Hailed as the holy grail of electric guitars by most collectors
The 1958 Rickenbacker 325 is certainly one of the most rare and sought after guitars ever made.
Rickenbacker only ever made a total of 28 Capri 325 hollow-body electric guitars of these, 2 were (long body) versions, 23 of them were in two tone sunburst, and only a handful are known to currently exist in the world today and only 5 were ever made in Natural finish including John Lennon's.
Only in 1958 was the body 2” thick unlike later production models where it slimmed down, some say that’s why the few models made in 1958 sound so good.
V-93 is very rare for a few reasons, its only 1 of 5 1958 325 models made in natural, its the only natural 1958 325 with an f hole plus its the only 325 from 1958 with 4 knob configuration that remains original and intact from the factory.
Plus it was with John Lennon's in Hamburg Germany which adds a very cool factor to its history!
Also its featured next to John Lennon's 1958 325 in the Beatles Gear book ultimate edition.
V- 93 History
V93 was first shipped to Hamburg Germany by Rickenbacker on the 15th of October in 1958 Along with John Lennon's famous 1958 325, they were sent to the german distributor Framus Werke together along with V82 In October of 1958, Many Enthusiasts believe that they may have been displayed together at the same time in Steinway-Haus music store, the hamburg music shop where John Lennon purchased his 1958 325, Chances are John Lennon may have even played V-93 at the same time! can you imagine..
Both guitars and V82 had been converted at the factory from 2 knobs to 4 knob configuration making them the only 325's in 1958 to have this rare 4 knob variation giving them 20 unique tonal variations.
Johns Lennon's was restored in the 1970's and the original wiring completely replaced, making V-93 the only known 1958 325 with its two + two factory wiring undisturbed and fully intact.
The guitar had this rare wiring modification on the 1st of October 1958 along with John Lennon’s V81 just before they were both shipped off to Hamburg, I have the factory notes on this work which will come with the history pack.
V-93 ended up being purchased by a major Rickenbacker and vintage guitar collector in Japan sometime in the 1980s where it remained for the next 25 years.
It then was purchased and included within The Beatles gear museum where it has remained ever since, until now.
The original Invoice pictured is from 1958 from Rickenbacker’s archive showing John Lennon's V-81 V-82 V-93 mentioned on the same invoice on their way to Hamburg
V81 - Considered priceless John Lennon's 325 is now on display in Japan and owned by Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon
V82 - is owned by the Beatles gear Museum
V93 this exact guitar natural1958 325
John Lennon and V-81
John Lennon's original Rickenbacker 325 was always his favourite guitar and he used it from total obscurity in Hamburg, to the cavern to the Ed Sullivan show in front of 100 million tv viewer's where it became a virtual extension of his stage persona, and is considered as the most important Beatles instrument. John would say it was his most prized possession and again use it on the day before his death in 1980 recording walking on thin ice, and this was confirmed by Yoko Ono.
The Rickenbacker 325 became Rickenbacker most popular and sought after guitars ever produced, In an interview a few years later, Lennon clearly still in love, "I sold my hofner," he said, "made a profit on it too... The Rickenbacker is the most beautiful guitar - the action is ridiculously low." Pete Best recalls when John purchased the Rickenbacker, several of the group would go around the shops at once, we were all together - we used to hunt around in packs discovering what was available.
John was looking around, he had his old Hofner club 40 on him, John saw this Rickenbacker and what actually knocked him out was the short scale of the fingerboard. whereas before he had to stretch, John found that he could do the same riffs and everything without hardly moving his fingers.
He just fell in love with it. he liked the sound. The Rickenbacker was his guitar, That was the one he was in love with, and that was the one he came back with and everyones head turned in Liverpool. People were like, My god, whats John Playing, we've never seen anything like that before. Some players asked him if he had it made especially, and he'd explain that he brought it at a shop in Hamburg.
