guitars of the Beatles

[Bob Keelan]

Some interesting stuff for any of you fellow Beatle-nuts out there.

 

The guitars of:

 

John: http://www.thecanteen.com/lennon1.html

 

Paul: http://www.thecanteen.com/mccartney1.html

 

& George: http://www.thecanteen.com/harrison1.html

 

of interest (to me anyway): One photo is a shot of Paul with his first Hofner. Also in the picture is Stu Sutcliffe (i'm pretty sure). I thought Paul didn't get the bass until after Stu left.

 

bob

[LiveMusic]

Thanks, good stuff. I blew an hour there already.

[Tedster]

Thanks, B...

 

Beatle-Devotee Ted

[lrbreez]

One thing not in the book was the fact that McCartney used a Fender Bass V on "Baby You're a Rich Man". This was short scale 5 string bass that Fender made then. The 5th string was a high C.

Buddy

[lrbreez]

Interesting picture. It's definitely Stu Sutcliffe. On page 48 in 'The Beatles' Gear' there is a picture of Paul on piano with his Hofner bass in its case and Stu is on bass.

Buddy

[RustyB]

I assume that some of this informatin came out of the new book "Beatles Gear".

 

A descrepancy (or an exception) that I noticed was that the book says that McCartney had two of the Hofner violin-type (Beatle bass) basses ('61 and 66 I believe). But I noticed what must have been yet a third. In one of the pictures, McCartney is playing a Hofner with the "Hofner" lettering running vertically down the headstock.

 

Another intersting item in the book (and I will post again tomorrow when I have it in front of me) is that there was an electric guitar made by an Australian company (or craftsman) named May. The body shape of this instrument bears a resemblance to the guitars played by Brian May of Queen years later. Coincidence?

[Kendrix]

If you are into the beatles gear check out the newly published book " Beatles Gear". It's written by Andy Babiuk who is the pro gear salesman at my local music shop here in Rochester NY.

The book is just chock full of pictures and interesting tidbits.

(For instance, did you know that even Lennon used a Gretsch very early on?)

Andy also wrote a short piece on this that was included in the special Rolling Stone edition related to the passing of G. Harrison.

Cheers,

[voxjockey]

I guess it comes as no surprise, but it was interesting how many of their guitars ended up stolen...even BEFORE they were famous . Also interesting was the fate of George's first Country Gentleman (run over on the highway).

 

Thanks for steering us to these articles.

 

Gary

[RustyB]

There's a great story about a red Les Paul that George owned, that had previously been owned by Rick Derringer and, after that by Eric Clapton.

 

The guitar hadn't originally been red. Derringer dropped it off at the Gismo factory in Kalamazoo (he lived near there when he was younger) to be repainted. He said it never played the same after the paint change.

 

After Harrison got it, it got stolen and held for ransom down in Mexico. The perpetrator demanded (and got ) an electric guitar and a bass for its return.

 

Harrison said that the guitar was technically still Claptons, so he had to do whatever it too to retrieve it.