RICKENBACKER COVER FEATURE


Slick Ric M


ost of the manufacturers that can be found on the pages of MI Pro have something to shout about. Perhaps


they’re the largest in their sector, or enjoy dominance over their competitors in terms of sales and reputation. But being able to say that you gave the world the first ever electric guitar surely takes some beating. This is an accolade that Rickenbacker has boasted of for almost 80 years. In 1931, after spending a while experimenting with washing machine motors, George Beauchamp discovered how to amplify the sound of his guitar using two horseshoe magnets and a coil. After adding a neck and body to his creation with the help of his friend Harry Watson, he went out in search of somebody who could help him put his invention into


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Since 1931, the Rickenbacker name has become synonymous with quality and carefully crafted guitars


There’s only one octogenarian guitar manufacturer on this planet and that’s Rickenbacker. Adam Savage hooks up with the iconic brand’s CEO John Hall to see how the business has grown…


production – and that somebody was a certain Adolph Rickenbacker. The rest, as they say, is history. The Electro String Instrument Corporation, as


it was then called, began to grow considerably and came out with a line of Rickenbacker Electros, which were made from aluminium, wood and Bakelite. After 13 years of carrying on the business following Beauchamp’s death, Rickenbacker sold the firm to FC Hall and this marked the real beginning of Rickenbacker guitars as we know them today. The Bakelite Model B was introduced in 1935 and this proved to be a crucial product in the development of the brand, even though arch tops were the real bestsellers at this time. Roger Rossmeisl was then appointed by FC Hall in the early 1950s, in response to the


growing population of Spanish guitars during this period. This collaboration led to the release of the Combo and hollow-body Capri models, which had a number of innovative features, including the ‘fast-action’ neck. These guitars represented a turning point in Rickenbacker’s history, as sales really started to soar. Fast forward to today and a look over this


company’s current structure and it is immediately apparent that, with the exception of the essential updates that allow it to appeal to modern guitarists, little really has changed since the old days of Beauchamp. They are still faithfully handcrafted in the United States and it’s refreshing to see a guitar manufacturer that actually sees simplicity and straightforward construction as an advantage – as opposed to one that almost tries to become too innovative.


miPRO JANUARY 2011 23


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