{"product_id":"rickenbacker-ken-roberts-model-hollow-body-electric-guitar-1936-13886","title":"Rickenbacker Ken Roberts Model Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1936)","description":"Rickenbacker Ken Roberts Model Model Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1936), made in Los Angeles, California, serial # B-769, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated mahogany body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeginning in the early 1930s Rickenbacker were the undisputed pioneers in the commercialization of the electric guitar, and this 1936 Ken Roberts Electric Spanish model is one of the most important, if relatively unknown, of their early creations. While the great bulk of Rickenbacker's (and everybody's) 1930s electric business was in Hawaiian steels, the company offered regular \"Spanish\" guitars from the beginning. Several different designs were far less successful commercially but important pieces of electric guitar history. In 1931 Rickenbacker's chief designer George Beauchamp created the first commercially successful electric guitar pickup using large horseshoe-shaped magnets and a central coil; the first generation instruments fitted with it were the best sounding and most practical of their day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first production Rickenbacker electric instruments were issued in later 1932 under the brand name \"Electro\". The initial line consisted of an all-aluminum Hawaiian guitar and a wooden Spanish model built on a flat-topped body sub-contracted from the Harmony company. The Electro-branded Spanish-style instrument is exceptionally rare with only a very few sold in 1933-4. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1935 the line was expanded with a series of futuristic Deco-styled instruments molded in Bakelite (including Hawaiian and Spanish guitars and a violin) but also including this re-worked wood-bodied guitar design named for Ken Roberts, a Hollywood guitarist friend of Beauchamp's. Some design elements were suggested by the more famous Alvino Rey, who used a prototype painted in his trademark white. By the time the model was ready for production Rey had defected to advising Gibson, so Ken Roberts' was applied instead making this the first electric instrument named for an endorser, albeit an obscure one. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlong with its horseshoe pickup at the bridge position the Ken Roberts model has several interesting features; this is a purely purpose-built electric guitar, not an existing acoustic with an added pickup. The wooden body and neck were sourced from Harmony (Rickenbacker's factory lacked the facility to produce wooden instruments) but the design was unique and specific to this instrument. The flat-topped body is made of thick laminated mahogany and braced internally to support the heavy pickup. The \"F\" soundholes are on the instrument's lower bout with a single volume knob near the waist, the opposite arrangement of most guitars. The shaded dark sunburst top is triple bound and the back single bound; there is no pickguard.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe most striking feature is the extended neck, made from a single piece of maple with a bound rosewood fingerboard. Period arch-tops had 14-fret neck joints, but the Ken Roberts fingerboard joins the body at the 17th fret allowing better access to the high register. This was ahead of its time, specifically suggested by Rey to extend the playing range of the electric guitar anticipating developments of the 1950's. Rickenbacker highlighted this in their catalog listings. The unusually long headstock is solid, replacing the older-style slotted head used on the Electro Spanish models, faced in flashy pearloid with the metal \"Rickenbacher Electro\" nameplate at the top. The tuners are the same individual units used on the Bakelite guitars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis particular guitar is very unusual; the only stock \"Non-Trem\" Ken Roberts we are aware of. A Kauffman Vib-Rola tailpiece was part of the Ken Roberts package making it the first electric guitar to feature a hand-operated vibrato as standard equipment. This example has instead a simple Harmony trapeze tailpiece, with no evidence anything else was ever fitted. We can't say if the guitar was specially ordered this way or the factory simply ran out of Vibrolas and extemporized, but it is definitely original. The bridge is also unique; Ken Roberts models usually have a unique solid cast metal bridge adjustable for height, while this one has a simple wood-and-bone piece in the mandolin style screwed to the top. This is original as well; the mounting bolt holes for the metal piece were never drilled. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis instrument was likely made in 1936, based on the serial number and \"Pat. Pend\" stamped into the pickup flange. It is in many ways the first modern Electric Spanish guitar featuring extended fretboard access and a powerful bridge-position pickup, features years ahead of their time. Compared to Rickenbacker's heavy small-bodied 1935 Bakelite Model B Spanish, the Ken Roberts is both more conventional and more functional, with a standard fretted wooden neck (instead of molded plastic) and a body that sits comfortably on the lap. The Ken Roberts guitar and amp set sold for $150 in 1937; the guitar could be had alone for $62.50.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlthough mostly forgotten today, the Ken Roberts represents an important early step in the evolution of the modern electric guitar. This one is fully playable and sounds great; Beauchamp's pickup is still one of the best ever made! By 1936-7 other \"Spanish\" electrics were entering the field; Gibson's classy if more conventional ES-150 would eventually rule the very small market and the Ken Roberts disappear. This previously unknown example surfaced recently as part of a family collection also including a contemporary Rickenbacker amp and Bakelite steel, all bought new around 1936. Although apparently not seeing too much use it was a gigging guitar when new and remains a fascinating playable piece of history.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 40 3\/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 14 1\/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3\/4 in. (44 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 90-year old primal electric may have been grandad's gigger back in the day but survives in quite clean and solid original condition; it looks like it was simply not played that much. The original finish is completely unaltered showing checking overall but remains intact with only light wear; some very small dings, dents and scrapes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe original hardware remains complete except the tuner buttons are all replaced; unfortunately the sintered metal buttons on this particular style of original Grovers have a tendency to crumble with age and indeed were all disintegrating. The single octagonal knob, bridge and most crucially the horseshoe pickup and wiring are all original and intact showing some general fairly light wear to the plating. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe guitar is quite playable having recently undergone a neck reset and some work to the original small-wire frets. Amazingly enough considering it was designed in 1935 this guitar sounds great and quite \"modern\" if pushed through an overdriven amp! This \"non-trem\" Ken Roberts is a fabulous museum-worthy piece of early electric history and just a super cool guitar all around. It includes what appears to be the original HSC, worn but still serviceable with a replaced handle. Inside is what appears to be the original cable, amazingly still functional 90 years along. Overall Excellent - Condition.","brand":"Rickenbacker","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51484310372492,"sku":"13886","price":9500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_0ffbb4f0-de98-47e1-8211-151994c4a664.jpg?v=1784234636","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/rickenbacker-ken-roberts-model-hollow-body-electric-guitar-1936-13886","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}