Rickenbackers

Rickenbackers can refer to people bearing the surname Rickenbacker as well as to a prominent American guitar company. The best-known individual is Eddie Rickenbacker (1889–1974), an American World War I fighter ace who received the Medal of Honor and later became a pioneer in American commercial aviation as head of Eastern Air Lines. The surname itself derives from German roots; the spelling Rickenbacker is the common English form, derived from the original family name Rickenbacher.

The name is also associated with the Rickenbacker guitar company. In 1931 Adolph Rickenbacher and George Beauchamp formed the Electro String Instrument Corporation (often branded as Ro-Pat-In) to commercialize electric stringed instruments. They produced what is widely regarded as the first mass-produced electric guitar, nicknamed the Frying Pan, a lap steel model. The company later adopted the Rickenbacker name and became known for electric guitars and basses from the 1950s onward. Its instruments are noted for a bright, jangly tone and distinctive 12-string models. Notable artists include John Lennon, George Harrison, Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, and many others; the Beatles’ use of Rickenbacker guitars helped popularize the instrument in rock music. The company today operates as Rickenbacker International Corporation, based in California, continuing to manufacture electric guitars and basses.