Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Interesting to me how many women worked in the factory....seems as though everyone in the video winding pickups was female. I wonder why?

johneek wrote:Interesting to me how many women worked in the factory....seems as though everyone in the video winding pickups was female. I wonder why?

More than likely above average dexterity was/is required for that function.

Very cool...

johneek wrote:Interesting to me how many women worked in the factory....seems as though everyone in the video winding pickups was female. I wonder why?

Which one is the famous Abigail Ybarra?

johneek wrote:Interesting to me how many women worked in the factory....seems as though everyone in the video winding pickups was female. I wonder why?

Maybe because they could legally be paid less than a man doing the same job in 1959?

kiramdear wrote:Maybe because they could legally be paid less than a man doing the same job in 1959?

Isn't that still the case today, since the Equal Rights Amendment failed to pass?

According to my Fender: The Golden Age book, this video was shot in 1957 and first shown in 1958. A notable reason why: the prototype Jazzmaster in the early part of the film, by '59, Jazzmasters were a standard Fender guitar, and I believe all necks were made of rosewood by '59, too.

A cool film nonetheless. Thanks for sharing, Chris!

jps wrote:I don't remember working there!

04:55

Spraying without a respirator - no wonder you don't remember anything.

jps wrote:Which one is the famous Abigail Ybarra?

She's specifically mentioned at the 5:57 mark.

Great video. Thanks for posting!!

Here's a more recent video interview with Ms. Ybarra....

http://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/abigail-ybarra

winston wrote:

johneek wrote:Interesting to me how many women worked in the factory....seems as though everyone in the video winding pickups was female. I wonder why?

More than likely above average dexterity was/is required for that function.

Much more likely that it was because they only had to be paid half as much as a man in that era.

Did Rickenbacker use female string winders back in the 50's as well? I haven't seen many full factory photos from that era.

squirefan01 wrote:

jps wrote:Which one is the famous Abigail Ybarra?

She's specifically mentioned at the 5:57 mark.

Great video. Thanks for posting!!

Thanks, Greg, I'll have to check it out again.