Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The ones in the "Gang of Ten" that had F-holes, seem to have accurately-shaped ones.

the easiest place to see the difference is at each end of the soundhole where the straight section meets the rounded end section. The original soundholes get very narrow at this point, and there's a nice sharp detail in there to nicely define the round shape of each end. The testbody's soundholes are wider at each end, and that sharp point inside the hole is barely there

Now that I've take a good, long look at all the 325 F-hole variations I could find, you're 100% correct, Glen.

I enlarged photos of both my TB and an original early 325 F-hole, and it's obvious that the ones on the TBs are wider (or thicker) in the area where the descender transitions into the turnarounds (end holes). The originals are slimmer and have a subtle "ogee" reverse curve that's entirely missing in the TB F-holes. Instead, the ones in the TBs are widened and missing the reverse curve.

My nominee, however, for most elegantly-shaped Rick F-hole, goes to the ones on the 325s from the mid-1960s through the 1970s:



Note the elliptical shape (less like circles, more italicized) and the difference in size between the upper and lower turnarounds. Also the extremely slim swashes present an appealing contrast with the wider center serif and larger end ellipses.

This F-hole is elegant, emphatic, and energetic. The earlier ones are slightly less so, and the ones in the TBs are a bit fat and quite static by comparison.

Yes I'd agree. The facelift to the soundhole that was done for the Rose Morris 1996's in mid '64, and used from that point on, was a more elegant design. It was like the whole thing was slimmed down and put in italics as you say. And there is a better contrast in the end turnabout sizes.