Celebrity Rickenbackers

[jwilli]

According to Henry (of Manny's Music fame), Jimi Hendrix ordered (and assumedly bought) 3 Rickenbackers from Manny's around 1969: a 6-string, a 12-string and a bass...all left-handed.

Source: Guitar Player magazine interview with Henry about Manny's ca. 1975....

I used to have that wild pic of Hendrix and you could clearly see the lefty 360/12NS. You couldn't tell the exact color though...maybe JG or BG? Where is that pic?

[admin]

John: Do you men this one?

[leftybass]

Yes. AFAIK the other two are not accounted for, unless.....

[route66guitars]

Yes. AFAIK the other two are not accounted for, unless.....

Woah! What's the story on this one???

[route66guitars]

I did some more research online and found a few more serial numbers..

The Rembrandts: 1966 Rickenbacker 450-12 Guitar featured in the video for the "Friends" theme. Phil Solem from The Rembrandts acquired this vintage 1966 Rickenbacker shortly before the video shoot for the hit single version of "I'll Be There For You," The serial number, FJ3351, indicates it was built in October 1966.


The Mamas and the Papas: Papa John Phillips' 1987 Rickenbacker 360-12 Guitar. While known for playing a Gibson ES-335-12 during the 1960s with The Mamas and the Papas, John later switched to using Rickenbacker 360-12 models. This instrument, completed in September, 1987, is finished in the standard FireGlo sunburst. The serial number on this guitar is ZI 2519. Included with this lot is the original black hardshell Rickenbacker case, and a letter of authenticity from John's wife, Farnaz Phillips. John Phillips was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 as a member of The Mamas and the Papas.

These descriptions above were written by me and excerpted from the auction catalog for the 2004 auction in which they appeared. Below are the un-retouched images we took of these two instruments for the auction.



Phil Solem's 'Friends Theme' 1966 450-12FG


Papa John Phillips' 1987 360-12FG

[route66guitars]

Doug Fieger (The Knack) with his prototype long body 'butcher block Capri.



This is the same instrument featured on page 103 of Smith's book. Note that the location of the painted on soundhole is different in the two shots. While it isn't obvious in either image, the soundhole's color is the red translucent finish later used to spray FireGlo.

We sold this guitar for Doug in 1989, shortly after I took this image.

Doug a great guy, who really knows his Ricks. He is currently fighting a battle with brain cancer.

[route66guitars]

In going through the archives I see that I've posted a few of these instruments before. Oh well. Consider them re-runs.

[gibsonlp]

A Rickenbacker rerun is always appreciated

[Ontario_RIC_fan]

Thanks as always for the images... Lovely stuff!

Very sorry to hear about Doug Fieger... I thought the Knack's version of Buddy Holly's HEARTBEAT the best one ever after Buddy's..

Do you have images of 625's or 430's?

[route66guitars]

Yup:
George's 425: http://www.thecanteen.com/harrison5.html (BH439)

I came across a web page (http://www.merseycats.com/Tony-Bramwell ... oadie.html) with the following quote regarding George’s 425 and Tony Bramwell, one of the Beatles inner circle:

Longtime Beatles friend and business associate Tony Bramwell is on a quest for a missing guitar.

He is trying to recover the Rickenbacker electric guitar that was given to Jack Oliver, the former General Manager of Apple Records, in 1969 by George Harrison. No questions asked on its return.

Tony says, "In 1963, when George visited his sister Louise in the states, he bought a small Rickenbacker Guitar and was very proud of it. I had it painted black for him, to match John's. The only time I remember him using it was on the TV show 'Ready, Steady, Go.' In 1969, George gave it to Jack Oliver, and not long after, it was stolen. I would really like to know if anyone had seen it since."

Tony's story of it being stolen during the heyday of Apple Corps looting sounds plausible to me.

I have an email off to Tony to see if he can shed any more light on it’s disappearance, and fill in the story. Obviously this contradicts the circulating stories behind it’s refinishing, and the validity of the modified one auctioned as George's (which has always been in doubt) which bears the serial number provided here.

[route66guitars]

Thanks as always for the images... Lovely stuff!

Very sorry to hear about Doug Fieger... I thought the Knack's version of Buddy Holly's HEARTBEAT the best one ever after Buddy's..

Do you have images of 625's or 430's?

I do have images of 625 and 430 models, but haven't scanned them yet. The Hall family's little stunt has removed a great deal of my motivation to scan the Rickenbacker portion of my archive.

[railbob]

Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp used a 1968 (?) Fireglo 360F on their video for 'Lifeline,' easily accessible from Youtube. Unfortunately there are only fleeting glimpses of the guitar on the video but I have since seen the UK 'Top of the Pops' archive recording which has longer and better images, although I cannot a full-length recording on the internet.
My 360F is identical to the one in question so I am idly wondering if anyone has any information about that guitar and serial number? It could be.....
Cheers
Bob

[octagon]

Peter,what happens when a Celebrity owned Rickenbacker is sold to another registered user?

[gibsonlp]

Mitch: although I am not Peter I'll try to help, are you talking about the registration status? it simply passes to the new user retaining the same "heritage" so to speak.

[octagon]

Mitch: although I am not Peter I'll try to help, are you talking about the registration status? it simply passes to the new user retaining the same "heritage" so to speak.

Ok,thanks Gil.