*notcot in tech , 11:42

Rickenbacker Guitar Factory Tour - Part 3/3- 09.18.09

rickmain2.jpg First you saw the Beatles Rock Band controller versus the actual Rickenbacker 325, next you got to peek into the woodshop, then you saw how they were painted and electronic components added… and now for the final installment, here’s a peek at some of the incredible design details from vintage pieces, limited editions, and concepts that never made it to market…

The Frying Pan: First patented electric guitar dating back to 1931
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The Rickenbacker Museum houses the personal collection of John Hall, CEO of Rickenbacker International Corporation, and is an assortment of exclusive prototypes and models produced by Rickenbacker over the course of its 78 years in business
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Closeup of Rickenbacker’s vintage “TV control knobs
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This is a rare 336/12 model—This allowed the player to switch the instrument from a 6-string to a 12-string by pulling down every other string. It was sold between 1966-1974.
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Can you believe that by tweaking this lever you can actually change the pitch while keeping everything in tune?
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The Rickenbacker Factory Series:
1. The Beatles Rock Band controller versus the actual Rickenbacker 325
2. peek into the woodshop
3. Painting and electronic components and finishing
4. A look at the museum - incredible design details from vintage pieces, limited editions, and concepts that never made it to market…

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5 Notes

Many thanks for providing this fantastic insight into the Rickenbacker factory. As the company does not offer factory tours to the public this is a great opportunity to see how the instruments are made. Owning a wonderful 381v69 I can only state that these guitars are are a piece of art.

----- Michael 14.04.10 11:31

Nice tour, I love ricks!

----- Paul 27.09.09 17:27

I own a Rickenbacker 4003 bass, and it drives like an old Cadillac; heavy, with style and purpose. Lots of warmth and power - my favorite instrument bar none! I have heard (secondhand) that the company won’t open another shop and so the waiting list has grown to get a new guitar, as well as driving up the secondhand market on Ebay/Craigslist for the existing models. Nice writeup!

----- Lemmy's alter-ego 21.09.09 13:49

Thanks for the amazing behind the scenes access, love their tv knobs!

----- drew 20.09.09 16:48

Really impressive series you’ve done here. I’ve always wondered what went into creating a guitar. If there’s any chance of NotCot doing more “making of” features in the future, I’m all for it.

----- Blake 19.09.09 09:24


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