How Rare are the 50's frying pans

[Bill Creller]

That's a beautiful guitar !!! Impressive part to me, is the hollow neck !

[Ron Whitfield]

Coole also made 8 string version before and as you'll see he's making these with a hollow core (solid versions as well).

Stunning work, and he's willing to try making 10 stringers as well. The hollow necks are of course more labor intensive and more $$, but overall these may be the best high end deal out there.

[Stan Frantz]

I have a book called the History of Rickenbacker Guitars by Richard R Smith. It mentions That Frying Pans ceased production entirely from 1950 to 1954. The company reintroduced them from 1954 to 1957. Unfortunately the book does not list them in the 1954 to 1968 production totals.
You can see differences here. Pickups, Badge and decal as well as the bakelite back on the later version.

I realize this post was long ago, but on the chance you're still active here...

I recently purchased one almost identical to the one on the left. Seller thought it was late 40s. But 1954 sounds about right too.
Just to clarify, Is the one on the right an example of late 40s pre 1950 cessation, or even earlier i.e. pre-war?
and the one with bakelite is from the 1954-68 period?

Do you know when the bakelite back was added? Was it only in that late production era?

Thanks so much.

p.s. I just joined, having found this post after days of googling trying to find out more about this instrument.