I love my 325c58!

[brianeharmonjr]

I recently acquired a used 325c58 MG after jonesin' for one for quite a while. When I first received it and played it I thought it might be a bit much to get used to. I had never owned a short-scale guitar or a Ric with a third pickup. But after a few weeks of sitting around the apartment, and playing it almost exclusively, I've grown to love it. My picking hand has trained itself to avoid hitting the pick on the middle pickup, and my fretting hand has gotten very used to the scale. Also, it came with a set of D'addario 11's and the stock Kauffman vibrato unit installed.I installed a set of Ric compressed roundwound 12's and a trapeze tailpiece, and now it's perfect. I couldn't possibly be more satisfied. It stays in tune perfectly and it feels just right. I must say, I had my doubts in the beginning, but now I am more than satisfied. Now my other guitars barely get any play at all, but that's alright. I think the 325c58 might just be THE guitar for me. Kudos to Rickenbacker for making such an incredible guitar.

[tennis_nick]

Man I hope I win that 25 million dollars....


great looking guitar! I hope one day to own at least one!

[JakeK]

Good to know you've gotten used to the scale. I couldn't!

What is the most fun song to play on it? Can you play lead guitar on there fairly well?

[wj350]

Brian, congrats! The guitar is gorgeous, and the trapeze looks right at home. Hard not to fall in love with these beauties--light as a feather!

[2ricks]

is that neck through body construction?

[brianeharmonjr]

I believe all of these are set necks. My favorite songs to play on it are songs with plenty of seventh chords, like "I Saw Her Standing There".

[jingle_jangle]

I have a number of the short-scale variations. These are terrific rhythm machines and still possess a lot of the sound and vibe from the early years.

They are not ideal for lead playing; sustain suffers a bit....they don't "ring out" like their larger, longer-scale brothers.
Interestingly, though, my "student" model ES-16 (a "cresting-wave" short scale solid body with a set neck) is the best of the shorties on lead, and my '83 320 (which is about 1/2" thinner front to back and has less air inside) runs second, so I expect that the very light weight and very hollowed-out body of the earlier "C" series soaks up a good deal of string energy, which isn't high to begin with due to the short scale.

[BobKat]

I loved mine but could not keep it in tune.

[brianeharmonjr]

I loved mine but could not keep it in tune.

I felt the same way at first, but with the Ric 12's and the trapeze, it stays in tune incredibly well. Definitely a rhythm instrument, though.

[deaconblues]

+1 on what Paul said...he has my former c58!

I never had any trouble keeping it in tune, and the Kauffman was still on the guitar and functional when I owned it.

[jingle_jangle]

+1 on what Paul said...he has my former c58!

I never had any trouble keeping it in tune, and the Kauffman was still on the guitar and functional when I owned it.

Dan's correct. I have five short scale Ricks, and Dan's has not had the Kaufmann pinned. The '81 which I redid in old style with an AG paint finish and Kaufmann, has had the K pinned. Both are fitted with RIC medium gauge strings, and both stay in tune. I even use the Kaufmann on the C58 for a bit of "shimmer".

[mike_d]

Nice 325, Brian. I have three of the short scale Rics. A 325c58 JG (w/Bigsby, Burns knobs and bowtie bridge), 325/12v63 and a 1996 AFG. Great machines all of them. I just a 325c64 to complete my Lennon Ric collection!