites.
It's a difficlut chore as the neck is fairly narrow like on a Fender or Les Paul, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you have penicl thick fingers.
I still maintain that this model is an A+ wall hanger or prop guitar, nothing more. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 22 Jun 2005 2:49 pm
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| I see what you mean Robert. I forgot about the narrow neck, and I'll bet it's a GREAT wall hanger!!! |
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Robert Salomone
From:
Carefree, Arizona
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Posted 26 Jun 2005 1:36 pm
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One other interesting yet troublesome feature on these Spanish neck Rickenbacher Bakelites are the frets. They are cast on the Bakelite neck itself and subject to wear.
It would appear that they wear out quickly with steel strings and require a complete neck replacement, unless Rickenbacher had some other method to restore them.
The frets are fine on the one I have but I'm reluctant to play the thing for fear that it would wear them out. |
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Colin Brooks
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Posted 26 Jun 2005 2:57 pm
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I believe that the necks were supposed to be a 'service item' and were very cheap to replace in relation to the cost of the guitar. I don't think anyone was using the lateral blues style vibrato then, and those frets would have held up for a long time, unless you spent all your time playing 'cowboy chords' in the 1st position.
Mine has no fret wear (just a banana shaped neck) and the same goes for all the others I have seen.
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Bernard Beck
From:
Paris France
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Posted 27 Jun 2005 7:31 am
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Thanks for you comments and infos.
I did go to Mr Charles shop to try that guitar.
Definitely a great sound, an incredible look, but impossible to keep in tune.
I would not buy that as a playing instrument.
Well, keep on picking.
Bernard |
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