My 1985 v59
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 3:34 pm
In 1985 I purchased a 325v59 new for 800 bucks. In 1984 this was as close as it got to John Lennon’s early guitar. The guitar I received had missing filler at the top heel of the neck. I phoned RIC and they said “send it back” so I did. 4 weeks later this V59 arrived –with the same serial number as the previous guitar on the jack plate. Puzzled because I knew it was a new guitar, I called Ric and Mr. Hall himself talked to me. He told me, “the previous guitar, with bad routing, does not exist, (destroyed by factory?) this guitar is now #XJ0893.” So I unscrewed the pick guard and noticed the old serial number roughly hand painted in black directly over the original number!
This guitar like the previous one -that never existed, also had, imitation Klusons except that one of them had the the word “Gibson” on it! So I called Ric and Mr. Hall exclaimed “Da-@#$ Da---! I told those guys! Pause -I’ll send you a new one.” The tuner they sent was a modern round Kluson, no way would it fit and no where close to the vintage rep ones. Anyway I still think it’s a great and funny Ric factory story. It makes this v59 special so I modified this guitar to my liking.
-The Ric logo is burned into real glass with lemon gold-leaf backing.
-The Tuners are Gold plated Grovers. The original fake Klusons (including the Gibson which I still have) were replaced because they were to clunky to turn.
-The toasters are now wired like a ®strat with a 5 way switch so I can grab in betweens.
-The Pick Guard is clear Lucite, custom cut with Lemon Gold-Leaf backing.
-The Bridge is a Bigsby, machined to fit. Now it stays in tune with any gauge strings! Before it was impossible to keep in tune.
-And of course it has the Bigsby only in Gold.
It was signed by John Fogarty at a centerfield concert in Cincy, Sept 86. Back stage pass is still in the case.
I know these v59’s aren’t worth much because of the new JL’s but this beautiful guitar steals the show where ever it goes. The “ Ric 325” is the most beautiful cut of any guitar ever made.
This guitar like the previous one -that never existed, also had, imitation Klusons except that one of them had the the word “Gibson” on it! So I called Ric and Mr. Hall exclaimed “Da-@#$ Da---! I told those guys! Pause -I’ll send you a new one.” The tuner they sent was a modern round Kluson, no way would it fit and no where close to the vintage rep ones. Anyway I still think it’s a great and funny Ric factory story. It makes this v59 special so I modified this guitar to my liking.
-The Ric logo is burned into real glass with lemon gold-leaf backing.
-The Tuners are Gold plated Grovers. The original fake Klusons (including the Gibson which I still have) were replaced because they were to clunky to turn.
-The toasters are now wired like a ®strat with a 5 way switch so I can grab in betweens.
-The Pick Guard is clear Lucite, custom cut with Lemon Gold-Leaf backing.
-The Bridge is a Bigsby, machined to fit. Now it stays in tune with any gauge strings! Before it was impossible to keep in tune.
-And of course it has the Bigsby only in Gold.
It was signed by John Fogarty at a centerfield concert in Cincy, Sept 86. Back stage pass is still in the case.
I know these v59’s aren’t worth much because of the new JL’s but this beautiful guitar steals the show where ever it goes. The “ Ric 325” is the most beautiful cut of any guitar ever made.
