My 325 with Lennon Mods

petevent · Post by **petevent** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 7:49 pm

Hi all.
I'm new to the forum, and the proud owner of a 325-58.

I recently modified it with a Bigsby B5, Bowtie Bridge and Burns Knobs.

I've attached 2 photos. The work was done by Mandolin Bros. in Staten Island, NY. It plays BETTER than it did when I bought it! And sounds Great!

petevent · Post by **petevent** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 7:59 pm

emswife · Post by **emswife** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 10:02 pm

Keepin' my mapleglo the way it is... just took the bar off and plays like a dream. Jammin' with my son tonight. see if I can't upload a pic or two...

mike_d · Post by **mike_d** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 4:26 am

Looks great, Pete. If you want to go a step further for the Lennon conversion, you can also remove the black paint around the word "Bigsby".

http://home.austin.rr.com/rickenbacker/bigsby2.jpg

beatlefan · Post by **beatlefan** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 4:50 am

...Nice!....

petevent · Post by **petevent** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:06 am

Thanks guys. Yeah Mike, I was thinking of doing that as well! LOL!

mike_d · Post by **mike_d** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 11:48 am

It's funny. Lennon's 325 went through so many mutations that there's several hardware and knob combinations to choose from. Also, if you're feeling really ambitious, you can put a Phillips head Bigsby screw in there.

jwh · Post by **jwh** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:37 am

Hello,
I am going to make the same "Sullivan" modifications to my 325C58jg and was just wondering if there are any issues fitting the guitar in the original case after replacing the Kauffman Vibrola with a Bigsby B5.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:51 am

Joe: I used to have a '64 325 with a Bigsby. As I recall, it fit fine in the old-style original case. If the Bigsby arm hits the lid just crank it all the way around in the clockwise direction to get it out of the way.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:57 am

Swing the Bigsby handle to about 7:00 position.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:21 pm

Paul: Yep, that's a better way to say it.

jwh · Post by **jwh** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:30 pm

Thanks for the advice Randy and Paul.
I thought I would have to remove some padding from the top of the case.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:59 pm

Joe: Nearly every guitar I've ever owned with a Bigsby (i.e. Rick, Epiphone, Gretsch, etc)requires the 7:00 treatment to fit properly in the case.

kog · Post by **kog** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:21 pm

Me too, me too. The evolution of mine. First, guitar as bought (altho I did remove the Kaufmann vibrola arm immediately). Second is after I added the Bigsby (yes, I know, it's crooked). Third is after the bowtie and Burns knobs are added.