'Horseshoe' question

[wim]

I'd say it's BO-CHA (pronounce the A like in 'we Are')
It's a French name after all.

EDIT : or like Dean says

Now try Vanderstraeten lol

[johnhall]

The story is that they used the name "Rickenbacker" because Beauchamp was too hard to pronounce.

It *could* also have something to do with the fact that Adolph Rickenbacker put up all the money, supplied the factory, and paid Beauchamp's wages. You know the Golden Rule: He who hath the money rules.

[wim]

LOL, that was my impression too when I read the story on how they started. Didn't Adolph have a rich wife too?

In fact, how was Adolph Rickenbacher as a man, because very little is written about him?

[david_schwab]

John, so true! LOL Glad it didn't become "Kleinmeyer Guitars" though! Just doesn't have the same ring...

Dean, your pronunciation sounds right... I had read it was pronounced "Bee chum," but "Bo shan" makes more sense.... and sounds more French.

[wolfgang]

Richard R. Smith says "... George Beauchamp (pronounced Beechum)..."

The Complete History of Rickenbacker Guitars
p VII

[jingle_jangle]

Richard Smith is an American, favo(u)ring American pronounciation. No doubt so did Beauchamp, as "while in Rome", etc.

But a lot of grand European names get transmogrified, petrified, and freeze-dried for the American tongue and palate.

[shinynewtoy]

Right on, Paul. D'Gregorio became Gregory and now half the people I meet think I'm Irish, not Italian.

[bitzerguy]

You got that right, Paul. Richard Smith in France becomes "Reeshart Smeet", and here in Quebec "Rishar Smit". Just depends which Rome you belong to.

...Dean

[chefothefuture]

Ok back to the topic (sort of).....
JH, I was not saying that GB stole the Horsey...
However, I was making a point about his involvement
with National. I guess the origin of the Tricone is for
another forum all together....

So, am I not being obtuse in understanding that Rickenbacker might sell Horsey when the "infringers"
stop (are stopped from) selling theirs?

[david_schwab]

History of National Reso-Phonic Guitars

THE TRICONE MODEL IS BORN

In the 1920's, two Los Angeles men came together, originally to make a new type of guitar using the horn principle, who would together create the National Resonator guitar as we know it. The amount of responsibility each had in creating it is, as Brozman describes in his book, is disputed by the various parties. However, there's no doubt that both were important to the creation of the first tricone guitar.

George Beauchamp's first idea was to create a "wild looking" Hawaiian guitar which sat on a stand and had a horn attached to the bottom. John Dopyera built it, as Brozman relates, "against his better judgement--he knew George's idea wouldn't work before it was made." Beauchamp did use this eccentric gizmo of a guitar on the vaudeville circuit, but abandoned it. It was a perfect stage guitar with unusual looks, but it sounded terrible.

George then suggested to John that he build one based on the same principle as the mica disc on a Victrola. John experimented with various other materials, such as pressed fibre, glass, tin and other metals. He settled on a very thin, conical shaped aluminum resonator design, used in a set of three connected with a T-bar inside an all metal body.

Dopyera used three as it mellowed the sound, as opposed to using one large cone which was louder, but harsher in tone and with less sustain. He applied for a patent on this tricone guitar in 1927, which was finally granted in 1930.

Beauchamp found some investors, and in a short time, the National String Instrument Company was formed. Factory production of this remarkable new guitar began in 1927, and by the next year, the company was producing hundreds a week.

THE SINGLE RESONATOR MODEL IS BORN

It was then when the first problems between the two founders emerged. Dopyera had rejected the single resonator idea earlier, but in Beauchamp's mind, it was the perfect design for a lower cost instrument. The tricone was more expensive, and mainly bought by professionals, and that market couldn't last forever.

In fact, during the Great Depression, it was the single cone type (which was patented by George in 1929) that as the author Brozman puts it, "not only became a good seller, saving the company from the Great Depression, but a sizable part of the National legacy."
...

However, Beauchamp's patent was the cause of the schism between the two. Dopyera left National afterwards, which cost him his original patents, and his partner continued to run the company.

Dopyera doesn't disappear from history though. He then formed the Dobro Manufacturing Company, which created a single cone resonator guitar with a new design (and a guitar that still bears the name). Later, after some rather complicated moves, National merged with Dobro, and we'll cover that in a later installment of this series.

Simply put, all these events resulted in two major designs, the tricone and the single resonator. As stated earlier, the tricone has a smoother sound that sustains (the notes last longer), and the latter a sharper, and clearer sound. Which is better is really a moot point, as one could say it is like choosing between Tampa Red and Son House.

[johnhall]

I'm glad that was cleared up.

Let's not forget then, while we're talking about National history, that Adolph was also a principal in that company, being an officer and major investor, as well as the supplier of all their metal parts.

[chefothefuture]

Cool to raise the issue....
This has been one of those soap opera like stories.
As each bit of info comes to light...
Whatever the infighting might be concerning the National
saga, It is true that GBs tinkering gave us not only
the Horsey, but the Frying Pan as well.
JH- How about re-issuing a few
It's often overlooked that the A-25 was one of the best
sounding steels next to the BD.

Boy, I like rattling cages

[johnhall]

I think you'll find that the really old timers consider the A25 to be the holy grail compared to the BD.

[chefothefuture]

I'm kicking myself for not buying one that turned
up in the Hilo area a few years ago......
It sounded soooo sweet!
The BD is a fantastic steel; in fact, next to the A25, it's
the ONLY steel(electric that is.....).
Hey-
Since Adolph's crew built my style 4, is it wrong for me to
consider it sort of a relative if not granpappy to the Ricks

[kbhag]

.