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Beatles forums => The Beatles => Topic started by: Zosofancmr on September 11, 2012, 11:53:28 PM

Title: John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 The Instrument that Launched the British Invasion
Post by: Zosofancmr on September 11, 2012, 11:53:28 PM
Fantastic read on John's Rickenbacker 325 guitar:

http://iconicaxes.blogspot.com/2012/09/john-lennons-rickenbacker-325.html (http://iconicaxes.blogspot.com/2012/09/john-lennons-rickenbacker-325.html)
Title: Re: John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 The Instrument that Launched the British Invasion
Post by: Dcazz on September 15, 2012, 11:46:44 AM
That is an awsome guitar. The history of it is great as well.
When I was 8 years old in the wake of the Ed Sullivan Show, all the kids in the neighbor hood were making trashcan, coffee can drums and singing beatle songs so my dad got a piece of plywood and made me a fake 325 with a pine neck and twine strings held on with roofing nails. When I brought that out the kids went wild. Everyone had to take a turn pretending with it.
I had a good dad!
Thanks for bringing back that memory! :)
Title: Re: John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 The Instrument that Launched the British Invasion
Post by: Normandie on September 15, 2012, 03:48:01 PM
Fantastic read on John's Rickenbacker 325 guitar:

Interesting! Thanks so much for sharing the link.
Title: Re: John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 The Instrument that Launched the British Invasion
Post by: RICKENBACKER325 on September 15, 2012, 04:31:15 PM
I am not trying to contradict anything, but according to the book "Beatles gear", the 58 325 had a neck repair and was first painted black with a brush job by a carriage maker. I will go back and re-read the story and check my facts.
Title: Re: John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 The Instrument that Launched the British Invasion
Post by: Hello Goodbye on September 16, 2012, 01:31:44 AM
I am not trying to contradict anything, but according to the book "Beatles gear", the 58 325 had a neck repair and was first painted black with a brush job by a carriage maker.


Right, Larry.  That might have been the case.  It's mentioned here too:  http://www.thecanteen.com/lennon3.html (http://www.thecanteen.com/lennon3.html)
Title: Re: John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 The Instrument that Launched the British Invasion
Post by: RICKENBACKER325 on September 17, 2012, 07:00:07 PM
ep Bob thats what I was talking about. but that aticle did not mention the neck crack reaip. I wonder if I missed it up with later 325 having the neck reair. I'll have to re read that chapter again. but you found what I was talking about. As far a the body being maple or alder, Its up for discussion. both are silmiliar in color and density and the finish that Rickenbacker used was called "maple glow". It was intened to give a warm honey like look to the finish , much as a aged nitro cellulose finished piece of funiture would look. I do now some Rics were maple and some were alder. This was choice of painted Fenders starting in the early 60s due the scarcity of swap ash and the similiarity to to swap ash as well as maple. But without holding Johns guitar in hand its all subjective to opinion.
Title: Re: John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325 The Instrument that Launched the British Invasion
Post by: RICKENBACKER325 on September 22, 2012, 09:56:27 PM
Ok I went back and read Andy Babiuk's book. The 58 325 was painted black by a carriage maker with a brush......go figure. But the electronics got messed up and Jim Burns re-worked them. The '64' 325 was the one with the neck repair as John had dropped it from the stage during one of the Christmas shows. Also according to the book trhe repair was done poorly and left jagged edges . So it is a small wonder John could even play it after that.