I recently bought a cheap vintage guitar from a used guitar shop.  The
brand on the neck is faded but I'm 99% sure it says Riviera.  I was
told it was from the 50s.  I was told it was made by some company for
another company but the names escape me.  It is a single coil with a
very old pickup.  The patent number on the pickup is 2,683,388.  It is
a very short guitar.  I am beginning to suspect someone put an
acoustic neck on an electric body.  The metal bridge holding the
strings extend to the end of the body and wraps around to the strap
lock on the butt of the guitar.  It has 2 knobs and 1 switch, but im
not sure what they do since the guitar only has 1 pickup.  The neck is
more rounded then most new guitars and the head is rounded rectangular
and symmetrical.

I would appreciate help finding out who made the guitar, a model
number, a schematic (if possible), and a reference for its value.

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Clarification of Question by sorbix-ga on 05 Jan 2006 03:20 PST

I just removed the pickup and found T10946 on a small metal plate underneath it.

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Request for Question Clarification by palitoy-ga on 05 Jan 2006 03:30 PST

Hello sorbix-ga,

Thank-you for your question.

I have managed to track down the patent for the guitar that you have
indicated.  It suggests that the patent number you have indicated is
registered to "Ralph Keller" of the Valco Manufacturing Company.  The
patent is for a "Pick-up device for a stringed instrument".

The patent gives some additional information on the pick-up, including
diagrams, but not a reference for its value or any additional
information on the guitar.

Is this information sufficient for an answer?  If so, please let me
know by responding to this clarification and I can point you to where
you can obtain the further details.

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Clarification of Question by sorbix-ga on 05 Jan 2006 03:33 PST

I am looking for information specific to the guitar as a whole, not
just the pickup.  That patent was actually the only information i was
able to find.