Strange looking prewar Ric on Ebay

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 22 Jul 2001 8:18 am

A strange looking Ric Bakelite has appeared on Ebay. The pickup is positioned several inches away from the butt of the guitar, with tone and volume knobs to the right of the pick-up. Interesting machine?

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 22 Jul 2001 8:11 pm

Is this the one?

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 23 Jul 2001 3:57 am

This is not a lap guitar, but the round necked Electro-Spanish version of the bakelite (in the upper-right photo you can see the heel of the neck, similar to a conventional guitar). These are very rare, and normally bring in prices far higher than the $760 this one is currently listed at. Getting this guitar for less than a thousand dollars (assuming the reserve is set that low) would be a real bargain.[This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 23 July 2001 at 04:58 AM.]

Eric Stumpf · Post by **Eric Stumpf** » 23 Jul 2001 4:00 am

The guitar in the link b0b has provided is a 1936 or early'37 Rickenbacher Electro Spanish. This is one of their Spanish neck solid-body guitars and not a lap steel. The neck is bakelite like that of the Hawaiian instruments but has a longer scale, narrower width and higher pickup placement. These are acknowledged by collectors and historians as having been the first true solid-body guitars and as such, are quite valuable. (note: the earlier Vivi-Tone guitars don't hold this distinction because in lieu of actual bodies they simply had a guitar-shaped board upon which the hardware was attached). [This message was edited by Eric Stumpf on 23 July 2001 at 05:18 AM.]

Eric Stumpf · Post by **Eric Stumpf** » 23 Jul 2001 4:07 am

Ian, you sneaky guy...you got your post in as I was composing mine! I own one of these beasts and so I'm going to be interested in seeing what it sells for on eBay. The last one that sold there went for over $1800! I had heard at a guitar show that Mars Music in Florida got nearly $5K for a Vibrola-equipped one last year.

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 23 Jul 2001 5:47 am

Eric: Well, you know what they say about great minds. All the ES's I've seen advertised the past couple of years have been in the $2000 range or above. I had a chance to pick one up just a year or two ago for the equivalent of about $500 U.S. Unfortunately, the owner backed out at the last minute, for the usual "It was my grandfather's and I really shouldn't sell it" reasons. I'm still hoping to track down the guy who once promised to sell me his frying pan, though.