A fascinating discovery has sparked intrigue within the vintage guitar community. A musician recently acquired a 1936/37 Rickenbacher B7 lap steel guitar, an instrument that has ignited speculation due to its potential connection to the legendary Jerry Byrd. Accompanying the guitar were vintage snapshots of Byrd, found by the seller within the instrument’s case or a scrapbook. While the seller refrained from definitively linking the guitar to Byrd based solely on these photos, the similarities are compelling.
The newly acquired B7 closely resembles the instrument Byrd is known to have played in numerous photos. Notably, it features the distinctive two-knob configuration and 7-string setup clearly visible in images of Byrd with his lap steel. Aside from some tuner replacements, the guitar appears to be in original condition and comes with a contoured case, rather than a rectangular one. Adding to the mystery, the guitar was located in Nashville, Tennessee, a city deeply intertwined with Byrd’s musical career.
This discovery raises several intriguing questions. Did Jerry Byrd own multiple Rickenbacher B7 Guitars throughout his illustrious career, or was there a single, iconic instrument? The current owner, a musician with a passion for vintage instruments and their stories rather than a collector, is keen to uncover the history behind this B7 guitar. The guitar community now buzzes with speculation, hoping to piece together the puzzle and determine if this Rickenbacher B7 indeed has a tangible link to the “Master of the Steel Guitar,” Jerry Byrd. Any insights or knowledge regarding the whereabouts of Jerry Byrd’s Rickenbacher B7 guitars would be invaluable in tracing the history of this potentially significant instrument.
