Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just signed up here and wanted to ask you guys what is the best book for learning about vintage electric Rickenbacker guitars from the late 50's thru the mid-60's? Recently acquired an early 450 and early 425, love they way the play and sound, and still looking for a nice 460. Thanks.

I believe The Complete History of Rickenbacker Guitars by Richard Smith is the way to go. Though published in 1987 and therefore somewhat dated, it is still the best print resource availabie for history of vintage Ricks, IMO.

Thanks. BTW, really enjoy perusing your web site ... the Rick section is mind-boggling.

what's the other rick book you find on the bay every so often ???

The Rittor book. Great photos but most of the text is in Kanji.

jps wrote:The Rittor book. Great photos but most of the text is in Kanji.

More precisely, most of the text is in Japanese (kanji is only one of three writing systems in the Japanese language).

Agree the Richard Smith one is the best. But also worth getting the Collectable Rickenbacker Value and Reference Guide by John Minutaglio and Steven Fant. And there's also Rickenbacker Electric 12 String by Tony Bacon.

and "The Rickenbacker Book" by Bacon & Day.

Quick question ... does the Smith book (or any of the others) list production numbers, by model, for late 50's thru mid-60's guitars?

Blaise wrote:Quick question ... does the Smith book (or any of the others) list production numbers, by model, for late 50's thru mid-60's guitars?

Smith does, but depending on who you talk to, it's either mildly or wildly inaccurate. I don't have a damn clue.

thanks ... sounds like another episode of "The Missing Ledgers"

Blaise wrote:thanks ... sounds like another episode of "The Missing Ledgers"

Smith definitely had access to some ledgers. Maybe not enough of them? Who knows.

jdogric12 wrote:and "The Rickenbacker Book" by Bacon & Day.

Ah, think I've missed this one. Seems to be out of print but second hand copies on Amazon for about US$10. Will get one.

Rickenbacker Electric 12 String by Tony Bacon, is an updated version of his Rickenbacker Book,with a few extras,its worth having.

Blaise wrote:Quick question ... does the Smith book (or any of the others) list production numbers, by model, for late 50's thru mid-60's guitars?

Yes--it's got charts in the back with production totals for most models , but 1967, apparently a big production year, is missing. My copy dates from '87--as I recall, the production totals run from about '54 to about '68.There's some tantalizing info in there--for example, there's a brief mention of the Boyd Vibe vibrato that came on some models in the early '60's, and apparently there was a version that came with a B-bender, but no pics, no other details. I finally got some more information on this forum--it looks like it was a pretty primitive unit. Still a good book, though.