Rickenbacker 325

The Rickenbacker 325 is a three-quarter scale semi-hollow electric guitar that John Lennon made iconic during the Beatles' early career. Its shorter 20.75-inch scale and small body produce a jangly, trebly tone with limited sustain that cuts brilliantly through rhythm playing. Lennon purchased his in Hamburg in 1960, and its distinctive crescent-shaped soundhole and natural finish became inseparable from the Beatles' image. The toaster-top pickups produce a thin, aggressive midrange that defined the British Invasion guitar sound, and its compact size suited Lennon's energetic stage presence.