Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi i hope this is not a dumb qushtion.I have never seen one up close.I have a 325c58 and i was wondering if someone could give a idea about the physical diffrences.Here are 2 things i was wondering

1.What is reshapeing the headstock is the v59 headstock bigger or smaller than 325c58?

2.Is the body wider or thinner?

3 any other diffences?
thank you

Billy, the headstock on the V59 is bigger. They both have the correct 2" thick body. The C58 has the correct alder wood(the V59 is maple). The C58 has correct style Grover Sta-Tite tuners. The C58 also has the correct one-layer pickguard while the V59 is a two-piece. The C58 has the correct long jack-plate and strap buttons. The C58 has a wide nut like Lennon's. I'm probably forgetting a few things!

Dear Peter,
the Forum is great. Congratulations.
I have some doubt on the following subject:
Was the Lennon's 325 '58 fretboard varnished or not?
I've been watching DVD of an old Beatles' tv show ('Thank Your Lucky Stars' from December 1963) and the Rick 325's fretboard shines all the time 'cause of the tv studio spots.
Then, I've been watching some 'Anthology' bits ('Drop-In' in Sweden, 'Royal Command Perfomance')
and I found the same thing (a shining fretboard).
I can´t see why c-58s are made with unfinished fretboard.
Or maybe John made it varnish on his when the guitar was refinished black?

Hi, I saw Lennon's original 58 325 in John Lennon
museum in Japan several times. It has a very thin over-spray but looks non original. I suppose that it was done when it was refinshed to black. As far as I know, 50's 325 and 315 did't have finish on the fingerboard.

Manabu: Thanks for the first-hand report of Lennon's first Rickenbacker.

No problem Peter, if anyone have question about
Lennon's 325 which dispying at Museum, let me know. will check and report to you.
There is very interesting place. not only for guitar itself, also displaying 2nd 325JG hardshell case too. So many flight tags on it I remember.

Thank you Manabu. Good observation. So... We could say for sure that when the guitar was refinished to black, was also lacqued the fretboard? I suppose this is a very interesting detail for 'Lennon's 325 fans'(just like me, of course).
Last night I've been watching one of those bootleg DVDs including one Beatles appearance on Thank Your Lucky Stars (from December 1963) and the fretboard of that guitar was shining for sure.
I swear.
So long, Marcelo.

Marcelo wrote

So... We could say for sure that when the guitar was refinished to black, was also lacqued the fretboard?

No, I don't think we can say that based on the available information Marcelo. It appears that coach painter who did the work applied only a black paint to the body, neck and headstock.

Thanks for your answer Peter, but then... How could you explain that shine on the fretboard that appears on some pics and videos?

Marcelo: I don't claim to have great insight into this instrument. I have seen light bounce off of surfaces in many still photos and videos however that produces glare and other unusual effects. I have rosewood finger boards on some of my non-Rickenbackers that looks glossy in some photos. then again I am no photographer.

As an example, I used to think that George Harrison's Country Gentleman had a black finish when this was not the case.

Photos can be misleading and sometimes are worth much more than a thousand words.

Peter, I agree with you, but... why are we ignoring what Manabu says?:

"I saw Lennon's original 58 325 in John Lennon museum in Japan several times. It has a very thin over-spray but looks non original. I suppose that it was done when it was refinished to black. As far as I know, 50's 325 and 315 didn't have finish on the fingerboard."

Hi Wanabu,
only 1 question: since you've been at the museum several times, and examined the Lennon's guitar so closely... Could you say that the lacquered fretboard was made by Ron De Marino in 1972, or maybe it was done before and looks like worned??? I'd like to know your personal opinion. And thanks for help me to resolve this mistery.

Hi Marcelo, I really don't know when it was and who over splayed for 58 325. but it is not like as
V59 and other models and very very thin lacqer finish on it.
Maybe Larry Wassgern has some idea on this issue.

Manabu and I looked over V81 very closely in Japan for about two hours. I checked my notes we took that day and it does have a very thin lacquer coat on the fretboard which was half worn off. It would be hard to see from any distance. Because it was worn I wouldn't think Ron DeMarino would have sprayed the fretboard as John didn't play it enough in the late 70's to wear the lacquer off the fretboard. I also think that the coach painter only sprayed the guitar black. I believe the fretboard had the thin lacquer applied by Burns Of London when they did the refret on John's '58 in 1963. At this time the fretboard also becomes much lighter again as they must have cleaned it up real good before refretting. Another interesting thing, my friend Alan Stratton who was there at the time believes V81 would have been sprayed black by George Harrison's brother Peter. He also worked in a garage doing body work and spraying taxis black. He believes they wouldn't have bothered to go to Wallasey with the guitar nor would they have trusted just anybody to do the job. Now if we could just get through to Peter Harrison...

Peter Harrison is still alive. How hard would it be to get in touch with him and ask that question?

I will double check the fretboard of my '59 315.