Adolph Rickenbacher
Encyclopedia
Adolph Rickenbacker was a Swiss-American who founded the Rickenbacker
guitar
company.
Adolf Rickenbacker was born in Switzerland
.
He emigrated to the United States with older relatives after his parents died, settling in Wisconsin. He moved to southern California as a young man. He later Anglicized his name to Adolph Rickenbacker to capitalize on the popularity of his distant cousin, America's top Flying Ace
Eddie Rickenbacker
.
Starting in the late 1920s, his Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company made metal bodies for the National String Instrument Corporation
. Through this connection, he met George Beauchamp
and Paul Barth, and in 1931 they founded the Ro-Pat-In Company. In 1932 they produced the first cast aluminum versions of the lap steel guitar
. Two years later the company was renamed the Electro String Instrument Corporation. By the time production ceased in 1939, about 2,700 Frying Pan
guitars had been produced.
Rickenbacker, not convinced of the guitar business's potential, continued manufacturing until 1953, when he sold his company to Francis Cary Hall, a forerunner of the Southern California electric guitar boom.
Adolph Rickenbacker died from cancer in Orange County, California in 1976 at the age of 90.
Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker International Corporation, also known as Rickenbacker, is an electric and bass guitar manufacturer based in Santa Ana, California...
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
company.
Adolf Rickenbacker was born in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
He emigrated to the United States with older relatives after his parents died, settling in Wisconsin. He moved to southern California as a young man. He later Anglicized his name to Adolph Rickenbacker to capitalize on the popularity of his distant cousin, America's top Flying Ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
.
Starting in the late 1920s, his Rickenbacker Manufacturing Company made metal bodies for the National String Instrument Corporation
National String Instrument Corporation
The National String Instrument Corporation was a guitar company that formed to manufacture the first resonator guitars.-National resonator guitar designs:...
. Through this connection, he met George Beauchamp
George Beauchamp
George Delmetia Beauchamp was an inventor of musical instruments and a co-founder of National Stringed Instrument Corporation and Rickenbacker guitars....
and Paul Barth, and in 1931 they founded the Ro-Pat-In Company. In 1932 they produced the first cast aluminum versions of the lap steel guitar
Lap steel guitar
The lap steel guitar is a type of steel guitar, an instrument derived from and similar to the guitar. The player changes pitch by pressing a metal or glass bar against the strings instead of by pressing strings against the fingerboard....
. Two years later the company was renamed the Electro String Instrument Corporation. By the time production ceased in 1939, about 2,700 Frying Pan
Frying pan (guitar)
The "frying pan" was the first electric lap steel guitar ever produced. George Beauchamp created the instrument in 1931, and it was subsequently manufactured by Rickenbacker Electro...
guitars had been produced.
Rickenbacker, not convinced of the guitar business's potential, continued manufacturing until 1953, when he sold his company to Francis Cary Hall, a forerunner of the Southern California electric guitar boom.
Adolph Rickenbacker died from cancer in Orange County, California in 1976 at the age of 90.
External links
- Early history of Rickenbacher/Electro String, from the Rickenbacker website