Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The elusive Rickenbacker 325/Combo Polynesian is for sale on gbase: http://www.gbase.com/gear/rickenbacker- ... 8-mapleglo

From the ad:

"One-of-a-kind 1958 Rickenbacker "The Polynesian" guitar with combined features of the 325 Capri and the Combo 850. Essentially a John Lennon style 325 with the iconic Rossmeisl German carve. From the Mac Yasuda collection and featured in 'The Complete History of Rickenbacker Guitars' [p. 147] by Richard R. Smith."

No serial number on jackplate, just writing inside the body cavity which appears to be shop measurements.

Some pics:

That guitar is COOL!!!!!

Interesting how the guitar fits in the case opposite most Rick Cases... or cases in general!

This must be the most beautiful Rickenbacker around!

wim wrote:This must be the most beautiful Rickenbacker around!

Yup. Top of the heap IMO.

Now that these pics have surfaced and some of us have had time to look at them pretty good, I'll have to say that I was all wrong about this guitar.

I had thought that it was basically a short-scale Combo 850, due to the body carve and it's outward construction, top-carve and all.........it is in fact a hollowbody with a 3-piece solid back, so more like a Capri, and specifically a 325. The missing link.

I had been told by others that it also had a Combo-like sn#, but of course this was going off of 'legend' and not seeing the jackplate.

Weird that it has no sn# at all, but not unique in that fact....there are other samples out there that have no number.........

It may have been drilled for a different plate (Combo), supported by the two other screws at the jackplate.

sloop_john_b wrote:

wim wrote:This must be the most beautiful Rickenbacker around!

Yup. Top of the heap IMO.

and complete with a top of the heap asking price!

Looks great! I'll give you $50 for it.

8mileshigh wrote:

sloop_john_b wrote:

wim wrote:This must be the most beautiful Rickenbacker around!

Yup. Top of the heap IMO.

and complete with a top of the heap asking price!

tell us!

leftybass wrote:I had thought that it was basically a short-scale Combo 850, due to the body carve and it's outward construction, top-carve and all.........it is in fact a hollowbody with a 3-piece solid back, so more like a Capri, and specifically a 325. The missing link.

Er, no. It's a solid body guitar.

The one that I have which has an identical body has an inset jack, hence there is no jackplate and I imagine this one is the same. The serial number on mine, 85C7XXX, is stamped on the bridge plate/tailpiece; this one might have a serial on the vibrato but I've never seen that before. Normally it would be on the sax strap ring but this guitar doesn't have that either.

I'm in love..... If only I had the cash....

johnhall wrote:

leftybass wrote:I had thought that it was basically a short-scale Combo 850, due to the body carve and it's outward construction, top-carve and all.........it is in fact a hollowbody with a 3-piece solid back, so more like a Capri, and specifically a 325. The missing link.

Er, no. It's a solid body guitar.

The one that I have which has an identical body has an inset jack, hence there is no jackplate and I imagine this one is the same. The serial number on mine, 85C7XXX, is stamped on the bridge plate/tailpiece; this one might have a serial on the vibrato but I've never seen that before. Normally it would be on the sax strap ring but this guitar doesn't have that either.

John, this guitar has a glued-on back, unlike any other Combo 850s I have played (4 total)...I've seen your '57 at RIC as well, and I don't remember it having a glued-on back. Also, the Combo 850s have a clearly visible neck tenon, and I don't see that on the Polynesian. Is the added back wood merely an add-on for style. ..?

One of the pics above shows a jackplate on the guitar rather than a recessed hole for the jack. Looks as though it may have been drilled for an earlier type of plate as well, due to the added studs in the middle of the existing plate and the stud nearer to the bottom.....due to the guitar having a ramp, itt looks like only one type of jackplate would fit.

Thanks for chiming in, John! Great to hear from you.

Although the bodies may share superficial similarities, I believe the Polynesian and your Combo 850 are critically different animals. The Polynesian is indeed hollow (or semi-hollow if you want to pick nits) as the entire lower bout is hogged out from tail to neck block, and covered with a thin ply. It weighs in at 2.65kg. There is indeed a jack plate (which includes a brad and curiouser a second in the body) but alas no serial number.

expatguitars wrote:....the entire lower bout is hogged out from tail to neck block, and covered with a thin ply. It weighs in at 2.65kg....

Under 6 lbs. then...about the weight of a 325......

expatguitars wrote:Thanks for chiming in, John! Great to hear from you.

Although the bodies may share superficial similarities, I believe the Polynesian and your Combo 850 are critically different animals. The Polynesian is indeed hollow (or semi-hollow if you want to pick nits) as the entire lower bout is hogged out from tail to neck block, and covered with a thin ply. It weighs in at 2.65kg. There is indeed a jack plate (which includes a brad and curiouser a second in the body) but alas no serial number.

Given you have the guitar in hand, I'll have to take your word for it, but that kind of routing makes no sense to me in the context of the guitars I've seen.

I just missed the photo of the jackplate; it isn't shown on the GBase site. And yes, mine is quite different, especially in this area of the instrument. And of course, mine is a 1957 model.