Rickenbacker Model B-6 Lap Steel Electric Guitar , c. 1948
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Rickenbacker Model B-6 Model Lap Steel Electric Guitar, c. 1948, made in Los Angeles, California, polished black finish, molded Bakelite body and neck, period chipboard case.
This is a very nice, just post-WWII example of the original Rickenbacker Electro Model B-6 six-string Bakelite steel guitar. While not as avidly collected now as pre-war examples these 1940s instruments were still the standard of their day and remain among the finest lap steels ever made.
This B-6 features the second version of the famous horseshoe magnet pickup with the smaller 1 1/4" magnets and surrounding mounting flange with strings loading thru the tailpiece section. The body is molded black Bakelite with hollow cavities covered by off-white enameled metal plates; the screwed-on neck has integral molded frets and nut with inset white plastic position dots. This guitar still has pre-war style tuners, individual Grover units with a cloverleaf base and plastic buttons.
The pickup is adjustable for height with slot-head screws. The volume and tone controls are on the treble side equipped with the original black plastic "flying saucer" knobs used up into the 1950's. The pickup mounting flange is marked with the patent number, with a Bakelite saddle mounted directly in front of it. The headstock carries the large post war "Rickenbacker Electro" T-shaped metal nameplate. This is a fine sounding B-6, a lovely example of the black-and-white "panda" version of the classic Rickenbacker Bakelite steel guitar.
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 lovely clean and original instrument, not showing a whole lot of play time for being 75+ years along. There is some minor wear overall, with small scuffs and scratches, minor loss to some plating and a few small dinks to the enameled coverplates. There is a casting imperfection on the lower edge of the back of the body that looks like a polished-out factory "let-go". The guitar remains original except one of the small fingerboard dots appears replaced; it does not exactly match the others. A couple of tuner shafts are slightly bent but still work fine. This is a great sounding steel, housed in a period brown chipboard case that looks like it belongs with a size 5 Martin; it is not a great fit but functional at least and they appear to have been together for a very long time. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a very nice, just post-WWII example of the original Rickenbacker Electro Model B-6 six-string Bakelite steel guitar. While not as avidly collected now as pre-war examples these 1940s instruments were still the standard of their day and remain among the finest lap steels ever made.
This B-6 features the second version of the famous horseshoe magnet pickup with the smaller 1 1/4" magnets and surrounding mounting flange with strings loading thru the tailpiece section. The body is molded black Bakelite with hollow cavities covered by off-white enameled metal plates; the screwed-on neck has integral molded frets and nut with inset white plastic position dots. This guitar still has pre-war style tuners, individual Grover units with a cloverleaf base and plastic buttons.
The pickup is adjustable for height with slot-head screws. The volume and tone controls are on the treble side equipped with the original black plastic "flying saucer" knobs used up into the 1950's. The pickup mounting flange is marked with the patent number, with a Bakelite saddle mounted directly in front of it. The headstock carries the large post war "Rickenbacker Electro" T-shaped metal nameplate. This is a fine sounding B-6, a lovely example of the black-and-white "panda" version of the classic Rickenbacker Bakelite steel guitar.
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 lovely clean and original instrument, not showing a whole lot of play time for being 75+ years along. There is some minor wear overall, with small scuffs and scratches, minor loss to some plating and a few small dinks to the enameled coverplates. There is a casting imperfection on the lower edge of the back of the body that looks like a polished-out factory "let-go". The guitar remains original except one of the small fingerboard dots appears replaced; it does not exactly match the others. A couple of tuner shafts are slightly bent but still work fine. This is a great sounding steel, housed in a period brown chipboard case that looks like it belongs with a size 5 Martin; it is not a great fit but functional at least and they appear to have been together for a very long time. Overall Excellent - Condition.