Rickenbacker Amplifier and Lap Steel Logo

Exploring the beauty and tone of Rickenbacker Lap Steels

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rshatz
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Rickenbacker Amplifier and Lap Steel Logo

Post by rshatz »

This set is interesting in that I've never seen a Bakelite B6 lap steel with this logo.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

My take is this B6 lap steel and Rick amp was probably bought together or at least in the same era.

My first question is; in what years was this guitar and amp logo used?

The second question is; is this amplifier a valuable Rick collectible?
The lap steel might be worth $800-$900 in today's market.

My take is that it's probably ca. 1955 or a bit later.

The Ebay listing leads you to believe that it's 1948. That's obviously wrong, as the logo wasn't used on lap steels before at least 1955, and the pot code could also mean 1958 or according to some sources 1968.

What it is?
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admin
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Re: Rickenbacker Amplifier and Lap Steel Logo

Post by admin »

Richard: I think this is a Rickenbacker B9-A amplifier which was manufactured in the 1960s. These amplifiers have fetched between 400-500 US in days gone by. So the package at $1200 is about right if we add in your lap steel estimate.
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rshatz
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Re: Rickenbacker Amplifier and Lap Steel Logo

Post by rshatz »

So, OK:
Good start, Peter. We might have gotten the amp out of the way, but maybe not. That cover on the amp looks more 50s to me, but then again, I don't know much about Rick amps, especially post WW2.
Maybe I should have posted this in the amp section.
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libratune
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Re: Rickenbacker Amplifier and Lap Steel Logo

Post by libratune »

I have an amp that appears to have features just like the one in the ad, right down to the handle. It is on the Register. As Peter correctly identified, the amp in question is a Model B9-A, and the silver tolex covering and grille cloth on the cab would date it to 1960 or later.

http://www.rickresource.com/register/vi ... lebrity%3D

If the speaker is original to the amp, it would be a mid-'60's amp, as the speaker is a Jensen Gold Label, which was not produced until late 1964. (There should be a date code on the speaker that begins with 220, the next digit is the year; e.g., 5 = 1965). The ad indicates that the speaker is a 12", which would be correct for this model (the speaker would be a C12Q, not C12O as stated). One peculiar feature of the B9-A amps is that that the model number does not appear on the chrome control panel, as is the case with almost every other Rick amp.
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libratune
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Re: Rickenbacker Amplifier and Lap Steel Logo

Post by libratune »

My take on the logo on the steel is that it is a late 50's Rick amp logo that was applied to the steel after production. It looks to me to be identical to the logo on the amp, which is original to the amp. Further, Rick amp logos of the early '50s and before were not of that style; to my knowledge, the logo style shown first appeared around 1957 on the M-8 and M-8E amps.
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johnallg
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Re: Rickenbacker Amplifier and Lap Steel Logo

Post by johnallg »

I had a bass cab with Jensen speakers like that and it was from the mid-late 60s.
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