Need Help Dating Rickenbacker Silver Hawaiian

Bill Willingham · Post by **Bill Willingham** » 2 May 2007 5:47 am

Anybody know when Rickenbacker started putting 2 knobs on the Silver Hawaiian? It's spelled Rickenbacher, if that helps.

I want to sell mine, and I'd like to have an approximate date to tell interested folks.

Thanks.

Bill

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 2 May 2007 6:25 am

Remove the pickup,reach back into the body and pull out some of the newspaper that the guitar is stuffed with and read the date on the newspaper.My Silver Hawaiian G-Deluxe L.A.Times stuffing was dated April 5,1951.

John Dahms · Post by **John Dahms** » 2 May 2007 7:02 am

As I recall, Silver Hawaiians got 2 knobs on opposite sides around '39 and on the same side around '40.
Pre-war models should have a serial # beginning with a "D" on the top of the headstock.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 2 May 2007 7:46 am

Unfortunately, newspapers dated 1951 are a bit late. Some previous owner must have stuffed the guitar. I'm reasonably certain the SILVER HAWAIIAN models date pre-war as mine has the large magnet which are only found on pre-war Rics.

http://www3.telus.net/public/lake_r/

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 2 May 2007 7:56 am

According to Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, the Silver Hawaiian (Pre-WWII model NS, Model No. 100) was manufactured between 1937 and 1943. The version with two knobs on the same side was introduced in 1939, so yours would have been between 1939 and 1943.

Michael Johnstone's Model G (Deluxe Hawaiian) was made between the late 1940s and 1957. It is the more ornate version of the Silver Hawaiian, with gold-plated peghead metal parts.

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 2 May 2007 8:15 am

My Silver with the tone and volume on "opposite sides" is from 1937 ... patent pending "half moons" ... chromed brass nut/bridge. # D 263

My Silver with tone and volume on the "audience side" is from 1939 ... black & white flying saucer knobs ... black bakelite nut/bridge. # D 1332

My G Deluxe is from 1950 ...

Dates via LA Times ...

John Dahms · Post by **John Dahms** » 2 May 2007 8:17 am

M. Johnstone refers to a model G Deluxe, that would be a postwar plated guitar with a headstock coverplate. It was a later model similar to a Silver Hawaiian. It is likely that his is a '51.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 2 May 2007 12:32 pm

Mine matches Rick's middle Rick---1939, black/white on one side, #1361.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 2 May 2007 1:45 pm

Here's mine. It's in pretty good shape with only one tiny chip in the nickle plating right below the tailpiece on the edge of the guitar. This old 8 stringer belonged to Joaquin Murphey and he left it to me when he passed. In this picture it has gold tele style knobs which I prefer when actually playing it. But since I only pull it out occasionally these days,I have put the original clear smooth plastic ones back on. It sounds amazing and I record with it when I need that oldtime sound. I much prefer it's lively tone compared to the more inert sounding bakelite Rickys - and it stays in tune better too.

Harry Sheppard · Post by **Harry Sheppard** » 2 May 2007 3:58 pm

Rick,

Are you sure your 1937 Silver Hawaiian did not have the tone control added at a later date? I have been keeping track of serial numbers for a long time now and the first SH with knobs on opposite sides shows up well into the D700s with one exception at D323 which could have been added as well. It could have been a custom order but they did not come standard until much later. If anyone has more exceptions, please let me know the Serial number and a picture.

Harry

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 2 May 2007 5:59 pm

My 37' serial D-593 with single knob.

Pat O'Hearn · Post by **Pat O'Hearn** » 2 May 2007 10:45 pm

Is there any determination as to when Electro began introducing newspaper to the interior their guitars?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 3 May 2007 4:26 am

Harry Sheppard wrote:Rick,

Are you sure your 1937 Silver Hawaiian did not have the tone control added at a later date? I have been keeping track of serial numbers for a long time now and the first SH with knobs on opposite sides shows up well into the D700s with one exception at D323 which could have been added as well. It could have been a custom order but they did not come standard until much later. If anyone has more exceptions, please let me know the Serial number and a picture.

Harry

I just went in and looked around ... there is no disruption of the plating ...

Seems the hole was drilled before plating ... as the plating wraps inward a tad ... as you would expect with electrolytic plating.

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 5 May 2007 7:17 am

Is there any determination as to when Electro began introducing newspaper to the interior their guitars?

Pat,

Ric stuffed their machine-stamped metal bodied Steels with newspaper to tame the metal's response to resonance. I read somewhere that the stuffing was adopted after having released some unstuffed. The earliest I've personally seen stuffed was a model 59 (gray paint); My notes say it is a late 1936 ...although those notes were made early in my Steel interest and more prone to error.

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I wonder what a mic inside an unstuffed one might hear / produce ....for your very pleasing & interesting Music work!?!?

Aloha,
DT~