Rickenbacker Electro Model B-6 Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar, c. 1937, made in Los Angeles, California, molded bakelite body and neck.
This is a fine fully functional pre-war Rickenbacker (Rickenbacher on the nameplate) six-string Bakelite steel guitar, generally considered the finest lap steel guitar ever made.
This instrument features the classic 1 1/2" horseshoe magnet pickup found on these early guitars and strings loading through the back of body; the combination of features on a B-6 considered to produce the finest sound. The body is molded black Bakelite with hollow cavities covered by silver metal plates. The screwed-on neck has integral molded frets and nut with inset silver position dots.
Overall length is 29 15/16 in. (76 cm.), 9 1/4 in. (23.5 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 guitar has lived a fairly hard life but has been nicely restored to excellent playing condition. The pickup is the original magnets and baseplate with a new Jason Lollar coil and sounds fantastic (Jason is the guru of horseshoe pickups!).
The wiring rig is vintage-style cloth wire and period pots but is not original. At some point an Amphenol jack was added and is still present but not wired up; output is through the original phone jack. The knobs are period but not original, and there is a small repaired area to the body near the tone control. The tuners are the original flat-plate Grovers with metal buttons, but have added headstock bushings due to the original holes having been enlarged.
Overall this is a great vintage Rickenbacker Bakelite steel for gigging or recording purposes if not a fully original or collectible example. Very Good + Condition.
