How do I figure out when something was made?

[Sgt_Shligger]

I've stumbled upon an old Electro lap steel guitar but can't figure out when it was made. I'm banking it's from the seventies because the metal is worn quite a bit and the single coil pick up buzzes with the dirtiest of single coils. The bridge cracked at some point and it's case has surely seen better years. It has a serial number on it but that's my only real lead. What would I do with this serial number to figure out the age of this guitar?
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http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/sgtshligger/101_0049.jpg[/spoiler-box]

[beatrixkiddo]

Get it carbon dated

[Sgt_Shligger]

Get it carbon dated

I'm being serious boy. Don't comment if you don't have anything helpful to say.

[beatrixkiddo]

Oh this is Off-topic not FKL :wacko:

Put the serial number into Google, duh.

[Sgt_Shligger]

Oh this is Off-topic not FKL :wacko:

Put the serial number into Google, duh.

I want a real solution. Do you think I came here to ask if google could work for this?

[beatrixkiddo]

I don't assume other people have common sense on the internet :disapprove:

[BlaizeYES]

Get it carbon dated

lol beatrix, i saw the topic and i was about to say the exact same thing. burn it to the ground

[Shadowpawn]

If you know the company that it was made by why don't you google the companies name and see if you can get a contact number and give them the serial.

[beatrixkiddo]

If you know the company that it was made by why don't you google the companies name and see if you can get a contact number and give them the serial.

Don't be silly, if it was that simple he would have done it himself, boy!

[Sgt_Shligger]

Don't be silly, if it was that simple he would have done it himself, boy!

Be quiet.

And, Shadowpawn, I tried it. Electro doesn't exist as a company anymore and Wikipedia has never heard of them. There's a company called Danelectro but Wiki didn't say anything about them making lap steel guitars. Plus, the only thing on the instrument that resembles a serial number might just be something else. The guitar is from Iowa and the first part of the serial is "IA" which is no good. Second, the number looks like it was etched in with a knife (though fairly neat may I add).

[Shadowpawn]

You should try an professional antique appraiser. The only way that thing is going to be identified is through an expert.

OR

You can follow up on the Danelectro lead and see if they know anything by chance. The thing you have to waste is time.

[Sgt_Shligger]

You should try an professional antique appraiser. The only way that thing is going to be identified is through an expert.

OR

You can follow up on the Danelectro lead and see if they know anything by chance. The thing you have to waste is time.

Option one sounds expensive. I like option two.

[Nai_Calus]

I know fuck-all about guitars, but yours looks a lot like these:

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDetails.aspx?Item=1727981
http://www.guitar-museum.com/guitar-6431-Vintage-Rickenbacker-Electro-Lap-Steel-Electric-W-Case

Everything I've found on those seems to put them around 60s-early 70s.

[Sgt_Shligger]

cut it in half and look at the rings

Good call, I'll be able to figure out how old the tree was.

*EDIT* Nai, you are a man. You've found the exact guitar! I had a hunch this thing was from the sixties but I'd have never guessed it was a Rickenbacker.

[Aisha_Clan-Clan]

Actualy, the production data is sometimes stamped on the inside. But it's not an option to see since they are glued together mostly.

[Split]

that is a sick guitar, do you tap and slap harmonic and do stuff like that?

[Sgt_Shligger]

that is a sick guitar, do you tap and slap harmonic and do stuff like that?

Quit trolling hot damn! You can not play slap with a slide string, harmonics are possible but difficult (the biggest wall is the way you hold it, not the single coil) and tapping could be done but you'd need multiple slides and it would sound like shit anyways.

[BlackRose]

Quit trolling hot damn! You can not play slap with a slide string, harmonics are possible but difficult (the biggest wall is the way you hold it, not the single coil) and tapping could be done but you'd need multiple slides and it would sound like shit anyways.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbndgwfG22k

Erik Mongrain does lap-style harmonics and tapping. Granted, you couldn't do all of his moves on a proper lap steel, but some things would work fine. All you need to play harmonics is a light touch and the pick in the right spot. I used to know a guy who played lap with a big, stubby glass slide around his picking thumb. He wouldn't use it very often, but could get some cool sounds with it.

[Sgt_Shligger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbndgwfG22k

Erik Mongrain does lap-style harmonics and tapping. Granted, you couldn't do all of his moves on a proper lap steel, but some things would work fine. All you need to play harmonics is a light touch and the pick in the right spot. I used to know a guy who played lap with a big, stubby glass slide around his picking thumb. He wouldn't use it very often, but could get some cool sounds with it.

I'm talking pinch harmoics, normal harmonics are more than doable. I play normal six string guitar so pinch harmonics are the thing there. Tapping doesn't work on a lap steel all too well because you need to hit a specific fret to get your note and lap steels have no frets. You'd need multiple slides <_>

Also, fun news, I brought this guitar into a music store and they found the real serial number. The number was near the output jack and was just five digits- two letters above, three numbers below. Thought it referred to electronic equipment inside but it was, in fact, a simple five digit serial. Turns out the guitar was officially built by Rickenbacker February 23rd, 1973. Thanks again Ian.

[BlackRose]

Gotcha. Pretty sweet guitar you have there at any rate =)