www.rickenbacker.me.uk

Rickenbacker’s (originally spelt Rickenbacher) first Spanish guitar, was introduced in 1931. It featured a flattop hollow body, with small F-holes, a slotted-peghead and a bound neck, joined at the 14th fret. The guitars themselves were manufactured by the Harmony Guitar Company, Chicago.

By the mid-1930s, the Ken Roberts Model was launched. It had a bound neck that joined the body at the 17th fret, a two-tone brown sunburst top with F-holes and a Kauffman vibrato tailpiece. Again, the guitars were made by the Harmony Guitar Company.

In 1941, they launched the S-59 model (manufactured by the Kay Guitar Company), featuring a natural blonde finish and a narrow, detachable horseshoe pickup, designed by Paul Barth.

In the mid 1940’s they launched the SP model. It had a maple body, a two-tone brown sunburst spruce top, bound rosewood neck, with large block pearloid inlays and a built-in horseshoe pickup.

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