JL's 1st Ric 325 - Modifications

aladams · Post by **aladams** » Thu Sep 26, 2002 2:17 pm

I'm rather familiar with the FAMOUS 1st Ric 325 that John owned...many pictures everywhere!!!! However, I'm confused about the picture of him sitting on the front-end of a bus in Hamburg with the 325 on his lap...and the same guitar that was refinished jetglo(black) in later pictures. The point I'm trying to make is that why does the "nut" look different? In pictures after the guitar was refinished black, the nut is black too...did they paint it? The picture of his guitar as it is today shows clearly that the guitar had a white nut. Any comments? Thanks, and God bless! AL A.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Fri Sep 27, 2002 2:56 am

Al, Glen Lambert is one who can probably answer this best, but go here:

http://www.geocities.com/vintage325/

Go to the 1958 325 section, and you will see Lennon's '58 as it looks today. The 325 to the far right(blond, 2-knob) in the same group of four 325's is Lennon's when it was pristine, before any mods were done to it, even by Rickenbacker. The white nut was probably installed by Ron DiMarino when he refurbished the guitar for Lennon....

Some may disagree with me that the one on the far right is Lennon's, but I believe it to be so from the woodgrain on the body and the headstock....As usual, any comments or debate is very welcome!!!

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Sep 27, 2002 3:22 am

Al and John: I am rewriting portions of the Baby's In Black article on the No Reply site. Leslie Andrews' modifications to this instrument were made in 1964. There is so much more to learn about the history of this instrument and I am in contact with several people trying to obtain more details.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Fri Sep 27, 2002 4:45 am

Peter: Very interesting..I would imagine the pictures of Lennon with the '58 325 taken during The 'Beatles For Sale' sessions in late'64 may show if it had a white nut at that time or not....

larrywassgren · Post by **larrywassgren** » Thu Nov 14, 2002 5:15 pm

John Simmons, that guitar to the far right in Glen's 325 Connection site is most definitely Lennon's. The guitar to the left is Lennon's also, just a different shot. These have to be the first shots taken of V81 and it is one of the first two produced(the other having exact features except finished in brown sunburst). Can you imagine, the only 2 325's on the planet at that time and V81 would go on to be the most important guitar in the world! Then Harrison gets the second Rickenbacker 12-string produced. Pretty amazing. Peter, don't you think the refret more than likely took place in 1963?

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Fri Nov 15, 2002 3:34 am

Hey Larry!! Good to hear from you..On your own '58 325, is it your opinion that the back is made of birch?? I know yours was one of the last of the 28 made in '58, and I'm curious as to the wood compostion of the body....

glen_l · Post by **glen_l** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 1:15 am

It's nice to have my name mentioned in connection with John's '58 325, and I'm pleased that my website is being of use. I may have been one of the first to write an online article dealing specifically with Lennon's 325 and it's modifications thru the years(in the Registration page), but when it comes to the finer details of precisely when modifications were done and by whom, I tend to follow some of the other fine research that others have been doing for some years now. Peter has done some exhaustive research on the refinishing of the 325 to black. Larry Wassgren has been investigating, and owned vintage 325's for more years than he'd probably like to admit. Along with Joe Hardman, the two of them have probably handled more of them then anyone else ever will.

joe_hardman · Post by **joe_hardman** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 8:06 am

The bodies of both '58 325 models that I have owned, as well as every other 325 that I have examined from that year, have alder tops & sides and very thin beachwood backs.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 10:11 am

Joe: And the backs were a ply rather than a solid, right??

Has any one measured the thickness of the tops at the f-hole?? If so, has there been a large variance?

joe_hardman · Post by **joe_hardman** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 11:07 am

Yes, ply. The thickness of '58 325 bodies, as well as other Capri models from that year, vary and measure anywhere from 1 7/8" to 2".