Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Richard: I am wondering about your assessment of the date of manufacture of this instrument pictured below. Model B 7 strings were first manufactured in 1940 and perhaps only in 1940 as far as I know. The owner has a family member photographed with the instrument in 1949. It also seems to have a number of 1946 features as well so I am not sure. I am not sure of the width of the horseshoe at the present time. I suspect it is a 1940 in the balance. Any thoughts?

The width of the horseshoe pickup is 1.25 inches and so it would seem that it is unlikely that it was manufactured before 1946. Richard please let me know if I am off the track with this one.

Peter: My mother also owns a model B 7 string. (1.5in horseshoe pickup, volume and tone controls, placed on opposite sides of the guitar) In attempting to find information, I saw a 1936 catalog on the official Rickenbacker website which not only mentions a 7 string Bakelite lap steel, but gives string and tuning instructions.
Hope this is helpful,
John

P.S. An interesting side note, the name plates on the guitar and amplifier say "RICKENBACHER" which I saw as the trademark in their '31-'32 catalog, even though it was spelled Rickenbacker in the body of the catalog. Yet, in the '36 catalog, the trademark has the spelling "RICKENBACKER". Any ideas on when that switched? It might help place the date of my mom's guitar

Take off the plate and read us the number codings on the pots.That would help a lot .

At least it would be one more clue in the whole picture of things.

The volume control pot was, if I am reading the evidence correctly, replaced at some point. The tone control pot looks more likely to be original. The bottom plate has the name "Centralab, Milwaukee" followed by some patent numbers. The printed number that is located on the top (adjusting shaft) side is "10101384". Both pot values measure approximately 100K ohms. (I hope that's the correct value)
John

OK, let's really analyze this instrument.
Pre-WW2 features:
1. Metal logo plate.
2. Strings load through body.
3. Hexagon tuner buttons.
4. Pickup configuration. I seriously doubt the 1.25" measurement. The pickup has round knurled height adjustments. Post-war instruments had Phillips-head screw height adjustments. The edges of the magnet appear sharply squared off. The were rounded off in 1938 or 1939. The visual proportions of the pickup are pre-war.
5. There is a single volume control knob, no tone adjustment knob. The tone control was added in 1937.
6. Seven string models were definitely offered as early as 1936 or 1937.
7. Pot. codes for dating purposes were not used until after the war. The Central Lab pot. code is 134. If this number is not found on the pot, it is probably pre-war.
8. The case shown is a hard, guitar shaped one with a molded, arched top. Post-war, hard cases were rectangular.

Post-WW2 features:
1. 1.25" wide magnet? If this is true, it may be a replacement made after the war.

All evidence so far points to this instrument dating to 1937 or before.

The only other piece of information that would be helpful would be patent pending or patent number on the pickup. My guess is that you will find a patent pending or patent number stamp on the treble side pickup mount surrounding the height adjustment nut. This will confirm a pre-WW2 date.