Frypan on Ebay. Plastic back plate?

[Gerald Ross]

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1404938183

Here's a Frypan for sale on Ebay. Note the
plastic back plate. I played one of these at the Aloha International Steel Guitar Club convention last summer. Nice sound and feel. I was informed that this was a Chinese copy of the Frypan. Apparently post WWII Rickenbacker sold components to a Chinese manufacturer who produced these.

Any truth to this?

Gerald Ross
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Page

[Herb Steiner]

It looks like the real thing to me. A-22's with back plates were made well into the 1950's. I recall a few years ago that Nick Maniscalco had a matched 50's pair in one case that he was trying to sell for some ridiculously low price. Ah, that I didn't hop on that one!

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages

[Harry Sheppard]

I actually played this guitar a few weeks ago and Herb is correct, it is an actual Ric Frypan made in the 1950s. I was not all that impessed with the guitar. It has very little sustain due to the plastic nut and saddle, the tone was a little thin and within 5 minutes of playing, it was totally out of tune. It is in pretty good shape except for the hole someone drilled through the headstock. It also has the smaller 1 1/4" post-war pickup. The case was pretty nice though. They had a price tag of $1500 on it (which is just a little high for a post-war Rick) so I passed. It has been in Missoula for years.

Harry

[J D Sauser]

Yeah, I agree too, it's a post war A-22.
I would call it a late 40's to early 50's for the original spelling name plate (Rickenbacher)
In my opinion it's not too desirable for three reasons:<ul>
[*]Postwar vintage.
[*]Bakelite back plate.
[*]Small 1-1/4" pick-up.[/list]
The plastic nut could be replaced with a plated brass nut (like on the "originals").

I will not be a bidder on this guitar, it's too expensive already IMO.

------------------
The future belongs to culture. jaydee@bellsouth.net