r

manufactured

info    updated 10/10/2008...please email with corrections/info

Julian Rabaza

Julian Mario Rabaza, Argentina

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon International:

Alain Raifort

France

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon International:

1968 to present

Raimundo Guitars was founded in 1968 by my father, Manuel Raimundo, how is still running the company. The guitars has the manufacturing year on the inside label.  Our website is www.guitarrasraimundo.com. You could find more information in our site." [Source: Victor M. Raimundo, Raimundo Guitars, Paterna (Valencia) Spain

 email 6/4/2008]

Rain Song

http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/rainsong.html

http://www.guitargal.com/rainsong.html

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Rainsong

Raleigh

A Brand name of Aloha Publishing Company [Source: Mugwumps ]. According to Blue Book - instruments currently built in Chicago.

"I am based in Upper Hutt, New Zealand and have been building guitars for about 4 years now. I started in 2003. I have been playing for over 30 years and teaching for the last 20 years. My passion is the Archtop Acoustic guitar, and at this stage I am only building archtop instruments.
The guitars label can be seen through the f-hole on the bass side of the instrument. The dating system (serial number) I use is very simple. It is a seven digit number. The first 4 digits is the year of manufacture the last three digits is the number of the guitar. Eg guitar S/N 2008003 would be the third instrument I have built. And it would have been completed during 2008.

The specs for my current guitars are as follows:

Top: Handcarved, tap toned European Spruce
Back: Handcarved, tap toned European Maple
Sides: Highly figured Maple
Body: 17" lower bout, 3" body depth Venetian cutaway
Fret Board: Ebony, 12" radius
Scale Length: 25"
Tuners: Black Schaller M-6 12:1 ratio
Pickup: Kent Armstrong Side-mounted Jazz pickup - volume control mounted under pick guard

[Source: Rich Ralston, email 24/3/2008]

http://www.gruhn.com/articles/ramirez.html

Image: Guitar Salon

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Jose+Ramirez

Manuel Ramirez

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon International

RamTrak

Late 1990s to present?

Jim Randolph. This innovative instrument allows the player to switch pickup(s) and configurations in seconds (without tools) while still using the same guitar.

Current representative: http://www.vintageguitarman.com/AboutUs.php

RamTrak Catalog

1998 http://www.vintaxe.com/catalogs_american_ramtrak.htm

Ransom

Dan Ransom Custom Guitars, San Francisco, California

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Ransom+Guitars

Rat Fink Guitars

2002 to present

Distributed by Lace

Rarebird

1976 - ?

http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/rarebird.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Rarebird

Raver

According to Guru's Guitar Guide, Japanese Instruments from the mid 1970s.   Discussion at Vintaxe suspects that they are Kawaii origin and based on eBay sightings in the UK - possibly a UK importer brand.

1999 to present

"Year of construction on the label." [Source: John Ray, email 9/4/2008] Made in Granada.

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon International

Rayco Resophonic

Hand made in British Columbia, Canada.
 

Recording King

1929-1943

House brand of Montomery Ward.  Made by Gretsh, Kay, Regal and Gibson. [Source: Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars, 2nd Ed]

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Acoustic+Guitar/brand/Recording+King

Redgate

1984 to present

Jim Redgate, Adelaide, South Australia.

Image courtesy: Classic Guitar

2004 to present

"I began building guitars in 2004.

I am based in Minneapolis Minnesota.

The date of manufacture on all acoustic guitars, including archtop  guitars is marked on the label inside the guitar. If the label is missing, the date will also be written on the inside of the soundboard next to the signature.

For solid body electric guitars the manufacture date is marked on the  
end of the neck and under the pickup on the body" [Source: Tim Reede Custom Guitars, email 23/7/2008]

Image courtesy of Tim Reede:

Regal

The Regal Musical Instrument Company, established 1908 in Chicago, produced thousands of student-grade and high-quality custom instruments. Musicians who wanted something really stylish had instruments built by the Regal custom shop. Regal was one of the world's largest instrument manufacturers during the 1930s through the 1950s. [Source: MOMI]

A Harmony Brand

http://harmony.demont.net/brands.php

 Built in Chicago used Dobro resonators. Regal is thought to have built Alhambra, Bruno, More, Harmony, Orpheum

 [Source:  The Hawaiian Steel Guitar and Its Great Hawaiian Musicians By Lorene Ruymar ]

Renaissance

1977-1980

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Renaissance

Pablo Requena

Lewes, UK

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon International:

Resonet

1954-1964

In 1954,  the Drevokov Cooperative in Blatna, Czechoslovakia produced its first electric guitar.   The brand used was Resonet and models included Akord, Grazioso, Arioso, Arco…In 1957 Selmer imported the Resonet Grazioso to UK branded as Futurama until 1964.    [Source: Junk Guitars ] 

 Examples

http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/hofnerfs/futurama/futgall.html

http://meatexz.com/cheesyguitars/resonet_gracioso.html

http://meatexz.com/cheesyguitars/resonet_gracioso.html

http://meatexz.com/cheesyguitars/guitars_jolana.html

http://www.thecanteen.com/harrison2.html

Jimmy Page 1957 http://www.led-zeppelin.org/reference/gear/index.php?m=jimmy-early-days

see Futurama

Reuter Guitars

John Reuter, Phoenix, Arizona

Reverend

1997 - present

Joe Naylor graduated from Roberto-Venn in 1987. He opened a vintage/used guitar store which evolved into J. F. Naylor Engineering, one of the forerunners in boutique amps and vintage style speakers. Joe sold Naylor in '96 and launched Reverend Musical Instruments, manufacturer of patented guitars and basses, tube amplifiers, effects and speakers. [Source: Roberto-Venn ]

