It was one of only eight natural finish 325's made in 1958. ShippingДocuments still in existance, confirm it.ДЄside from the famous ownership it is, in itself, an extremely rare guitar. Was sold to West German dealer Walter Hofner at a Chicago trade show inДЎ959, and in October 1958, Rickenbacker shipped three maple finish 325's toДЇramus Werke in West Germany. Hall, of Rickenbacker, recalled four 325's going to Hamburg. Here we have another answer, John's 325 was one of the

New Rickenbacker standard Rogan (stove) type knobs were likely installed in Would also explain the 'skewed' placement of the controls on Lennon's. Two controls it can be assumed that the two additional potentiometers wereДЄdded above the existing two using the same 'single' lucite plate. However, later in 1958, theДЇactory refitted the 325's still in Rickenbacker's inventory with two toneД¬ontrols and two volume controls.' Due to the low position of the existing Switch, a volume control, and a tone control. On page 162 andДЎ63 it is noted that 'the first 325 guitars had a single pickup selector The reason for thisД¬an be found in the 'Rickenbacker' book by Richard R. Most originalДЈ25's have only 2 rotary controls and 1 pickup selector. Next, if you compare Lennon's 325 to almost every other known example of '58ДЈ25 you'll notice that it is unusual in having 4 controls. The alder body and extensive internal routing, they give every appearance ofД«eing a solidbody, and hence lower quality instrument. Not on the first few 325's but were quickly introduced as a visual indicatorДЄctually picking one up and feeling the exceptionally light weight, due to Lennon's 325 is harder to explain, but the feeling is that soundholes were The run of 325's were produced very early in '58. It was towards the end of '58 that elevated pickguards were If you examine examples of Rickenbacker's very firstД¬apris from 1958 you'll notice that they have only a single lucite control Or elevated pickguard unlike almost every vintage or modern hollow-bodied The first thing that most people notice is that the guitar has no sound hole Refinish, alleged theft, and current whereabouts. Regarding such issues as it's original configuration, it's modification, the Makes the famous 'Hamburg' 325 so interesting is the amount of speculation John Lennon during the initial rise to fame of the Beatles. Much has been said and speculated about the 1958 Rickenbacker 325 used by An Evolution that Produced a Revolution by Glen Lambert

Original 1958 rickenbacker 325