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Geez, this looks old!
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 2:30 pm
by marc61
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 2:39 pm
by tblair
It's a 1957 Combo 900.
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 2:46 pm
by fergs40
The serial number decoder doesn't like it...
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 2:51 pm
by jwilli
I think its a Combo 1000. (18 frets)
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2004 5:24 pm
by tblair
It's a 21-fretter (you have to add two photos together).
The key is in the dots: 4=1000 / 5=900 or 950.
The serial number breaks down like this: V7285.
V = Short Scale
7 = 1957
285 = instrument number
(they also only made this particular shape in 1957)
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:56 am
by jwilli
Tony, I stand corrected! That dang rubber bridge saddle threw me.
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 4:57 am
by leftybass
What about the metal nameplate guys? Were they around as early as '57?
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 5:48 am
by kennyhowes
I bid on it.
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:29 am
by brian
Does it have binding, it seems something is not right near the pickup switch on the right side ? Also is that backplate standard or an addition ?
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:44 am
by johnhall
The backplate is standard although usually these are a flocked type material but I have one here with this type of plastic as well. Of course, if they had Velcro back then, you could put that on your shirt and the flocked type would just stick there!
See the eye on the back? That's so you could use a sax strap around your neck instead of a conventional strap. Usually it's just a recessed round ring but I've seen this kind before.
Finally, it's quite possible this bridge is authentic. Early on they just used a Bakelite bridge from a Hawaiian guitar on some of the low cost guitars.
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:08 am
by tblair
I believe it's all original. I had one just like it up to a year or so ago (knobs and bridge cover on mine were reissues- the flying saucer knobs of the ebay guitar are correct):
http://www.tblair.com/images/900ft2.jpg
http://www.tblair.com/images/900bK2.jpg
The back plate is made of a thin particle board. The bridge is original and is just a single block of bakelight with some notches in it for the strings.
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:24 am
by admin
Tony: What can you tell us about the pickup, in terms of its sound and construction?
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:47 am
by tblair
As I recall, it sounded pretty Rickenbackery- it appears to have been used only briefly just before the toasters were introduced. I've only seen it on the 900, 950, 1000, and 450.
Unfortunately, the guitar itself was pretty crummy (mine had a concave fingerboard)- so I didn't really play it a lot. ...but it was my first 50s Ric.
Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:20 am
by seth_lorinczi
Looks a lot like the DeArmond pu on my '56 Combo 400. Yes, very "Rickenbackery"...chimey and bell-like.
