Rickenbacker 518 tuning pan covers

[mick hearn]

Does anyone know the thickness of material used on Rickenbacker tuning pan covers?

[Ken Byng]

Mick
You are more likely to get a half decent response on the US steel forum in the 'Steel Without Pedals' section. The covers you are looking for were stamped from aluminium, so I would imagine that the aluminium sheet would not have been too much thicker than 1/16". Hope you are getting on well with the guitar.

Ken

[mick hearn]

Hi Ken
Yes I was thinking the same thing actually. Have initially cleaned it up to see how it would come up. Laquer is crazed but not on the surface which is able to take a good shine. The choice now is do I strip and respray or leave as is. I have spent too much time playing but I really must take the strings off and check those electrics. I took the end panels off which are aluminium and found that the body looks to be made of genuine north american plywood. All the aluminium polishes up nicely.

Also playing that centre 10 string neck is a bit of a bugger. Keep dropping the bar when I go to lift. Totally different beast to the National.

[Mcneilwaeasteel]

Hi Mick
Thanks for stopping me from creating marital chaos when you got the Rickenbacker instead of me
It looks like a very interesting " project", but I acquired an early 50's DW16 twin console Rickenbacker back in January and my jacket's still on a shakey nail until I part company with some guitars

The tuning covers will probably be the same as mine made from 0.048" or 18 SWG Aluminium mine are 130 mm long with 8mm sides and are held in place with a knurled nut on the end of the guitar.
Should be easy to form as all the surfaces are straight wth 8mm long angled bends on each side, I will try to add pictures if I can, otherwise PM me your email address and I'll send them to you.

Hi Ken
Pleased to be able to oblige and as Mr Mc Miser will tell you, we know it all up here, except how to stick photies on this post :guitar

Robert

[Ken Byng]

Well that's handy info Robert. A decent panel beater would be able to create the tuner covers that Mick needs. A few pics will be invaluable to him. I can't put any more large photos on here as I have been given a bollocking by Photobucket for using my pics on a third party site.

I'm afraid that McMiser is too busy counting his money at the moment.

[Mcneilwaeasteel]

Ken
I've been using Photo#ucket and it's been the wrong app, so I went online and downloaded a new one called "image compression" it's for iPad so here goes, success but it's like my playing, right notes but in the wrong place
P.S. The app was free so Mc Miser can relax
Robert

[mick hearn]

Thanks folks. Very helpful. I have been trawling the net and have come up with a few pics and these should not be too difficult to do at home.

Ken. I made mention of the guitar being made out of plywood and taking the bottom off confirms this. There are no serial numbers however there is the word "Sample" written in pencil in large letters under one of the necks. I don't know if this would be a one-off in preparation for one to be made from solid tone woods or if they are all done like this.

Can anyone tell me what their's is made from.

The wiring looks a strange circuit so will have to draw it out to fathom out what is going on.

[Mcneilwaeasteel]

Mick
Regards tuning pan covers, they will be the same as the ones in this photo, using the size's I gave you in an earlier post should enable you to make covers to fit.
I think my Rickenbacker is made from ash going by the wood grain and it was made in the early 1950's
Regarding the different sound levels from each pick up, you should check the height of the poles on each neck, raising them using the screws on each side of the horseshoe magnet effects the sound level and you do not know who has tampered with them in the past.
I had this problem with my twin Rick when I got it at first as the magnet pole heights on each neck were different and all over the place on one neck, hope this helps.
Regards
Robert

[mick hearn]

Thanks for that - very helpful. Despite the plywood construction I very much like the sound of the ten string neck. Have taken measurements and the back pickup is in fact down on the ohm department measuring 3.16. The ten string is 5.12 and front is 8.45. Will be seeking a pickup guru for rewind and magnet regus.

[Ken Byng]

Don't be too down on plywood Mick. Early MSA's were constructed from ply, and some sounded OK.