The Steel Guitar Forum

Here are a few pictures...








I've been meaning to post this a lot sooner, but with a crazy schedule this summer, I'm just getting around to even playing it.

The original silver plates were beat up with some extra holes where someone did some "drill" practicing. Because of some stripped screw holes, two of the plates didn't fit right and would make a vibration noise when playing the guitar. Also, one plate was missing.

I've always been a fan of the white plates against the black bakelite, so opted for white to replace the silvers. In person they are a brilliant snow white.

At this past TSGA convention, Georgeboards had some Koa wood and White replacement plates at their vendor booth. So I finally decided to give my Richenbacher a "face lift".

The bridge was slightly off too, which George fixed for me. All in all, I couldn't be happier with the finished product! The plates look great. I only wish I could sound like Jerry Byrd when playing it!

Here's a link to a post where George explains about the plates, with some pics he took of it back in April...

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=233934

If you need new plates to spruce up your old Bakelite, I can highly reccomend these. They are laser etched for that perfect fit!!!

As George would say, you "gotta love It!"

Congratulations on a beautiful restoration. Seven seems to be the magic number of strings for the bakelite. Not too many, not too few. I hope we will get to see and hear it in Joliet next month.

Ron

I've got one just like it, that the tuners are bad on. I ordered a set of mandolin tuners from Stew-Mac, for the 4-on-a-side set, but the shafts are slightly too big to fit in the holes in the bakelite. I've thought about getting a needle file and trying to ream out the holes so the new tuner shafts will fit. Do you have any suggestions for replacement tuners that will fit?

If they are open geared tuners, you might consider mounting the new circular gears on the old string posts.

The g'tar looks really great with the new white panels.

Mr. Boards has done a fine job.......as usual.

Is there a price on the five piece set? Or, is that a 'military secret'?

Hi Ron - sure wish I could be in Joliet, I know you guys will have a blast. I agree that 7 strings on this neck works great. The string spacing is nice on both ends.

Rick Aiello recharged the magnet for me a few years back.

One tuner is kind of crooked, but still functional. I was waiting until it finally went before replacing them. I'd be scared to drill a hole in bakelite, so not sure what the best replacement set to use is. Anyone tried it before?

Hi Ray, Now that I have the black & white guitar, it's time to get the matching "shoes"!

Your friend Rick Alexander was a classic example of style with his white suite and dress hat.

You, with your black & white Ric, combined with a pair of wing tip black & white dress shoes would transform you immediately into a whole new world.

Give it a try. You won't be sorry............

Beautiful, classy restoration, Jeff. Kudods to you and George. I'm still kicking myself for selling my mint '37 bakelite to fund a guitar that's now long gone as well. There are a million stories in the naked (guitar) city.

Very nice!

Steve, don't file out the holes! (I repair guitars for a living and I can't tell you how many awful filing jobs there are on tuner holes.) Check around on ebay. Older mando tuners from the 30s sometimes had smaller barrels.

What is wrong with the original tuners? Are the knobs crumbling? That is super common because of the ago of the old plastic. And it's very easy to replace the knobs. You can send them to me to do or, if you're handy, I'd be happy to give you instructions on installing new buttons. They're available from stewmac.

Keith Cary

Great looking bakelite Jeff. I have one just like it.
The new plates really brighten it up !

Striking Jeff!!
In the right hands that tuner shank could probably be straightened. New white tuner buttons would really set it off.
Several years ago I took the tuner hardware from both necks of my Gibson Consolette into music repair shop and they replaced the buttons which I bought from StewMac.
RT

Keith Cary wrote:Steve, don't file out the holes! (I repair guitars for a living and I can't tell you how many awful filing jobs there are on tuner holes.) Check around on ebay. Older mando tuners from the 30s sometimes had smaller barrels.

What is wrong with the original tuners? Are the knobs crumbling? That is super common because of the ago of the old plastic. And it's very easy to replace the knobs. You can send them to me to do or, if you're handy, I'd be happy to give you instructions on installing new buttons. They're available from stewmac.

Keith Cary

Keith,
PM sent with photo
Thanks,
Steve

Hi Roy, I'll look for those buttons...new whites would make it look sharp until the tuners actually need replaced...

Looks like it's going to be hard to find new tuners anyway...


Thanks to everyone for the comments!

Just watched a You Tube video of Fred Astaire dancing their hearts out.

Mr. Astaire was wearing the BROWN & WHITE wing tips.
Looked really sharp.

JERRY BYRD used to wear them and they'g go so well with your panda.