Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Perhaps the earliest TV footage of a Rickenbacker 325 out there - a group called the Bop-Kats from the Poughkeepsie, NY area on Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour 10/2/60.

Edit - Thanks John - I'm used to you-know-where's way of displaying YouTube videos.

Hey Mike! Looks like you got the hang of it. Stay awhile.

Hey, Mike! It's good to see you here! That's gotta be a fireglo, wouldn't you say?

Hey Mike welcome to the forum.

Check out that Kauffman action!!

As far as for people (like me) who follow 325s like Birdwatchers follow birds, this is a pretty big discovery, in two possible ways.

First, if this is a 1958 325, it is only the second one known and seen so far with four knobs, John Lennon's '58 being the other......so it's possible this is an example that was remaining 1958 inventory converted from 2-knob wiring to 4, like Lennon's 325 before it went to Germany.

Second: IF it is a 1960 325, it is # 3V154...which is the only 1960 325 made and the only known/observed 325 made between 1958 and 1964....To me the finish looks darker than a Fireglow, which was the finish on #3V154.

It simply could be one we have never discussed and something new for the statistic books......YMMV.....

I'd say that judging by the knob placement and the body thickness, it is a '58 325 with 4 knobs. Cool.

And, yes....the dude is gettin' it done on the Kauffman......GREAT GREAT video and thanks for posting......

leftybass wrote:... Second: IF it is a 1960 325, it is # 3V154...which is the only 1960 325 made and the only known/observed 325 made between 1958 and 1964....To me the finish looks darker than a Fireglow, which was the finish on #3V154. ...

If it wasn't a Fireglo, then is it possible that it would have been an Autumnnglo? At the 1:34 mark I could clearly see that it was not a solid finish.

Mike, thanks for sharing.

I think it's FG. Early TV color rendition tended toward orthochromatic when viewed on a black and white TV, making reds look black.

jingle_jangle wrote:I think it's FG. Early TV color rendition tended toward orthochromatic when viewed on a black and white TV, making reds look black.

Paul, to my eye it looks like this guitar has the thicker body (2"), which would mean it's almost certainly a '58 and a Two-Tone Brown finish......if the body had a thinner profile then I'd be inclined to say it was also a FG example......I'm sure others will chime in, this is a cool vid.

He must have had the Kauffman lubed up pretty good - I have yet to find one period or repro that has that kind of action and return-to-pitch...

leftybass wrote:

jingle_jangle wrote:I think it's FG. Early TV color rendition tended toward orthochromatic when viewed on a black and white TV, making reds look black.

Paul, to my eye it looks like this guitar has the thicker body (2"), which would mean it's almost certainly a '58 and a Two-Tone Brown finish......if the body had a thinner profile then I'd be inclined to say it was also a FG example......I'm sure others will chime in, this is a cool vid.

Yep, John, I noticed the body, too, but was convinced it was FG. Duh.

But, you are right--if a '58, it would have been two-tone brown. And, thick body says, "'58".

There's even a better view of the 325 on this video of them, including a good close up. It's them doing 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' during the same show. It seems to appear to have the thicker body but it's hard to tell.

Check it out starting at about the 1:40 mark

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It also has an "F" hole.

Maybe one or more of the Bop-Kats can shed some light on the 325.

Another thing to think about on this guitar is that if it were a 1960 model, it would have darker peghead wings....which is something I don't see in the video......reeeeeally thinking this is a '58.

kennyhowes wrote:He must have had the Kauffman lubed up pretty good - I have yet to find one period or repro that has that kind of action and return-to-pitch...

Kenny, I couldn't agree more. I've never seen anyone use one so fluid-ly.