Rickenbacker Lap Steel Serial Numbers

Pickup effective august 10 1937.

Rickenbacker lap steel serial numbers.

Starting in 1954 rickenbacker introduced a series of serial number formats that can reveal the approximate year of production of a specific instrument. 1954 1960 serial numbers. Old adolf rickenbacker was so happy that on that very day all guitars had the patent number clearly. Serial number as you can see is b 8.

There is some bakelite repair on the back of the headstock at the 1st tuning gear. Additional details for bakelite fans. The following information is courtesy carl dixon as posted on the steel guitar forum. To the right and below you will find some images that will hopefully help you to locate the complete serial number on your instrument.

Rickenbacker serial numbers have been issued in a number of formats. I hope this adds to the knowledge and theories surrounding the murky world of pre war serial numbers. Rickenbacker did not keep serial to date records until after the second world war. Used 1951 rickenbacker model b 8 string lap steel guitar serial number 2089171.

I did nothing to disabuse a retailer of the tag s proclamation that this is a 1950s rickenbacker bakelite but we know better don t we. There are various nicks and marks about the body. With the first instruments it is virtually impossible to find the exact year of construction by using the serial number. Dating rickenbacker lap steels.

In the periods before 1998 it was made a lot more difficult. Please be aware that some instruments manufactured in the late 50s cannot be interpreted by this decoder. Generally with this system the first digits before the letter indicate the model series such as 6 for 600 model guitar.