Bass discontinued 2004

Guitar and bass serial numbers http://www.reverendguitars.com/reverend/archive/guitar_bass_sn.html

Search at http://www.vintageguitar.com

Reverend Gallery http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=95307&highlight=serial

Reviews http://www.reverendguitars.com/reverend/archive/media/reviews/guitar_reviews.html

Reverend forum http://www.reverendguitars.com/forum/

A Harmony Brand

http://harmony.demont.net/brands.php

Manuel Reyes

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon:

Manuel Reyes Jr

Image courtesy of Guitar Salon:

http://www.zavaletas-guitarras.com/files/reyes.htm

"My guitar labels all carry a number indicating model and a date of construction. I have been building since 1996." [Source: Randy Reynolds, email 3/4/2008]

Rhodes Guitars

Barry Rhodes, Melbourne, Australia. Maker of custom electrics.  Distributed by Guitar Tuning Services, Mark Roper, South Croydon. [Source: Aussie Guitar Gear Heads ]

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Rhodes+Guitars

Ribbecke

 1975 - present

Tom Ribbecke began building and repairing guitars in 1975 in San Francisco. After 10 years he closed the storefront to concentrate on custom building.
Dating Ribbecke guitars  http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/ribbecke.html

http://www.ribbeckehalfling.com/

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Ribbecke+Guitar+Corporation

BC Rich

1968 to present

Bernardo Chavez Rico established BC Rich in 1968. BR Rich branded guitars were made in USA. B C Rico brand was used to distinguish Japanese made guitars early on. [Source: wikipedia ]
Dating your BC Rich could be a problem according to http://www.bc-rich.com/ but this link is now dead.

http://bcrich.net/

This Blue Book link appears very helpful https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/EGuitar/ElectricSerialization.pdf

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/news/news-story/news_id/530

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Guitar-General-649/BC-Rich.htm

http://www.guitarsite.com/database/Guitars/rec/1084/wwwboard/messages/1150.shtml

Search at http://www.vintageguitar.com

http://www.baronaudio.com/bich/

http://vintageguitarpro.com/bcrich.shtml

http://www.sol.co.uk/r/ronz/index.htm

BC Rich catalogs/ ads

http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/Index.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/BC+Rich

BC Rich Forum http://www.bcrichplayers.com/forum/

A & P Richardson

1980s

Paul Richardson, Sunderland England

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/A%26P+Richardson

Richter

Fairfax, California, USA

Rickenbacker

Pre WWII to present

The Rickenbacker International Corporation (RIC) grew out of the first company founded for the sole purpose of creating and manufacturing fully electric musical instruments and amplifiers-the Los Angeles-based Electro String Instrument Corporation. Founded in 1931 by Adolph Rickenbacker and George D. Beauchamp, this pioneering firm produced "Rickenbacker Electro Instruments", the first modern electric guitars. [Source: Ric Website]

Dating Rickenbacker Guitars

Serial number decoder (won’t work for some 1955 models) http://www.rickenbacker.com/service_serials.asp

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/rick.html

https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/EGuitar/ElectricSerialization.pdf

http://www.rickresource.com/

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/guitars/rickenbacker/

http://vintageguitarpro.com/rickenbacker.shtml

Search at http://www.vintageguitar.com

http://www.rickbeat.com/

325 http://www.geocities.com/vintage325/

Google books - partial 2007 Rickenbacker Price Guide

Rickenbacker catalogs

The Rickenbacker website has a very significant collection of catalogs dating back to the 1930s

1968 and 1975 http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/catalogues.php

1981 http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/rickenbacker/1981/index.html

http://vintage.catalogs.free.fr/Index.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Rickenbacker

Rickenbacker forums http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum_index.asp

http://www.rickbid.com/smf/

http://www.rickresource.com/

Rider

Acoustic guitars by Headway Guitars of Japan.

see Headway

Pete Langdel lutherie

http://www.mandozine.com/resources/MBSS/builders.php

Riggs Custom Guitars

Hand crafted bodies, necks and guitars

Michael Ritchie

Fintry, Scotland

River Head

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/brand/Riverhead

see Headway

Rivera

1976 to present

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Guitar-General-649/Rivera-les-paul-copy.htm

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Rivera

Abe Rivera

http://www.aberivera.com/

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Abe+Rivera

Rizsanyi

Made in New Germany, Nova Scotia, Canada

http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/rizsanyi.html

Rizzolo Guitars

Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia

Arthur Robb

1974 to present

Wiltshire, UK

Patrick Robert

France

Robin

1972 to present

From these 2 sites I gather that :

1972 to 1986 made by Tokai/ESP.

"There is no way to exactly date a MIJ Robin. The serial numbers are arbitrary" http://robinlovers.com/discus/messages/6/2260.html?1136604922

USA from 1988? Dating your Robin, by the way, should be a piece of cake. As a former vintage guy, Wintz knew to start his serial numbers with the date of manufacture. The first serial number began with 88. http://robinguitars.com/history.html

http://robinlovers.com/

http://www.myspace.com/robinguitars

Search at http://www.vintageguitar.com

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Robin+Guitars

Robin guitars catalogs http://www.robinguitars.com/vintage.html

Robinsong Guitars

1975 to present

Made since "1975 in home workshop.

SERIAL NUMBER = YEAR +  NUMBER

[Source: Jim Robinson, email 23/7/2008]

California, USA

http://www.musikkeller.com/d/rockinger.html

Reviews http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/brand/Rockinger

Rockwood