Rickenbacker Ken Roberts Electro Spanish
Overview
Brand name:
Product:
- electric guitars
Series name:
Dates of manufacture:
1935 to 1940
RICKENBACKER manufactured the KEN ROBERTS ELECTRO-SPANISH between 1935 and 1940. The model was named after Ken Roberts, a Hollywood session guitarist and friend of George Beauchamp. It had lower down and bigger sized f-holes than the earlier Electro Spanish model. The concert sized body was laminated mahogany and this model had a mahogany neck, both made by Harmony of Chicago. The Ken Roberts model had a Kauffman vibrato tailpiece with a compensated bridge. Its single horse-shoe pickup was controlled by a single volume control: this knob was octagon shaped from 1935 to 1937 and round from 1938 to 1940. The pearloid peghead veneer has a brass logo plate with the old spelling of "Rickenbacher".
Specifications (20)
Body
| Body back material | laminated mahogany body back |
| Body sides material | laminated mahogany body sides |
| Body style | concert size body |
| Body top material | laminated mahogany body top |
| Hollow body | hollow body |
| Soundhole | 2 f-holes |
Neck
| Body fret | Neck joins body at 17th fret |
| Headstock inlays or logos | pearl headstock inlay/logo |
| Neck material | mahogany neck |
| Number of frets | 22 fret |
| Tuner layout | three-each-side |
Hardware
| Bridge | Kauffman vibrato, compensated bridge |
| Hardware color | nickel hardware |
Fretboard
| Fingerboard material | rosewood fingerboard |
| Fingerboard position markers | dot fingerboard position markers |
General
| Finish colors | brown finish |
| Made in | USA |
| Number of strings | 6 strings |
Electronics
| Pickups configuration | horseshoe pickup |
Controls
| Volume controls | 1 volume control |
Prices (6)
| Date | Price | Condition | Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | $750.00 | good | ||
| 1995 | $2750000.00 | worn | Garry | This instrument is by far, the most historical significant instrument on the market. The #1 #2 are spoken for with Smithsonian Museum. This is the first instrument whose fretboard joined the body at 17th fret making it a full 25" scale (exactly what guitars remain, to the present day). This is truly, the worlds first full-scale electric ever produced. |
| 2010 | $997500.00 | wreck | Purchased in 2010 Very worn, took lot of work to get right. Plays nice. As other owner states, one hell of investment piece. the best. stole mine if you ask me, traded some land in florida + cash. best investment I've made. What other investment allows you to play & enjoy? only 6 in the world | |
| 1945 | $155.00 | good | Original owner, bought second hand in Washington state, after returning home from war in 1945. Original Case & Amp. | |
| 2013 | $5500000.00 | worn | This owner, purchased a *pair of the remaining models. One of the two, headed to Smithsonian (Washington, DC) for a 2018-2021 exhibit. | |
| 1961 | $50 | poor |
Reviews (1)
RICKENBACKER KEN ROBERTS ELECTRO-SPANISH reviewed by Anonymous
Anonymous
Cutting edge for it's time.. Decades before its time - "holy grail" as another owner said, is pretty spot on.
