Bob gets a bear (NVGD)

[Bob Womack]

I've been stalking one of these on-and-off for years and years, and through the kindness and help of my lovely wife and a couple of new friends, my day finally came. The guitar is a Wartime (phase 2, 1940-1944) Rickenbacher Model B that has all of the characteristics I've wanted: 1.5" pickup, improved Bakelite formula, strengthened neck, and tone control. So often the only choices are beaters with missing or replaced parts at low prices or untouched museum pieces at astronomical prices. This one is complete and original with a little wear and was offered at an extremely reasonable price.

Oh, and why is is a bear? The Model B with white body panels is referred to as a "Panda." So, without further ado, pics: (click horizontal pics for larger versions)

The bomb-proof package from Maryland: heavy box, luan sheets, bubble wrap, and strapping tape!


The original tweed hard case coming out of the box.


More nice wrapping protects this classic.


With the "gloves" off: The guitar arrived strung for D tuning.


Overhead


Body: Steel players use metal fingerpicks so there are almost always marks.


Neck, neck boxes, spare tuning keys, string sets.

I immediately tuned up, plugged in to a Princeton Reverb, and took it for a spin. The guitar has that coveted Rick sound - a gentle attack, long sustain, and a full midrange. You can hear it acoustically, even before it is plugged in. Ricks are hard to date beyond an era but the best info I have is that this was built somewhere between 1940 and 1942.

Thanks to user Guitar MD for introducing me around to the community, to Gary L for his kindness and the good deal, and my lovely wife Ruth for the final nudge.

Bob

[M19]

OK, so now we need to hear a little "Soon" from Gates of Delirium or maybe some "Going for the One!"
Sweet guitar there, Bob. Enjoy!

[seannx]

Congrats, Bob! Any comments on the merits of Bakelite as an electric guitar material?
Looking forward to sound clips.

[Bob Womack]

As soon as I photographed it I plugged it up and played it through the '68 Custom Princeton Reverb. Here is what I noticed: The guitar has a very gentle attack followed by strong sustain and decay phases. The overall tone of the guitar is fuller, more lower midrangey. The impression is of a tone that doesn't ice pick you. I've been running my other lap steels with the tone control rolled back to kill ice pick. The Rickenbacher doesn't need it, or needs it FAR less. Now, I'm sure that is a combination of the Bakelite and the pickup and I don't know what percentages they occupy.

Bob

[Dru Edwards]

Wow! Congrats, Bob. I've never seen a Bear before but that Panda looks great.

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by M19

OK, so now we need to hear a little "Soon" from Gates of Delirium or maybe some "Going for the One!"
Sweet guitar there, Bob. Enjoy!

Thank you sir! And you inspired me - I just began working on the version of "Soon" from Symphonic Music of Yes. I've got the sound of Steve's Fender Stringmaster drilled into my mind. Do you remember the Yessongs period when he had a Shobud ProII pedal steel and the Stringmaster on stage and set up so that there were four necks in a row?

I do believe it was Steve Howe that got me into steel in the first place way back in '75. I bought a sad little Magnatone that was hanging by its bent tuner in the window of a pawn shop. It had horrible hum so after a while I tried to pull up the pickup cover to check out the wiring. When it came up, the mother of toilet seat cover with its "fingerboard" decal shattered and that was that.

Bob

[M19]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

Thank you sir! And you inspired me - I just began working on the version of "Soon" from Symphonic Music of Yes. I've got the sound of Steve's Fender Stringmaster drilled into my mind. Do you remember the Yessongs period when he had a Shobud ProII pedal steel and the Stringmaster on stage and set up so that there were four necks in a row?

I do believe it was Steve Howe that got me into steel in the first place way back in '75. I bought a sad little Magnatone that was hanging by its bent tuner in the window of a pawn shop. It had horrible hum so after a while I tried to pull up the pickup cover to check out the wiring. When it came up, the mother of toilet seat cover with its "fingerboard" decal shattered and that was that.

Bob

No, the first time I saw Yes live was the "Solo tour" in 1976. $6.50 if I recall. I don't know if he played the Fender or the ShoBud on that tour, but Gates and And You And I were set list songs. Lasers going on Gates. That show, and the Going For The One tour the next year in Chicago (Rick's Back!) were 2 of my top 3 shows of all time. Ah, the memories of youth. Or...I think I remember...

The QPR show from the Relayer tour the prior year:

[The Growler]

That is really cool. Congratulations!

[Bob Womack]

Thank you very much, guys. I've long said that the best way to get to know an old guitar is to spend a while cleaning it. Yesterday I sat down with a dish of water and Q-Tips and cleaned the fretboard. This one has the painted lines on each side of the molded "frets" to make it easy to see where you are. Many of them had collected brown "stuff" that negated that function. Between that and polishing the body it took a couple of hours to remove seventy-eight years worth of schmutz, fung, and gradoo. I came away with about twenty brown Q-Tips, a couple of really dirty rags, and a gleaming, smiling guitar. It's amazing what a little love can do for an old instrument.

Bob

[ghostnote]

Hey, that's really cool! And it's nice that it went to someone who will know and appreciate what it's about. My best friend once sold his beautiful old cherry burst Les Paul to a guy who immediately drilled out the top and installed a couple of toggle switches for God knows what. Glad that something like that won't be happening to this sweet piece of history.

[blue]

Anytime a Lap gets bought by someone like you, I like to think it has been saved from a Coodercaster...

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by blue

Anytime a Lap gets bought by someone like you, I like to think it has been saved from a Coodercaster...

Hehehe... Kind words. And you are right, I won't butcher it up.


Bob