RICKENBACKER 660/12 12-String
- similar to the 660, except in 12-string configuration, six-per-side tuners, and a 12 saddle bridge, mfg. 1998-present.
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RICKENBACKER
In 1925, John Dopyera (and brothers) joined up with George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker and formed National to build resonator guitars. Beauchamp´s attitudes over spending money caused John Dopyera to leave National and start the Dobro company. While at National, Beauchamp, Rickenbacker and Dopyera´s nephew, Paul Barth, designed the Frying Pan electric lap steel. In 1929 or 1930, Beauchamp was either forced out or fired from National - and so allied himself with Adolph Rickenbacker (National´s tool and die man) and Barth to form Ro-Pat-In.
In the summer of 1931, Ro-Pat-In started building aluminum versions of the Frying Pan prototype. Early models have "Electro" on the headstock. Two years later, "Rickenbacker" (or sometimes "Rickenbacher") was added to the headstock, and Ro-Pat-In was formally changed to the Electro String Instrument Corporation. Beauchamp left Electro sometime in 1940, and Barth left in 1956 to form his own company.
In December of 1953, F.C. Hall bought out the interests of Rickenbacker and his two partners. The agreement stated that the purchase was complete, and Electro could "continue indefinitely to use the trade name Rickenbacker." Hall, founder of Radio-Tel and the exclusive Fender distributor, had his Fender distributorship bought out by Leo Fender and Don Randall. The Rickenbacker company was formed in 1965 as an organizational change (Electro is still the manufacturer, and Rickenbacker is the sales company). Rickenbacker instruments gained popularity as the Beatles relied on a number of their guitars in the 1960s. One slight area of confusion: the model names and numbers differ from the U.S. market to models imported to the U.K. market during the short period in the 1960s when Rose Morris represented Rickenbacker in the U.K (at all other times, the model numbers worldwide have been identical to the U.S. market).
In 1984, John Hall (F.C. Hall´s son) officially took control by purchasing his father´s interests in both the Rickenbacker, Inc. and Electro String companies. Hall formed the Rickenbacker International Corporation (RIC) to combine both interests (source: John C. Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Rickenbacker International Corporation; and Tom Wheeler, American Guitars).
In the summer of 1931, Ro-Pat-In started building aluminum versions of the Frying Pan prototype. Early models have "Electro" on the headstock. Two years later, "Rickenbacker" (or sometimes "Rickenbacher") was added to the headstock, and Ro-Pat-In was formally changed to the Electro String Instrument Corporation. Beauchamp left Electro sometime in 1940, and Barth left in 1956 to form his own company.
In December of 1953, F.C. Hall bought out the interests of Rickenbacker and his two partners. The agreement stated that the purchase was complete, and Electro could "continue indefinitely to use the trade name Rickenbacker." Hall, founder of Radio-Tel and the exclusive Fender distributor, had his Fender distributorship bought out by Leo Fender and Don Randall. The Rickenbacker company was formed in 1965 as an organizational change (Electro is still the manufacturer, and Rickenbacker is the sales company). Rickenbacker instruments gained popularity as the Beatles relied on a number of their guitars in the 1960s. One slight area of confusion: the model names and numbers differ from the U.S. market to models imported to the U.K. market during the short period in the 1960s when Rose Morris represented Rickenbacker in the U.K (at all other times, the model numbers worldwide have been identical to the U.S. market).
In 1984, John Hall (F.C. Hall´s son) officially took control by purchasing his father´s interests in both the Rickenbacker, Inc. and Electro String companies. Hall formed the Rickenbacker International Corporation (RIC) to combine both interests (source: John C. Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Rickenbacker International Corporation; and Tom Wheeler, American Guitars).
Instruments currently produced in Santa Ana, CA. Distributed by Rickenbacker International Corporation of Santa Ana, CA. Rickenbacker instruments have been produced in California since 1931.
RICKENBACKER Electric Guitars Models
RICKENBACKER 381/12V69 12-String
- similar to 381V69/381V68, except in 12-string configuration and six-per-side tuners, mfg. 1989-present.
