Early Electric Guitars
Many of the earliest instruments with electric pickups were lap steel guitars made in the mid 1930's by Rickenbacher, Gibson, and a few other companies such as National.
Rickenbacher A-22 Fry Pan Lap Steel Guitar
The earliest electric lap steel made with the Rickenbacher name, which later changed it's spelling to Rickenbacker, with a "K", was made from aluminum. It is known informally as the "fry pan", due to it's shape. Like the best of all pre-war Rickenbachers, the fry pan has a 1 1/2" wide "horse-shoe" pickup, which is considered to be one of the best sounding pickups of any made to date. The narrower 1 1/4" pickups found on post-war Rickenbachers are less desirable and sought after. The earliest examples of the "fry pan" have a volume control only. A tone control was added later.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Lap Steel
While the fry pan remained in production for many years, Rickenbacher soon added another model with a body made from Bakelite.
The earliest of these, made in the mid-1930's, had five chrome plated metal plates.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Lap Steel
Pre-war bakelite steel with two "arrow" knobs on opposing sides, the volume knob larger than the tone knob, and chrome plates. One replaced tuner.
Serial number C1366
The pre-war version of the model B can also be distinguished by strings that go through the body.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Lap Steel
Pre-war bakelite steel with two "arrow" knobs on opposing sides, and chrome plates. Original hard case.
Serial number C 2164
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Lap Steel
Pre-war bakelite steel with two "concentric" knobs on same side, and white painted plates. White plastic tuner buttons.
No serial number.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Lap Steel
Pre-war bakelite steel with two "concentric" knobs on same side, and white painted plates. Grover tuners with scalloped buttons.
Serial number C 3129
Some examples of the model B from later in the 1930's were made with white plastic plates.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Lap Steel
Pre-war bakelite steel with two "concentric" knobs on same side, and white plastic plates.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Spanish Guitar
Rickenbacher also made a round neck version the the model B for standard "Spanish" style playing. The round neck version had Bakelite frets that were integral to the neck. Unfortunately, these frets wore ealisy, and could not be replaced. It was expected that the entire bolt on neck would be replaced when the frets wore. The thinner, round neck was also more prone to warping, so it is not easy to find an example today with both good frets and a straight neck when a Spanish Model B in any condition is extremely rare and difficult to find.
Leo Fender was a salesman for Rickenbacher at the time, and it's surely no coincidence that several of the features on the Rickenbacher found their way onto the Fender Telecaster, such as the bolt on neck, strings through the body, and even the curve of the headstock as it approached the nut.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Spanish Guitar
Pre-war bakelite round neck "Spanish Guitar" with two "hexagonal" knobs on opposite sides, and chrome plates.
No serial number.
Rickenbacher Electro Model B Spanish Guitar
Pre-war bakelite round neck "Spanish Guitar" with one "hexagonal" knob, and chrome plates. Unusual early example with only four chrome plates. and without the cavity in the body usually covered by a center plate. Certainly one of the very first production solid body electric guitars in existance.
Serial number B36.
Rickenbacher 1930's Model B Tenor Electro Spanish Guitar
Black Bakelite body, with wooden neck and conventional frets. 1 1/2 inch "horseshoe" magnet pickup.
Five chrome plates. Kauffman vibrato. One bakelite knob on lower bout.
Extremely rare tenor version of the early and rare "Spanish" round neck Bakelite Rickenbacher,
the first production solid body electric guitar, first made in 1935. Made in the one knob version through 1937.
The "Vib-Rola" was invented by Doc Kauffman, who would later join ranks with Leo Fender to start the K&F Co., the precursor to the Fender Musical Instrument Company.
Gold Plated Rickenbacker Spanish Model B with Vibrola
This unique example must have been custom ordered by a discriminating customer to have gold plating on the metal plates on the face of the guitar.
Rickenbacher Electro Spanish Model B Vibrola Guitar
This model had a double thick body which contained a motor which pulled on the strings to give a vibrato effect. This design was also an invention of Doc Kauffman.
Rickenbacher Electro Spanish Model B Vibrola Guitar
Working Kauffman Motorized Vibrola Tailpiece
22 5/8" scale
c 1939
Serial number C2733
Gibson Lap Steel Guitars
Like Rickenbacher, Gibson also made their first lap steel guitars with an aluminum body. These guitar had the same style of pickup made famous by Charlie Christian on the arch top guitars he played with the Benny Goodman band.
Gibson E-150 Lap Steel Guitar c 1935
Early version Gibson lap steel with aluminum body and "Charlie Christian" pickup. Original hard shell case.
serial number 231
The E-150 soon gave way to the wood body EH-150.
Gibson EH-150 Lap Steel Guitar c 1939
Separate treble pole piece style "Charlie Christian" pickup. Separation or crack on top near bridge. Original hard shell case.
serial number EGE 2644
Gibson Archtop Electric Spanish Guitars.
Gibson's Electric Spanish is recognized as being the first production conventional guitar with an electric pickup.
Gibson ES-150
Cosmetically fair, missing pickguard, but plays well.
Serial number DGE 3056
