Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Now available on ebay (with lots of good photos): http://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Rickenback ... 4d00de3a7f

glen_l wrote:Yes indeed, It's fascinating! Thanks for your input here John. It's appreciated.

Richard Smith made mention of a one off guitar, that he called the very first 325, delivered to Radio Tel on 2nd January 1958. Nothing more is said about it, but it predates the delivery of the first batch of six 325's by a month.

I wonder......

Yes, I now have now collected all the documentation as well as put together a complete database of all the 1957-1959 "V" serial instruments. Let me say that there's some real surprises, especially how many moved back and forth from the warehouse several time for modifications and repairs.

I also found significant shipments of a spanish guitar of model number and description I have never heard of or seen pictures of. Now this one is a real mystery.

I'd love to see that!

Excellent John. An analysis of this sort allows for another window into RIC history.

johnhall wrote:Yes, I now have now collected all the documentation as well as put together a complete database of all the 1957-1959 "V" serial instruments. Let me say that there's some real surprises, especially how many moved back and forth from the warehouse several time for modifications and repairs.

This another parallel to the old Ferrari factory, something that I think is very cool about both Rickenbacker and Ferrari.

A mystery....wrapped in an enigma.
Graham, thats "enigma" not "enema". Arf!

johnhall wrote:

glen_l wrote:Yes indeed, It's fascinating! Thanks for your input here John. It's appreciated.

Richard Smith made mention of a one off guitar, that he called the very first 325, delivered to Radio Tel on 2nd January 1958. Nothing more is said about it, but it predates the delivery of the first batch of six 325's by a month.

I wonder......

Yes, I now have now collected all the documentation as well as put together a complete database of all the 1957-1959 "V" serial instruments. Let me say that there's some real surprises, especially how many moved back and forth from the warehouse several time for modifications and repairs.

I also found significant shipments of a spanish guitar of model number and description I have never heard of or seen pictures of. Now this one is a real mystery.

johnhall wrote:Yes, I now have now collected all the documentation as well as put together a complete database of all the 1957-1959 "V" serial instruments. Let me say that there's some real surprises, especially how many moved back and forth from the warehouse several time for modifications and repairs.

I also found significant shipments of a spanish guitar of model number and description I have never heard of or seen pictures of. Now this one is a real mystery.

John, I can't help but think that your Dad snapped a pic or two of these spanish models, and somewhere in all those cool slide photgraphs there will be an image of them tucked away.....from what all of us have seen thru the years, F.C. seemed to be pretty dilligent at keeping a photographic record.

That's a good thought lefty. The possibility of a clarification of the origins of the 325 is very exciting

Do the 58-59 combo 850s fit into the mix somehow? Theres very lttle info on those

libratune wrote:Now available on ebay (with lots of good photos): http://www.ebay.com/itm/1958-Rickenback ... 4d00de3a7f

I was expecting a fifth of that price.
Still, this is the coolest Rick ever.
The John Lennon connection though.. hmm

It was always thought that the Polynesian was merely a shortscale version of one of these latter varient 650/850's, but as it turns out, it's only the body shape that is in common with them. The Polynesian turns out to be virtually a 325

glen_l wrote:It was always thought that the Polynesian was merely a shortscale version of one of these latter varient 650/850's, but as it turns out, it's only the body shape that is in common with them. The Polynesian turns out to be virtually a 325

Fascinating.

It's a gorgeous guitar; too bad for the rest of us there's only one in the world. I like the synthesis of Combo and 325 features.
That guitar and the one-off 850 are two of my fave Rick one-offs ever.

The latter varient 850 is not a one off guitar. There are at least 5 known examples, one of which is an even more rare 650 (single pickup). The owner of the 650 received quite some ridicule over it when he asked for help authenicating it not so long back. It was a shame considering he owns arguably, the rarest of all production Rickenbacker's.

glen_l wrote:The latter varient 850 is not a one off guitar. There are at least 5 known examples, one of which is an even more rare 650 (single pickup). The owner of the 650 received quite some ridicule over it when he asked for help authenicating it not so long back. It was a shame considering he owns arguably, the rarest of all production Rickenbacker's.

I am probably the one who has said the most about this 850 as a 'one off'......and in terms of it's features and finish, it is. It is the only 'Deluxe' model 850 made with triangle inlays and double-binding on the body...

It would be great if Mr. Hall could find the info for those 5 guitars, when they were made and how they fit into the 325 story.