Hi Guys.
My name is Tony, I live in England UK and some years ago I bought a old Rickenbacker Lap Steel Guitar purely 'cos I liked the look of it. The guy in the shop didn't know too much about it but some time later he desperately tried to get me to sell it back to him which makes me think that he made a mistake letting me have it for the price I paid.
I've recently looked on the Rickenbacker web site and seen this model in the 1950's catalogs, so I would presume that it originates from around that era. It's a DW (doubleneck)model. I've tried putting the serial number into the Rickenbacker serial decoder but it comes up with "invalid" The number is DW34174 Does anyone know a way that I might be able to gain the month and year (or just the year) of manufacture. The only other number that I can find on it is a patent number 2089171. Also would anybody be able to give me an approximate value in case I wanted to sell it? Not that I want to at the moment. I've had it for 15 years and I still can't play the blasted thing.
Cheers in advance.
Tony.
Doubleneck
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
The DW was made from 1956-61. It's a double neck with two, six-string or eight-string necks.
Serial numbers for Rick steels are poorly
documented and I couldn't find anything coresponding to the number on your steel.
I haven't seen or heard of many DWs, so I don't have any idea what it's worth. If you post some photos, I'll ask some collectors and players.
Serial numbers for Rick steels are poorly
documented and I couldn't find anything coresponding to the number on your steel.
I haven't seen or heard of many DWs, so I don't have any idea what it's worth. If you post some photos, I'll ask some collectors and players.
Hi Richard.
Thanks for your reply.
Indeed my DW has two eight-string necks. In the 1953 catalog on the Rickenbacker web site there is a DW advertised but I don't think mine is this early as the picture shows the switch by the volume and tone controls being nearer to the pickups but in the 1955 catalog (there doesn't seem to be a 1954 catalog) the switch is nearer the tuning pegs, as is mine. The DW is also advertised in the 1956 and 1957 catalogs.
Here are some photos of my guitar.
Any info would be most appreciated.
Thanks for your reply.
Indeed my DW has two eight-string necks. In the 1953 catalog on the Rickenbacker web site there is a DW advertised but I don't think mine is this early as the picture shows the switch by the volume and tone controls being nearer to the pickups but in the 1955 catalog (there doesn't seem to be a 1954 catalog) the switch is nearer the tuning pegs, as is mine. The DW is also advertised in the 1956 and 1957 catalogs.
Here are some photos of my guitar.
Any info would be most appreciated.