Man, I Love My 325!

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Thu May 17, 2001 2:55 pm

I thought I’d share with you guys, just for the pure hell of it, my 325V59.

This guitar has been very slightly and cheaply "Lennonized". I put some Grover reissue "Sta-Tite" tuners on it that I got from Jim Rhodes Music, $40. I raised the pickguard on rubber grommets; it’s hard to see, but it is raised. The knobs are some aluminum jobs I got for $2.59 from Radio Shack - sometimes I like them, sometimes I think they suck, I can’t really decide but for now I kind of like them. Actually, I really dig the original brown stove knobs, I’m just fiddling around. I’m sure I’ll spring for the Burns knobs very soon. And to top it off, a ‘60s style strap from StrapKing.

The strings are 12s, D’Addario Chromes flatwounds. They sound OK to me for rhythm playing, and they’re rugged as hell. The guitar stays in tune like a rock. The vital thing is to install your strings correctly with the lock loop at the tuning post. I’m convinced that 99% of tuning problems are due to badly installed strings, with a million windings on the tuning post. One winding and a lock loop is totally enough.

One of the best things about this guitar is that a guy with small hands like me can play for hours without getting tired. A full sized neck kills me after about an hour. This guitar never bothers me. It took me a while to get used to the tiny fingerboard, but now it plays like a dream. Also, soloing on a 325 is a blast, the sound is so funky, clanky and aggressive. I play it through an old MXR Dynacomp compressor box, and I get plenty of sustain. I even use the Bigsby every so often, because it’s there. What a totally weird guitar. I love my 325.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Mon May 21, 2001 3:31 am

Here are some photos of my 325V59.

AlexB · Post by **AlexB** » Mon May 21, 2001 11:00 am

I love your 325 too!

Frank_S · Post by **Frank_S** » Thu May 24, 2001 3:59 am

Viva la 325!
Nice. I went for the Radio Shack knobs too.
I like the oven knobs better though.
Your guitar is great. Have you considered a cream colored switch cap? It really makes a difference(IMO).
The 325 is so overlooked. If people would just give it a day or two rather than picking it up and saying "It's not a (insert favorite guitar here)" it would be so much more popular.
It has a unique sound especially when distorted.
What type of amp do you use?
PS- You are right on about installing the strings properly. the Bigsby can be a headache, but if installed correctly is rock solid.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Thu May 24, 2001 5:20 am

Hi FrankS & AlexB!

Great to hear from you guys! Frank, I would LOVE to have the cream colored switch cap - how did you get one? What did you do, just buy a switch with a cream colored cap and take it off?

I'm ashamed to say that I recently ordered a set of the Burns knobs. I'm thinking to myself "What're you, f**kng nuts, $80 for a set of knobs?" But, well, a man obsessed is a man obsessed...... I feel kind of stupid buying those knobs, because according to all authorities Lennon didn't put those on until he had refinished his 325 to black. And I'm never going to do that to this guitar; I love MapleGlo. But I'm sure I'll love the knobs once I put them on.

I have an old '70s Fender Twin Reverb from my band days which I plug into sometimes, and the guitar sounds awesome. "Cry For A Shadow" is right there. But I'm a professional songwriter now, and I play mostly through a Pocket Rocket practice amp and a set of headphones; that way I can bang away for hours without disturbing anyone, and I can travel real easily with my guitar and hear any sound I want, anywhere. Right now I'm in the south of France, working on an album project with a bunch of other writers, and this kind of setup is exactly what I need.

There's a million reasons why the 325 is often overlooked; it's not a Strat, Yngwie Malmsteen doesn't play one, it's impossible to play Leo Kotke tunes on it, Jimmy Page was cooler than John Lennon, it's rough for people with big hands, it's not like my cousins guitar, blah blah blah blah......to each his own. Also, the 325 can be a bit pricey, especially when you're 17 years old and you're just starting a band and you can buy a Telecaster that'll knock your block off for $350.

But for me, the 325 is a truly great guitar.

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu May 24, 2001 5:25 am

Nick: You will be very happy with the Burns knobs. I think they provide a great contrast to the gold pickguard. As much as I love the look, and can't seem to resist the temptation to capture the "old" days, the sound and playability are still the factors that appeal to me most about Rickenbackers.

C._Bourke · Post by **C._Bourke** » Thu May 24, 2001 7:25 am

Hey, I got my first guitar...a Rick 320.. when I was 14 for $325. Telecasters were like $800 at the time. Ok, this was the 1980's and prices have changed but good used rickenbackers are out there for reasonable prices for those who look.
Call me an elite-ist but I like that no one plays 325's. No one ever wants to borrow my guitar.. too small they say.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Thu May 24, 2001 11:38 am

You can say that again Peter! And yeah, the beautiful weight, heft and classic simplicity of the Burns knobs are so worth having; they totally match the top quality construction and timeless styling of the guitar. I love the feel of them.

C., the classic thing that happens to me these days is people come up to me and say "Omigod-what-a-cool-guitar-lemme-see-it", and then a few strums later "Omigod-it's-so-SMALL" and they shrug and put it down and walk away and leave me alone. Kind of a strange push-pull impression. That's fine with me, because I wouldn't lend this guitar to anyone anyway, and I don't want to be in a position to have to say no.

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Fri May 25, 2001 10:32 pm

Does this guitar have the roller bridge?
I've heard these bridges have bad tone.

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Sat May 26, 2001 3:46 am

Tumbleweed -

I'm not sure I know what a roller bridge is. The strings sit on little metal blocks with notches cut into them.

Peter McCormack, does this guitar have a roller bridge? It's a 325V59 made in Sep 2000.

I have no problem with the tone of this guitar, whatever the bridge is.

NickD

Nick_Thiel · Post by **Nick_Thiel** » Sat May 26, 2001 1:41 pm

325V59s are not issued with roller bridges. Where did you read that a roller bridge caused a guitar to sound bad?

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Sat May 26, 2001 11:06 pm

Nick -

This thing about the roller bridge sounds like one of those obscure eighth-hand rumors that probably started out as something like "Yeah, a warped neck can cause tuning problems".

NickD

AlexB · Post by **AlexB** » Tue May 29, 2001 7:45 pm

Where can I see the Burn's knobs?

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed May 30, 2001 6:28 am

AlexB: On the Rickenbacker Registration Page right here.