Rickenbacker Model B-6 Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1937)
LOADING IMAGES
Rickenbacker Model B-6 Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar (1937), made in Los Angeles, California, serial # C-1403, polished black finish, molded Bakelite body and neck, original black hard shell case.
This is a beautifully preserved original pre-WWII Rickenbacker (spelled Rickenbacher on the nameplate) Model B-6 six-string Bakelite steel guitar. These instruments were the professional standard of their day and are still considered by many the finest-sounding lap steels ever made. This B-6 features the famous 1 1/2" horseshoe magnet pickup found only on pre-war guitars and strings loading through the body, the combination of features generally considered to produce the finest sound.
The body is molded black Bakelite with hollow cavities covered by chromed metal plates; the screwed-on neck has integral molded frets and nut with inset white position dots. This guitar has the style of tuners used in the later-mid-1930s, individual units with hexagon baseplates and angular metal buttons.
The Horseshoe magnet pickup is adjustable for height with knurled knobs. The volume and tone controls are mounted on either side of it, topped with black Bakelite knobs with a etched arrow pointer used up into the later 1930s. On these earlier models the output jack is mounted on the bass side of the body, where the audience couldn't see it.
The body is marked below the bridge with the 1932 patent number; the pickup mounting flange is marked "PAT PEND" which dates it to mid-1937 or earlier. As with all the early Bakelite Rickenbackers, this is a predictably great-sounding steel, an extremely nice example of the most sought-after player's instrument of its type.
Overall length is 29 3/4 in. (75.6 cm.), 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/4 in. (57 mm.).
This is a superb all-original example of this sought-after steel, appearing not too much used for nearly 90 years on Earth showing only very light wear overall. The body and neck show some minor scuffing but no dinks or chips. There is some scuffing to the chrome plating on the cover plates, but no spots down to the metal.
The top treble side tuner is a little bent, but all the fragile sintered metal buttons are intact and the machines work fine. The pickup and electronics appear original and unaltered. As with all of these the pickup is quite microphonic but very fine-sounding with the unique B-6 character. All-in-all this is easily one of the nicest pre-war B-6s we have had, a really cool find complete in the original shaped hard case. Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a beautifully preserved original pre-WWII Rickenbacker (spelled Rickenbacher on the nameplate) Model B-6 six-string Bakelite steel guitar. These instruments were the professional standard of their day and are still considered by many the finest-sounding lap steels ever made. This B-6 features the famous 1 1/2" horseshoe magnet pickup found only on pre-war guitars and strings loading through the body, the combination of features generally considered to produce the finest sound.
The body is molded black Bakelite with hollow cavities covered by chromed metal plates; the screwed-on neck has integral molded frets and nut with inset white position dots. This guitar has the style of tuners used in the later-mid-1930s, individual units with hexagon baseplates and angular metal buttons.
The Horseshoe magnet pickup is adjustable for height with knurled knobs. The volume and tone controls are mounted on either side of it, topped with black Bakelite knobs with a etched arrow pointer used up into the later 1930s. On these earlier models the output jack is mounted on the bass side of the body, where the audience couldn't see it.
The body is marked below the bridge with the 1932 patent number; the pickup mounting flange is marked "PAT PEND" which dates it to mid-1937 or earlier. As with all the early Bakelite Rickenbackers, this is a predictably great-sounding steel, an extremely nice example of the most sought-after player's instrument of its type.
Overall length is 29 3/4 in. (75.6 cm.), 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 22 1/2 in. (572 mm.). Width of nut is 2 1/4 in. (57 mm.).
This is a superb all-original example of this sought-after steel, appearing not too much used for nearly 90 years on Earth showing only very light wear overall. The body and neck show some minor scuffing but no dinks or chips. There is some scuffing to the chrome plating on the cover plates, but no spots down to the metal.
The top treble side tuner is a little bent, but all the fragile sintered metal buttons are intact and the machines work fine. The pickup and electronics appear original and unaltered. As with all of these the pickup is quite microphonic but very fine-sounding with the unique B-6 character. All-in-all this is easily one of the nicest pre-war B-6s we have had, a really cool find complete in the original shaped hard case. Overall Excellent Condition.