Questions about Lennon's 325?

Tuck_Hersey · Post by **Tuck_Hersey** » Fri Mar 02, 2001 5:49 am

A friend of mine, who's very close to the vice director for the John Lennon Museum, has finally talked him into offering us as much information as we want on Lennon's '58 325 that is currently in the exhibit there. Anything you want to know about the guitar? Measurements? Photos? I'll make a list of questions posted here within a week and forward it to the vice director.

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Mar 02, 2001 6:48 am

We just have to have a closeup of the jackplate Tuck.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Mar 03, 2001 9:47 am

While I am sure that this is well beyond what the curator had in mind, I would like to know if all three pickups are functional.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Mar 06, 2001 5:10 pm

Tuck: A closeup photo of the grain on the top edge of the body would also be nice.

larrywassgren · Post by **larrywassgren** » Sun Mar 11, 2001 6:58 pm

Could you have him wipe the dust off between the bridge and bridge pick-up Tuck? Right Glen?

Matt_Bassett · Post by **Matt_Bassett** » Mon Mar 12, 2001 4:06 am

I'm in this camp. Wipe the dust. It'll put the controversy to rest while making a sparkling instrument (as much as it can sparkle).

glen_l · Post by **glen_l** » Mon Mar 12, 2001 3:57 pm

yes please, lets get that dust off

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Mar 12, 2001 4:44 pm

I would be interested in knowing whether there are still traces of the black paint visible on the 325. I have alway wondered just how much sanding was done in the stripping process.

larrywassgren · Post by **larrywassgren** » Mon Mar 12, 2001 7:09 pm

I have a very clear, enlarged photo of John's '58
325 after it was refinished back to blonde. This
photo came out of a British guitar magazine called
Total Guitar, from about 5 years ago. You can clearly see some traces of black on the body, especially in the scooped out area for the tailpiece. This photo also shows that the gray
area is dust. The same gray is also on the pick-ups and in between the pick-ups, although not as
much but it is still there. A poor job of cleaning the guitar for the photo. I know Ron DeMarino and despite what some people may think,
he does excellent work on guitars. He would not have left primer on the guitar. What would be the point? He is smart enough to know if the
primer is there, you can sand it off and not have to worry about going through the wood as the primer would be applied to the surface before spraying it black, if it was even primered. You have to remember this was 1975, and I don't think he and
John communicated very well as Ron thought John
only had one 325. He remembered the black and white one(the '64), that's why he tried to convince John to stick with black to be historically correct. And it's probably the reason he put a white pickgaurd on the '58. He wasn't as into it as we are today. There are still a lot of people that don't know the first
Sullivan 325 was originally blonde! Of course this has become embarassing for Ron today, and he
won't admit to putting the white gaurd on the '58
anymore.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Mar 13, 2001 6:32 am

Thanks Larry: I want to know if the black paint came off easy or hard. If you know Ron would you please get the answer to this question. If you can get an email or snail mail address I would be interested in asking him a couple of questions.

Nick_Thiel · Post by **Nick_Thiel** » Tue Mar 13, 2001 3:33 pm

The Lennon estate is pretty serious about leaving the guitars the way John left them dust, grime, fingerprints, rusty strings, etc... This was a serious point that they made to the Rock Hall when they were putting the Lennon exhibit together last fall, I was invited there before the exhibit open to the public and got a good close-up look at many of the items. All artifacts were handled with latex gloves when placed in their positions in the exhibit, the same is true for the Museum in Japan. This is why these guitars have and will not be cleaned/restored unless Yoko changes her point of view on the situation. So, if the guys in Japan decide to give the 58 a good cleaning, there will be no doubt be "hell to pay" as far as the Lennon estate is concerned.

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Mar 13, 2001 4:43 pm

Let's hope the Lennon estate is not offended Nick. Yoko may not go for the dusting off, but I wish she would go for replacing the gold pickguard. After all, if they went to all the trouble to strip it and she is interested in the original condition, why not get the old guard back?

larrywassgren · Post by **larrywassgren** » Tue Mar 13, 2001 5:07 pm

I agree Peter, the best thing Ron DeMarino could do would be to give the old, gold pickgaurd back.
He also has the original tuners which should go
back on the guitar. He replaced the original Sta-tites with a NOS set, as he said they were worn. I don't think that was necessary either, as I've had new, old stock sets and they have play in the
gears from the start. He also put round bushings in at that time, and changed the nut to white. Plus all new Phillips head screws on the pick-ups.
Like I said though, this was 25 years ago and no one made a big deal of the small details back then. It would be great to see it returned to correct specs in every way, but as Nick says, Yoko would have to change her mind about how the guitars are treated. I wonder if the '64 325 got
damaged in shipping to Japan? It was on display
in Cleveland a few years ago and I don't recall anyone mentioning a huge crack in the headstock.
I think it was a minor fretboard separation back then. I would think they should have been handled very carefully, but who knows?

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Mar 14, 2001 4:00 am

Well I guess that we are right down to the nuts and bolts of it aren't we Larry. This instrument seems to deteriorate while at the same time it likely increases in value. Who would have thought? I agree though, restoring it to its original state when it was played seems an important thing to do. Who cares whether the guard is cracked and whether the tuners slip now? This instrument will be behind glass for a long time, I would guess.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed Mar 14, 2001 6:21 am

I have a question for you guys----do you think there is a possibility that these guitars will ever be used again in a live or studio situation?? Would Yoko allow it??? Maybe the surviving Beatles??? I just find this interesting..do you think it would be 'taboo' or has any thought been given to it I wonder...???