Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Tube and solidstate amplifiers made by Rickenbacker

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dreamswithvisions
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Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by dreamswithvisions »

So I got this amp and guitar about a year ago from my great uncle who had it sitting in his garage since 1987. Now I know the guitar was made in 1957 and its a 450 combo Cloverfield Green. But the amp has been a bit of a mystery. The model is an m-9. Speaker in it is a Jensen. I'm guessing this is the serial code(S9154)? Found it written in the bottom of the amp. This link is about the closest information I've gotten about the amp. http://jzu.free.fr/rick/amp/MB.html So I'm curious if the guitar came with the amp back in the day since the color of the guitar case and amp are identical. If you know anything on either of these, please feel free to post a comment or if you've found a website that could help post the url. Want pictures of inside the amp? Just tell me what you want and ill take a picture and post it if it helps you. Thanks!
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8mileshigher
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Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by 8mileshigher »

That's a nice find of stuff sitting in a garage for decades ! ! ! ! :wink:
The guitar and amp look to be in pretty good condition.
dreamswithvisions
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by dreamswithvisions »

What's crazy is the strings that you see in the pictures were on that guitar when I first opened it up meaning they had to of been putting pressure on the neck for all those years considering they're not coiled like the strings you typically see today. Yet the neck is barely, and mean barely warped.
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doctorwho
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by doctorwho »

I bought a B-22 amp (in the register) from the original owner. He told me that he had bought the amp in the late 1950's (with a 360 Capri that he no longer had), so the time frame seems right for the your amp having been bought at the same time as the guitar.

They make a great couple! 8)
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
dreamswithvisions
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by dreamswithvisions »

doctorwho wrote:I bought a B-22 amp (in the register) from the original owner. He told me that he had bought the amp in the late 1950's (with a 360 Capri that he no longer had), so the time frame seems right for the your amp having been bought at the same time as the guitar.

They make a great couple! 8)


So do you think they came together?
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doctorwho
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by doctorwho »

dreamswithvisions wrote:
doctorwho wrote:I bought a B-22 amp (in the register) from the original owner. He told me that he had bought the amp in the late 1950's (with a 360 Capri that he no longer had), so the time frame seems right for the your amp having been bought at the same time as the guitar.

They make a great couple! 8)


So do you think they came together?
I would say that it is highly likely that they did. :)
It is better, of course, to know useless things than to know nothing. - Seneca
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libratune
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by libratune »

I have an M-9 amp from around the same vintage, circa 1957 serial no. S8147. It's on the Register. As yours has a Jensen speaker, there should be a six-digit date code on that speaker, beginning with 220. 4th digit is year, last two are week of production.

I would agree it is highly likely the amp and guitar were purchased as a set, especially so since you found them together and they are of the same vintage. The Cloverfield Green 450 is another rare bird. The neck didn't warp because there is a steel truss rod inside the neck that must have been properly adjusted (the adjust nut is under the logo plate on the headstock).

I'd say you've ended up with a valuable matched amp/guitar set in very nice condition! Congrats!

For dating the guitar, there should be numbers/letters stamped either on the bridgeplate (1st photo) or on the "sax strap" ring on the back of the guitar (2nd photo). The leather strap in the case has a metal "hook" that fits onto the eyelet in the middle of the ring (if it's still there).
1960 11-fullsize.jpg
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dreamswithvisions
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by dreamswithvisions »

libratune wrote:I have an M-9 amp from around the same vintage, circa 1957 serial no. S8147. It's on the Register. As yours has a Jensen speaker, there should be a six-digit date code on that speaker, begins with 220. 4th digit is year, last two are week of production.

I would agree it is highly likely the amp and guitar were purchased as a set, especially so since you found them together and they are of the same vintage. The Cloverfield Green 450 is another rare bird. The neck didn't warp because there is a steel truss rod inside the neck that must have been properly adjusted (the adjust nut is under the logo plate on the headstock).

I'd say you've ended up with a valuable matched amp/guitar set in very nice condition! Congrats!

Dude you have helped me out so much! So they couldn't of came together but according to the code, this means it was from 1959 right? Here's the code, 220919. Found another code a few inches from that, that read P12R-C6427-2. Just the serial number for the speaker?
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jps
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by jps »

P12R is the model of the speaker.
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libratune
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by libratune »

dreamswithvisions wrote:Dude you have helped me out so much! So they couldn't of came together but according to the code, this means it was from 1959 right? Here's the code, 220919. Found another code a few inches from that, that read P12R-C6427-2. Just the serial number for the speaker?
Yes the speaker dates to 1959 and is the correct model for that amp. If it is the original speaker for the amp, the amp would be late 1959 or possibly 1960. The style of the amp -- covering, grille, etc. -- is definitely late '50s.

Next step: What is the date code on the guitar? On either the bridgeplate or sax ring?
dreamswithvisions
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by dreamswithvisions »

libratune wrote:
dreamswithvisions wrote:Dude you have helped me out so much! So they couldn't of came together but according to the code, this means it was from 1959 right? Here's the code, 220919. Found another code a few inches from that, that read P12R-C6427-2. Just the serial number for the speaker?
Yes the speaker dates to 1959 and is the correct model for that amp. If it is the original speaker for the amp, the amp would be late 1959 or possibly 1960. The style of the amp -- covering, grille, etc. -- is definitely late '50s.

Next step: What is the date code on the guitar? On either the bridgeplate or sax ring?
The code on the guitar is (4C7426A)<----This what u ment? Found it on the ring where the guitar strap hooks on.
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Ontario_RIC_fan
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Re: Need help idenifying my rick amp and rick guitar

Post by Ontario_RIC_fan »

dreamswithvisions wrote:
The code on the guitar is (4C7426A)<----This what u ment? Found it on the ring where the guitar strap hooks on.
The third number is the year - so it was made in 1957

The A at the end means it is a 450 and not a 400..

Here are some other examples from 1957

http://www.rickresource.com/register/in ... C7&order=5

:D
Brian Morton
A Rickenbacker Fan
in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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