Rickenbacker Electro Vibrola Spanish Model Solid Body Electric Guitar, c. 1939, made in Los Angeles, black bakelite body and neck, tweed original hard shell case.
One of most unusual and interesting fretted instruments ever produced, the Rickenbacker Electro Vibrola Spanish Guitar is truly unique. It features Doc Kauffman's motorized vibrato tailpiece, designed to create Hawaiian-style vibrato effects for Spanish guitar players.
The Bakelite Electro-Spanish guitars are rare enough already, with or without the original Kauffman Vibrola, but the motorized version is at another level of eccentricity. Not more than 90 guitars of this type were produced between 1938 and 1942, and this was a very expensive instrument in its day, selling for nearly $200 including the amplifier.
The body is double width, essentially two Bakelite bodies screwed together, containing along with the regular electronics a motor, flywheel and solenoid assembly. The motor activates the vibrato unit and the guitar's pitch is shifted subtly creating a vibrato effect while the guitar is played�at least in theory.
The guitar is heavy enough that a stand was usually provided to mount the instrument to the amplifier. The 1-1/2" horseshoe magnet pickup is stamped with patent number 2089171. The hollow areas of the body are covered with 5 decorative chrome plates, with six small holes on the upper bass plate and 16 small holes on the upper treble plate for ventilation.
The bridge is much higher than the standard Electro-Spanish unit and has individual rollers for the strings. The Kauffman tailpiece is stamped "Vib-Rola" and is the same as the standard hand-operated version except for a piece of heavy-gauge wire running from inside the body that replaces the handle. One flying saucer knob on the lower base bout controls vibrato speed and one on the lower treble bout controls volume. The bolt-on Bakelite neck has integral molded fret ridges and six individual open backed tuners. The headstock plate reads "Richenbacher Electro Los Angeles" with a lightning bolt logo.
Richard R. Smith, author of "The History of Rickenbacker Guitars", says "The advertising literature read like a catalog for a modern day guitar synthesizer: 'The vibrola guitarist can simulate the organ's majestic diapason, the resonance of the vibraharp, and in slow moving melodies, the accordion's reedy tone, or for beauty and elegance, amplify and swell a crystal harmonic in amazing crescendo".
Although this guitar was not a great success, Rickenbacker continued to use the manual version of the Vibrola tailpiece until 1961, and "Doc" Kauffman went on to partner Leo Fender in his early commercial electric guitar venture. The Vibrola Spanish is one of the most ambitious and unusual American guitars ever as well as one of the most historically interesting.
Overall length is 32.5 in. (82.6 cm.), 9.25 in. (23.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3.25 in. (8.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the waist. Scale length is 22.5 in. (572 mm.).
Although in fine overall condition, this guitar has a surprising amount of play wear to the Bakelite frets and fingerboard, though not enough to render it unplayable. Very little wear to body; plating mostly very shiny except some plating loss to cover and body end of tailpiece. Original tuner buttons are mostly disintegrated. Missing the amplifier and stand unit, but the guitar and case are complete unto themselves. Excellent Condition.
