This is a nice new toy!

[Gogar]

I haven't bought a musical instrument in a few years, but this has been on my list for a while!!!!!




This is a RICHENBACHER, (not Rickenbacker) Model B lap steel guitar, circa 1938-39. There's lots of cues from 1934 through (actually about 1970 when they were discontinued) to look for, and this had many, if not ALL the things I was looking for. Good price, not a steal, but that's ok. 1 broken tuner, unfixable, went in my favor on the price.

Solid bakelite (think bowling ball). Weight, maybe 15 pounds! Pretty neat. I've been looking for a while but the prices have been so outrageous until recently it held me back.

[slodave]

Right on! How do you know the tuner is unfixable?

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by slodave

Right on! How do you know the tuner is unfixable?

It's a little pressed-tin kind of thing and in the box were 3 of the 4 necessary pieces to repair it. The solution is to get a complete new set of tuners and throw the original ones in a ziploc and hold onto them if you decide to sell the guitar. Modern tuners are much more useable if you're actually gonna play it anyway.

[slodave]

Fair enough.

[911Freak]

Cool find!

What kind of pickups/electronics are in there, I can't see any. Are they under the bridge guard, in the body or elsewhere (white plate)?

The use of double frets is interesting too, whats the theory behind them?

Would locking tuners be useful on this? Referring to the tuners on the head stock, not the neck or bridge locking/tuning mechanisms.


sooo many questions!

Look forward to hearing it on an upcoming track

[GH85Carrera]

Toys are cool. Are old guitars really better in any way than modern professional level stuff?

I guess old fiddles by the masters are still the best, but an electric guitar?

[Les Paul]

Several years ago Gibson started selling a cheap SG. Well, cheap for them. The tuners were about as good as a 10 dollar Uke. Changed them out and 9 years later still stays tuned.

Sweet lap steel. Wasn't your last purchase a Hammond?

[M.D. Holloway]

So is this a show piece or might we see (hear) it in a song and on tour some day? If you intend to play it you really should name it. You know, like Lucille or something. Well, that name was taken but maybe like Rachel - timeless beauty, wonderful form, continental lines, robust voice...

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by 911Freak

Cool find!

What kind of pickups/electronics are in there, I can't see any. Are they under the bridge guard, in the body or elsewhere (white plate)?

The "bridge guard" isn't a bridge guard, it's a big horseshoe magnet, part of the pickup.

Originally Posted by 911Freak

The use of double frets is interesting too, whats the theory behind them?

I think it's just for looks or to make the markers easier to see; the strings don't actually touch the frets so there's no physical advantage or anything.

Originally Posted by 911Freak

Would locking tuners be useful on this? Referring to the tuners on the head stock, not the neck or bridge locking/tuning mechanisms.

I don't think they would be necessary; the amount of stress applied to lap steel strings is low enough that locking tuners wouldn't really benefit much.

[craigster59]

Nice guitar Jeremy! That is one heavy beast. I picked up a '56 Fender Champion on Ebay last month (didn't expect to win it, got it for a bit over 5 bills) and have been messing around with it. I've played bottleneck slide, but this lap steel is a whole different ballgame!
The Fender really screams, I'm thinking of getting a Cindy Cashdollar DVD to pick up some tips and then try to become the next David Lindley/Ben Harper. Here's a pic of a similar guitar, they're pretty light maybe 8 pounds..



See you on Friday!

[nostatic]

15lb bakelite? Excellent tool if a bar fight breaks out

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Gogar

I don't think they would be necessary; the amount of stress applied to lap steel strings is low enough that locking tuners wouldn't really benefit much.

Yeah, but what about after you put the Floyd Rose on there? A whammy-steel double sliding monster...

[911Freak]

Thanks for that explanation Jeremy

Btw- my wife is a huge fan, she recently had a very difficult delivery of our baby boy, on our "birthing mp3" was several of your songs, and as we worked through the difficult and dangerous hours and days following delivery she was really able to drift away into "Bittersweet". That song helped her escape her body and go to a place much more pleasant. I thank you guys for that. It was so important for her recovery to lower her bp, to survive, losing herself in that song was one of the ways! I know it's an oldie but it really made a difference in our lives during that period. For that i have massive gratitude for you guys...

p.s. It was on our wedding cd as well among others from you guys.

Next time you're in the So-Cal area we'd love to come see you perform. It'd make me a super hero . A ride in a Turbo or GT3 can also be arranged!

Thanks man!

[Gogar]

We're playing at the House Of Blues sunset strip tomorrow. Craigster is going.

[911Freak]

Originally Posted by Gogar

We're playing at the House Of Blues sunset strip tomorrow. Craigster is going.

Hot Damn! Its her B-day in 2 weeks, any chance I can still find tix? She'd be out of her mind to go! This would seriously make her year epic B-day present!!
PM me with details if you can/want. Thanks J

PSS- I can bring a smoking hot single hottie with us just sayin

[Tobra]

That is pretty groovy.

My brother has been looking for a lap steel for a LOONG time. I saw one in a pawn shop on the North side of Houston, Fender like the one above, but it was ratty and they wanted way too much dough for it.

He has all sorts of stuff, an Ibanez Moderne copy that is heavy as an anvil, and apparently pretty rare because they got the heck sued out of them by Gibson, over a guitar I don't think Gibson actually ever sold to the public. He should have never sold his Coral Electric Sitar, but he had a regular one. He still has his Chapman Stick, which is a funky looking thing.

What is it with you guys and the 10 different guitars? He has two Strats and at least 3 Les Pauls. One of the Les Pauls he never even gets out. Shame that, really pretty sunburst LP, it is pretty old though.