The Steel Guitar Forum

A friend of mine died and his widow wants to sell his steel. Please give me your opinions on what it's worth. It is a Rickenbacker 8-string. She has a picture of him playing it in the 1940's. He may have bought it new. It is a very cool guitar, with the original case. Click here for the pictures. Any help (or offers) would be appreciated.

thanks,

Jon

Jon, I bought my late 40s Bakelite 8 w/strings hooked in EX cond. for $700 a decade ago, and a friend just got a late 30s B8 strings thru in Ex cond. for $500. Ray Montee has a bunch of B6 and 7 silver plates and has never paid over $500 for any of them. But these are exceptions to the norm, as the guitar pictured is gonna see $1000 in most stores, if not more. But paying is the least of worries when wanting one of these, it's the finding that is the hard part.

I'll give you $50 right now.

I'll up that offer by $25.00 ... $75.00 CASH! I notice it seems to have RADIO SHACK knobs on the controls. It's an EXCELLENT guitar and I'm sure it will fetch close to $1,000.00 ...the case seems to be in beautiful condition.

The last 8-string I saw sell on eBay went for $800. Real nice guitar and if you are looking for a buyer, I would really appreciate a chance to bid on your guitar.

Thats an early 50's ... before they went back to "string thru".

I sure would like to hear the story of those "tail piece" extension thing-ies ... ???



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<font size=1>
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield</font>

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 26 October 2004 at 04:56 PM.]</p></FONT>

I would like to get a good look at the head stock, that tail piece looks like a mod to me, and the head stock would show if the tuners were installed in place of a six or seven set-up. I strongly dought if Rickenbacher would go through all the extra bracketry to build an eight string.

Those are nice white plates! Mine are silver, although I've always preferred the the "looks" of the white, in contrast with the black bakelite. But, I'm missing two plates anyway.

Bill.........didn't Rickenbacher build both an eight & Ten string model of the Bakelite?

Also, an eight string I recently saw, gave one the option of going thro' the body or thro' the metal tail piece.

The home made bracket on the tail piece of the one shown surely cannot be offered as an "original" Rickenbacher.

You are right of course Ray,about 8 and 10 string models, and Bobby just found an 8 string. He didn't say if strings were thru the body or not. The guys told me they had a great time with you in Hawaii, and the only disappointment was at the Mariot. (I know the story)
Best regards BILL

My bakelite Rick. 8-string has the strings through the body and the narrow pickup (1&1/4").

It does not have the cover on the headstock; but has a T-shaped plate with "RICKENBACHER" across the top and "ELECTRO" written vertically.

Do any of you Rick. owners have any idea about what year it was made?

Many thanks, Rick

I would love to buy the guitar. I sent an email please drop me a line.

John

Howdy John ... last time I saw you, about 4:30 am, checkin' out ... ya looked alittle "rough" ... glad you made it back safe

Rick ... string thrus were resurrected in the early 50's ... ???

That whole Model B vs Model BD ... flip top cover thing ... string thru vs tailpiece ... tailpiece with string thru on same guitar ... always confused me

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 28 October 2004 at 10:21 AM.]</p></FONT>

Magneto speaks the truth! The T-logos appeared in 1946, and (as I recall) were replaced by the vertical "blade" nameplate between 1949 and 1951.

Russ, Russ, Russ ... ya caught me in mid-edit.

After I re-read Rick C.'s post ... and saw it was a "string thru" ... with a "T-logo" ...

Ya got me ...

Maybe they found a box of old T-logo plates layin' around ... and threw them on a mid 50's B8 ...

Those wacky Ricky guys ...

1953 Ricky BD ... Catalog Page

The "BD" model -- with the peghead cover -- was introduced in 1949. The "B" model -- w/o the cover -- was also offered until 1955. From '55 to '71 all the Bakelite Ricks were "BDs."

(Right?)

Talk about confusing -- I've got a B6 with a 1-1/4" pickup, a tailpiece and a "blade" nameplate. I just call it a "1949" and leave it at that.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Russ Young on 28 October 2004 at 11:46 AM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks for your replies and opinions. I'll pass them along.

Jon