1958 Rickenbacker 325 Capri (5/8 scale, hollow-body electric). Serial No. V81: The Holy Grail of guitars. Lennon bought this "short arm" guitar, with a natural finish, gold pick guard and Kaufmann vibrato, on the Beatles' first trip to Hamburg, after he saw jazzman "Toots" Thielmans playing a Ric model on an album cover. Later in 1960, in Hessy's Music, Chris Huston of The Undertakers mounted a Bigsby B-5 vibrato and "bow tie" bridge (for more on this operation, click here). At the same time they replaced the "oven" knobs with new ones from Curry Electronics. Somewhere along the line, Lennon disconnected the middle pickup, and in September '62 had it painted black. In his well researched piece Baby's In Black, Peter McCormack tracked the job to a subcontractor, Mr. Derek Adams, and suggests the refinishing was part of Brian Epstein's effort to spruce up the band's look. But another source credits the refinish to coach painter Charles Bantam, who reportedly sprayed the Rickenbacker with black coach paint while the band took a brief holiday. Later inspection led Ron DeMarino (below) to speculate the finish had been brushed on! So perhaps we'll sort out this point in time.
At any rate, in '63 Lennon changed the knobs again when he had some electrical work done by Burns of London. Lennon played this guitar onstage and in the studio right through to the first Sullivan show (below) and the Carnegie Hall shows (2/12/64), then, except for a bit of work on Beatles For Sale, retired the beat-up workhorse.
In 1972 he had it restored to its natural finish by Ron DeMarino of New York, who also replaced the tuners and cracked pickguard. (Read DeMarino's account here.) This guitar may very well have made its final appearance during the Double Fantasy sessions, as producer Jack Douglas and Yoko Ono both confirm seeing it in the studio. There is also speculation that Lennon used this guitar on Yoko's "Walking On Thin Ice" in December 1980, the last piece of music to which Lennon contributed. Regardless, as guitar aficionado Frank McLallen wrote: "That guitar . . . from Hamburg to the Plaza in New York City, and a national broadcast on the Ed Sullivan Show -- doesn't get any better." This priceless instrument, has recently been displayed at the Lennon museum in Japan, and is now owned by Yoko Ono & Sean Lennon.
John Lennon finds his prized Rickenbacker 1958 325 in Hamburg Germany
One of the most famous guitars in rock music history has been John Lennon’s 1958 Model 325 Rickenbacker Capri (Serial Number “V81”) in natural finish. Purchased at Steinway’s in Hamburg, Germany in 1960, this guitar quickly became an Icon for the British Invasion. American guitars were highly sought after by British musicians during the late 1950s and early 1960s as young aspiring guitarists from the UK emulated American Rock and Roll with a passion that would create British Rock. John Lennon was not exempt from this fever and acquiring an guitar made in America would be a dream come true. Lennon stumbled upon the 1958 Model 325 by chance, but it would be this opportunistic moment during a Hamburg trip in the autumn of 1960 that would forever link Rickenbacker instruments with the British Invasion.
Last known sales of 1958 325 model guitars 2012 - 2019
V-109 1958 325 that came on the open public market was on eBay 2012 for $85.000. V-83 was sold and was advertised on Reverb for $120,000 it was sold to a private collector in the USA.
V-93 Summery
One of the first 325’s to have the famous f hole as Rickenbacker wanted to make customers understand they were not solid guitars, V-93 is in rare natural not 2 tone sunburst, It also has rare only known original 4 knob configuration in existence and was in Hamburg Germany with John’s 1958 325, The guitar is 100% original in untouched condition and has its original case, 1958 price list, 1958 capri catalog, case tag, case keys and Rickenbacker full set of strings, and also comes with a super rare selmer leather guitar strap just like John Lennon's that he used on his 58’ 325.
Its also featured in a double page spread in the best seller book (Beatles Gear) by Andy Babiuk which is the Beatles bible for collectible beatle guitars, right next to John Lennon's original 1958 325 serialV81 who it was first shipped with in 1958.
The guitar comes with an extensive history and its authenticity is unquestionable with extensive documentation and approval from the worlds foremost experts on Vintage Rickenbacker 325 models.
I am happy to meet with serious parties to inspect/view and of course play the guitar in person.
With only a few examples in the world, this is a scarce opportunity to acquire one of the most rare and desirable guitars in existence!
