Rickenbacker 325
| Rickenbacker 325 | |
|---|---|
|
Rickenbacker 325C64 (A reissue of the 1964 model 325 played by John Lennon)[1] | |
| Manufacturer | Rickenbacker |
| Period | 1958–present |
| Construction | |
| Body type | Semi-hollow |
| Neck joint | Set-in |
| Woods | |
| Body | Maple; alder on 50s instruments & reissues. |
| Neck | Maple; alder on 50s instruments & reissues. |
| Fretboard | Bubinga (1960s–2000s), Paduak (late 1950s), Chechen (current). |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | 6-way |
| Pickup(s) | Three single-coil pickups |
| Colors available | |
| Mapleglo (natural), Jetglo (black), Fireglo (red sunburst) | |
The Rickenbacker 325 is the first of the Capri series of hollow body guitars released in 1958 by Rickenbacker.
Overview
It was designed by Roger Rossmeisl, a guitar craftsman from a family of German instrument makers. Production models were 20-3/4" short scale, dot fretboard inlays, and a small (12-3/4" wide) body. The body is unbound, semi-hollow, with 2 o'clock angled sound hole (although re-issues lack a sound hole due to the Lennon connection), and boasts the "crescent moon"-style cutaways. This series is currently available only in "C" reissue form. These instruments gained prominence due to John Lennon's use of a 325 during the early years of The Beatles. John Lennon's 1958 model was among the very first batch made and has the pre-production feature of a solid top, i.e., no sound hole. All subsequent production short-scale 300-series Rickenbackers (310, 315, 320, 325) had sound holes until the late 1970s.
Notable players
- John Lennon played 325s and their assorted variants during the 1960s (Including a 12-string made to match his second 325).[2] A replica of Lennon's 325 is available as a guitar controller for The Beatles: Rock Band.
- Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles played the 325 and its full scale variant, the model 350 (Hoffs even received her own signature version of the 350).[3]
- Toots Thielemans used a Combo 400 guitar in the 1950s and may have inspired John Lennon, a fan of Toots, into buying a Rickenbacker himself.[4]
- John Fogerty played his Fireglo 325 on many Creedence Clearwater Revival songs. He can be seen playing it in footage from CCR's 1970 Royal Albert Hall performance.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rickenbacker. |
- ↑ http://www.productwiki.com/rickenbacker-325c58/
- ↑ John Lennon's musical instruments
- ↑ Sollenberger, Kraig. "Susanna Hoffs Yesterdays... And Today". Vintage Guitar Magazine. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
- ↑ R.R. Smith, The History of Rickenbacker Guitars, Anaheim, 1987, p. 75.
325C58 MG
A replica of the 1958 model played by John Lennon
325C58 MG(Pickup Zoom)
325C58 JG
A replica of another 1958 model played by John Lennon