Jim Huff´s Rickenbacker^® Collection

Model 660/12TP (#89)

Model 340 VP                                      Model 340 VP with oven knobs

Model 325V59

" -I finished most of the work on the work on the 325v59MG I bought from Craig. The headstock and nameplate are reshaped.  I installed a new thick nut.  The finish was stripped off the fretboard.  Ted Breaux unwound the pickups to '50s specs.  The middle pickup is not connected.  A .0047uF capacitor was added to the bridge pickup lead wire. The hardware on the nameplate, tuners, jackplate, pickups, and Bigsby are now slot head screws.  The tuners are real '50s Grover sta-tites.  I added an original phillips stud and brushed aluminum arm on the Bigsby and the black paint was removed.  I added a new
pickguard in the shape of Lennon's with the correct knob placement, mounted off the body with rubber bushings.  The switch tip is cream.  The bridge is the Bigsby bowtie.  The jackplate is a repro of Lennons elongated Combo 850 style.  The strap buttons are from a '50s Fender.  I put them in a vise to get them oval. The knobs are repro Hofners.  The correct knobs for the Hamburg mapleglo look should be the Zenith radio knobs.  I have a set on order from Japan.  The strings are .013 ga. Pyramid flatwounds. 

I was very concerned after all this work that the guitar would not sound and play as well.  It looks great and plays even better.  This is my third 325v59.  I was not comfortable with playing a shortscale guitar.  This one really plays great."  Jim Huff

Now it looks like this:

"......The last item I needed to make this conversion complete was a set of Selmer style radio knobs.  The stock oven style knobs and these Selmer style knobs are the only correct Lennon knobs to use on a 325 Mapleglo.  Lennon only used the Hofner and Burns knobs after his 325 was painted black......     Jim Huff , Sept 18, 2000

 

 Model 355JL                                      Model 4001V63

Model 360/12V64

" - I've done a lot of work on my 360/12v64FG.  I had the pickups unwound by Ted
Breaux on my 360/12v64.  The hardware has been replaced with vintage slot head screws and the bridge hardware is now vintage specs.  The Made in the USA was removed from the headstock."  Jim Huff

UPDATE March 21 2001!

"... I wanted to update you on my ongoing 325v59 Mapleglo Hamburg Lennon conversions. I have a 325c58 on order, so this guitar will eventually be painted black, install a set of JETGLO replica Burns knobs, remove the black paint on the B5, and add a black switch tip. I've done some additional conversion procedures. I used a heated 5/8" drill bit and put mold impression circles on the ends of the black strip of each pickup. I repainted the black on the B5 Bigsby. The black paint was not removed from Lennon's 325 until the guitar was painted black. I also did some Selmer Bigsby conversions. I installed fake string anchor bar screws. I sanded the entire finish to better replicate the casting procedure of the Selmer B5. I reshaped several components, especially the more rounded end of the unit and the thinner lettering. I installed more correct slot head mounting screws. I moved the elongated jack plate to the correct position, closer to the end. The jackplate now has Lennon's serial number of V81. I drilled the mounting holes that remained from the original Kauffman vibrato. I found a strap button that is much closer to the correct one than what I was using. It is not exact. It was a non-original set that I found on an old Duo Sonic.

Hopefully, when the 325c58 is in production, the correct buttons will be available through Rickenbacker....."     Jim Huff March 2001

UPDATE! New photos added on October 28, 2001

I've got a natural finish 325c58 on order that should arrive soon, so I decided to paint my 325v59 black.Here it is with Hofner knobs.

This is the same guitar with the JETGLOW Burns style knobs.

I made a white pickguard for it and put on a set of the new JETGLO knobs and bridge for the "as it is now" look.

I've included a close-up of the body. I also replicated the damage to Lennon's middle pickup.

The newest beauty!

Rickenbacker Model 325C58

Latest updates!

"...I finally got around to doing the correct Lennon "Hamburg" modifications to my natural finish 325c58. I've replaced the Kauffman with a modified Bigsby B5 and a Selmer style Bigsby Bowtie bridge to replace the stock roller bridge. The Rogan-style "oven" knobs were replaced by replicas of the the radio knobs installed by Lennon in Liverpool. This was the configuration of Lennon's 325 during the recording of the Please Please Me LP...."

Jim Huff

Latest Updates from Jim in January 2004:

From 340 to 345!

Courtesy of Jim Huff