The Capri range (Rickenbacker’s hollow-body range) was designed in 1957 and introduced in January1958. Designed for the most part by Roger Rossmeisl. There were two options available; deluxe, with full width fretboard inlays and body binding front and back; or standard, with dot inlays and no body binding. Both options came with or without vibrato units and with either two or three “Toaster” pickups. But as with many Rickenbackers, there are exceptions. One 1959 example featured here, has deluxe body binding but standard dot inlays. Features changed slightly through the late 50’s. Electronics went from a three control layout (single toggle, volume & one tone control pot), to the four control, Combo 850 circuit (2 toggles, one volume & one tone control pot), to a more familiar five control layout (one toggle, two volume and two tone pots). The small “blend” control knob didn’t appear until 1962. Standard colours in 1958 included Hi Lustre Blonde (maple finish) and Autumnglo (a two-tone brown sunburst). Fireglo was added in late 1958 - early ’59.

Rossmeisl initially made several Capri designs in 1957, before the range was finalised. One of which is the first to be featured here, the “Longbody” 345 Capri. There were three “longbody” prototypes produced. All having a fully rounded tail-end, rather than the curve of the body being slightly shortened - or “squashed”, as with the other Capris. The one featured here, it’s “sister guitar” which had a similar body, but a short scale neck and regular headstock and a mapleglo example with a “dummy”, painted on, sound hole.

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