The Bartell company was formed by Paul Barth (engineer) and Ted Peckles (owner and company president) in the mid-1960s after Barth returned from Magnatone´s facilities on the East Coast. One of Barth´s co-workers at Rickenbacker was Roger Rossmeisel, who introduced the German Carve (a beveled ridge around the top of a guitar) to Rickenbacker, and later Fender designs. The same German Carve can be found on both Bartell and Mosrite guitars. Bartells were produced from 1964 to 1969, and former owner Peckles estimates that around 2,000 instruments were produced. The Bartell company also built instruments for rebranding for Hohner, St. George, and later edition Acoustic Black Widow models.
Bartell guitars feature a strat-style offset double cutaway body, a Mosrite-inspired headstock, German Carve ridge, and two single coil pickups. Electronics include a volume and tone knob, two on/off pickup selector switches, and a third switch for in/out of phase between the two pickups. There is also mention of a semi-hollowbody that features a design that is a cross between the above model and an ES-335. Source: Teisco Del Rey, Guitar Player Magazine.
Instruments previously built in Riverside, CA between 1964 and 1969. Also see Barth.