Dating a Bakelite

[Nathan Laudenbach]

I recently acquired an 8 string Rickenbacher Bakelite guitar. There is no serial number that I can find. The volume and tone knobs are located on the treble side plate. Does anyone know how early the knobs were placed on the treble side? Seems like later model bakelites had this knob layout, but this guitar has a 1.5” Lollar horseshoe pickup and the strings thru the body. I have a feeling this guitar was cobbled together from guitars of different eras. Thanks in advance. Also, the top plates are black, I dont know if this is original or modified.

[Cody Farwell]

I don't know the year they started doing 2 knobs on the treble side. The jack is also on the treble side on yours. I've seen photos of a very similar B8 with these features from 1940. I think the 1.5" horseshoe, string thru, and that headstock badge would make it prewar.

Congrats on getting that guitar. I considered buying it too!

[Nathan Laudenbach]

Thanks for the reply. Oddly enough, even though the pickup is a Lollar, the outside strings aren’t nearly as loud as the others. Lollar said it could be the magnet needs to be re-magnetized. The poles are adjustable but adjusting them will require modifying a tool to access them. I think I’ll send it back to Lollar to have it worked on. They said that use strat style slugs now instead of adjustable poles and they are more balanced as a result.