Frying Pan (guitar)
Rickenbacker Electro A-22 "Frying Pan" | |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Ro-Pat-In Company (later renamed to Rickenbacker) |
Period | 1931/1932 – 1939 |
Construction | |
Body type | Cast aluminum |
Neck joint | Set |
Woods | |
Body | Cast aluminum |
Neck | Cast aluminum |
Fretboard | Aluminum |
Hardware | |
Bridge | Aluminum |
Pickup(s) | One Rickenbacker horse-shoe magnet pickup |
Colors available | |
Bare metal |
The Rickenbacker Electro A-22, nicknamed the "Frying Pan" is the first
It was designed to capitalize on the popularity of
Development
In the 1930s, Hawaiian music enjoyed widespread popularity in the United States. However, Hawaiian music featured the guitar as the main
Beauchamp had previously promoted the development of John Dopyera's resonator guitar, and co-founded the National String Instrument Corporation. With National's Paul Barth and Harry Watson, Beauchamp had a prototype electric guitar built. He was acquainted with Adolph Rickenbacker, who owned the machine company that manufactured the aluminum resonators and brass bodies for the National instruments. With Rickenbacker on board having the needed financing, they began production of a lap steel guitars with a solid aluminum body and neck. Rickenbacker produced the instruments from 1932 to 1939.
Gallery
-
1931 prototype
(one-piece maple,
25" scale, 25 fret) -
1932 Ro-Pat-In Elektro A25 (one-piece aluminum cast, same size as prototype)
-
1934 Rickenbacker Electro A22 (22.5" scale, 23 fret)
-
1934 U.S. patent 2,089,171 (filed 1934, issued 1937, 24 fret)
References
- ^ Ross, Michael (February 17, 2015). "Pedal to the Metal: A Short History of the Pedal Steel Guitar". premierguitar.com. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ Michael Wright (February 2000). "1000 Years of the Guitar, Part 2". Vintage Guitar.
- ^ "ELECTRICAL STRINGED MUSICAL G. D. BEAUCHAMP et al" Google Patents, accessed August 14, 2022.