RICKENBACKER 4003 S/SPC Blackstar
- similar to the 4003 S, except has a black body, neck, and fingerboard, white pickguard, and black hardware, available in Black finish, mfg. 1988-1997.
RICKENBACKER 350 Liverpool Plus (350VB)
- similar to the 350 Liverpool, except has a vibrato bridge, mfg. 1983-1997.
RICKENBACKER 4003 S Tuxedo
- similar to the 4003 S, except has a white body, neck, and fingerboard, black pickguard, and black hardware, available in White finish, mfg. 1987-1997.
RICKENBACKER 360
- offset double cutaway semi-hollow maple body, wedge-shaped soundhole, pickguard, through-body maple neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl triangle inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/R-style trapeze tailpiece, two single coil pickups...
RICKENBACKER 4004C CHEYENNE
- cresting wave style walnut body, through-body maple neck, 20-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, fixed bridge, cresting wave style peghead with walnut laminates, two-per-side tuners, gold hardware, two humbucker exposed pickups,...
RICKENBACKER 366 6/12 Convertible
- similar to the 360, except in 12-string-configuration, with a comb-like device that allows the conversion from six-string play to 12-string, mfg. 1966-1974.
RICKENBACKER 4004CII CHEYENNE II
- similar to 4004C Cheyenne except has super contoured maple and walnut body, bubinga fingerboard, gold parts, available in translucent colors, mfg. 2001-present.
RICKENBACKER 360/12 12-String
- similar to 360, except in 12-string configuration and six-per-side tuners, mfg. 1964-present.
RICKENBACKER 4004L LAREDO
- similar to 4004C Cheyenne, except has a hardwood body and chrome hardware, available in Jetglo finish, mfg. 1994-present.
RICKENBACKER 365 (360 VB, 360 WB)
- similar to the 360, except has a vibrato bridge/tailpiece, mfg. 1958-1974, 1984-1994.
RICKENBACKER 4005
- offset double cutaway semi-hollow maple body, rounded top, bound wedge-shaped soundhole, white pickguard, through-body maple/walnut laminate neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl triangle inlay, tune-o-matic bridge, R style...
RICKENBACKER 370
- offset double cutaway semi-hollow maple body, wedge-shaped soundhole, pickguard, through-body maple neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl triangle inlay, tune-o-matic bridge/R-style trapeze tailpiece, three single coil picku...
RICKENBACKER 4005 WB
- similar to 4005, except has Old Style appointments with a bound body, mfg. 1966-1983.
RICKENBACKER 370/12 12-String
- similar to 370, except in 12-string configuration and six-per-side tuners, mfg. 1965-present.
RICKENBACKER 4005/6 Six-String
- similar to the 4005, except in 6-string configuration and three-per-side tuners, mfg. 1965-1977.
RICKENBACKER 370/12 WB
- similar to 370/12, except has deluxe appointments including top binding, disc. 1994.
RICKENBACKER 4005/8 Eight-String
- similar to the 4005, except in eight-string configuration and four-per-side tuners, mfg. late 1960s.
RICKENBACKER 375 (370 VB, 370 WB)
- similar to the 370, except has a vibrato bridge and tailpiece, mfg. 1958-1994.
RICKENBACKER 4008 EIGHT-STRING
- cresting wave style bound maple body, white pickguard, through-body maple neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl triangle inlay, fixed bridge, cresting wave style peghead, four-per-side tuners, chrome hardware, two single coi...
RICKENBACKER 380L LAGUNA
- offset double cutaway semi-hollow walnut body, slash (wedge-shaped) soundhole, set-in maple neck, 24-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, Rickenbacker fixed bridge, three-per-side tuners, gold hardware, walnut/maple laminate heads...
RICKENBACKER 380L PZ Laguna
- similar to the 380L Laguna, except has bridge-mounted piezo pickups, active electronics, mfg. 1995-2005.
RICKENBACKER 381
- offset sharp double cutaway semi-hollow maple body, carved top, white bi-level pickguard, checkered bound body, bound wedge-shaped soundhole, through-body maple neck, 21-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl triangle inlay, tune-o-ma...
RICKENBACKER 381/12 12-String
- similar to the 381, except in 12-string configuration and six-per-side tuners, mfg. 1969-1973.