The Steel Guitar Forum

I am a dyed in the wool D10 Emmons player but I have wanted to play around with a lap steel an I found a black Rickenbacker with white pick guards and chrome pickup guard its clean is it worrth a $100 bucks or so????????
any input will be more than welcome!

Randall,

How many strings? I am assuming it is bakelite. Measure the width of the large chrome horseshoe magnets that surround the PU. IF it measures an inch and a half, it is a most valuable instrument assuming it is in fairly good shape.

If the magnet's width is and inch and a quarter it is still valuable, but not as valuable as the preceding one.

Look at the little plate that is next to the magnet. See if there is a "pat Pending" label or an actual patent number stamped into this plate. If it says "pat pending", it was built before August 10, 1937 and most valuable. If it has a patent number it was built on or after this date and is still valuable, but less valualbe than the ones with pat pending.

Assuming it says "pat pending" and it has 6 or 7 strings, it is a collectors item and most valuable. They range anywhere from 500 to 800 depending on there condition. Except in Japan where they usually get more. The Japanese love Jerry Byrd. He played a Rick all through his rise to fame. And they are very atune to this. And as such, these guitars are very sought after in Japan.

For a 100 bucks, you may just have "stolen" a fine guitar

God bless you,

carl

This might answer your question (in a couple of days at least...): Bakelite BD-6 on e-bay

An other way to look at this is, that you can't go wrong buying a working lap steel for $100.oo... and when it says "Rickenbacher" on it,
man, go for it!

I'd give you $200.oo for it. Double your money over night! <small>No kiding!</small>

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jaydee@bellsouth.net

I was outbid on this mid-60's Rickenbacker Electro. It closed at nearly $200. Any bakelite Rick is worth much more.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Averybob.gif" width=64 height=81>Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

J D thats the one,just needs to cleaned off a little.
thanks Bob,and JD

The guitar JD linked to is a post war model. It has the metal tail piece that supports the strings and the narrow magnets.

It is now at 595. I feel this is too high for this model. It does appear to be in mint condition though. Who knows, someone may just love it at any price. These models are NOT the ones though that most collectors are seeking.

They do not have the sound of the prewar models.

carl

Carl is giving you good information to distinguish the pre-war from the post-war models. However, even the post war models are worth $100. If it ain't broke, you should buy it for $100.

On second thought... no you should not buy it. You should tell me where to buy it. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 03 July 2000 at 09:23 PM.]</p></FONT>

BUY IT !

Hi Randall,

Hey, I'd say buy that puppy before it gets away. where else can you buy anything like this steel for that price.

I think you'd get a steel for a steal!
Goodluck!

Terry Wood

Great guitar...the only bakelite "better" is the pre WWII model with the strings thru body (no tailpiece)and 1 1/2" pickup. For $100 I'd grab it...like yesterday! I see the post WWII version go for about $400. The pre WWII version goes for about $650 - 700. Lew

I'd say get it. I have a late forties Rick, aluminim body, the smaller (1-1/4) pickup, and it was a D8 that someone sawed in half with a band saw. Got it 2 years ago for $150 when I was first starting out and it was a very good guitar to learn on. Even gigged with it. Got a stringmaster now, which is a better sounding instrument but they're harder to find and getting a little pricey. Even Supro laps go for the $150-200 range.
For $100 I say go!
Have fun.

Thanks for all the good info guys. oh by the way what do you tune a 6 string to, or in otherwords what are the posible tunings and which is the most widely used I play two kinds of music country and western. LOL
thanks,
Randall

Randall,

If I had to choose only one tuning for a 6 string lap steel, it would have to be:

E
C
A
G
E
C#

This is the tuning that JB invented in the 40's. He used it on soooo many recordings. You can do it all on this tuning.

2nd best would be to drop the 6th string on down to a C. He also used this a lot.

The 3rd choice would be to tune it to E7th:

E
B
G#
E
D
B

I never cared for A tuning with or with out "low bass" or "high bass" or with the F# to give you a 6th sound. Much rather use A7/C6 or plain C6 than A6.

A6, like BE says, always sounded too bassy for me.

May God bless you in whatever you choose.

carl