Post by henryj on Jan 18, 2015 2:20:10 GMT
What is your favorite Beatle guitar? The one you would most like to own if you do not already own it. Or do you own any of these guitars?
George:
Gretsch Duo-Jet
Gretsch Country Gentleman (2 slightly different models involving the mutes)
Gretsch Tennessean
Rickenbacker 425 (Hardtail version, later renamed the 420 after Ric added a Bigsby and called that the 425.)
Rickenbacker 360-12 (old-style, with squared off corners)
Rickenbacker 360-12 (new style, rounded)
Fender Stratocaster
Gibson SG
Fender Telecaster
Gibson Les Paul (on Revolution and later)
There is also a photo of George with a Gibson ES-345, with Ringo on an exercise bike.
George and John:
Gibson J-160e
George, John, and Paul:
Epiphone Casino (John’s was hardtail, but Paul’s lefty model and George’s had a Bigsby vibrato.)
John:
Rickenbacker 325
Rickenbacker 325-12
Gretsch 6120 double-cutaway ( purportedly on Rain/Paperback Writer
Supposedly, John also briefly had a Guild Starfire 12 (a 12-string electric).
John also was presented a strange-looking Vox guitar
Paul:
Hofner Viol Bass (Cavern version, with close pickup spacing)
Hofner Viol Bass (Neck and Bridge Pickups)
Rickenbacker Bass (4001 if I’m not mistaken)
Fender Jazz Bass (White album era)
Fender Esquire (Paul used this to play the lead on “Good Morning Good Morning.”)
Not including the various Fender basses George and John played on occasion. I almost omitted the Jazz Bass Paul played on some tunes on the White Album. I also didn’t include any instruments that I didn’t think were heard on recordings from Please Please Me and afterwards, such as the Hofner Club 40 or that Futurama thing. I also didn't include strictly acoustic guitars; the J-160s were included because of the pickups. There may be others I omitted.
To answer my own question, right now, it’s the Gibson SG, such as George played on Rain and Paperback Writer, and maybe some others. My brother has one and it has a really sweet tone. It’s also the guitar most associated the Eric Clapton’s Cream years. IMHO, it’s a rather homely-looking guitar, compared to the Strat, but it sounds great in any pickup position.
I also like the Ric 360-12 old style, except you have to dedicate yourself to it, since the upper-octave strings are on the lower side of the run, favoring upstrokes. Beautiful guitar. (The guitarist most closely associated with the Ric 12, Roger McGuinn, was previously a Scruggs-style banjo player, making him well-adapted to the Ric 12).
I also have a soft spot for Gretsch guitars, and in fact I own one of the lesser-expensive models, the Electromatic 5120. But I have fallen in love with the SG.
George:
Gretsch Duo-Jet
Gretsch Country Gentleman (2 slightly different models involving the mutes)
Gretsch Tennessean
Rickenbacker 425 (Hardtail version, later renamed the 420 after Ric added a Bigsby and called that the 425.)
Rickenbacker 360-12 (old-style, with squared off corners)
Rickenbacker 360-12 (new style, rounded)
Fender Stratocaster
Gibson SG
Fender Telecaster
Gibson Les Paul (on Revolution and later)
There is also a photo of George with a Gibson ES-345, with Ringo on an exercise bike.
George and John:
Gibson J-160e
George, John, and Paul:
Epiphone Casino (John’s was hardtail, but Paul’s lefty model and George’s had a Bigsby vibrato.)
John:
Rickenbacker 325
Rickenbacker 325-12
Gretsch 6120 double-cutaway ( purportedly on Rain/Paperback Writer
Supposedly, John also briefly had a Guild Starfire 12 (a 12-string electric).
John also was presented a strange-looking Vox guitar
Paul:
Hofner Viol Bass (Cavern version, with close pickup spacing)
Hofner Viol Bass (Neck and Bridge Pickups)
Rickenbacker Bass (4001 if I’m not mistaken)
Fender Jazz Bass (White album era)
Fender Esquire (Paul used this to play the lead on “Good Morning Good Morning.”)
Not including the various Fender basses George and John played on occasion. I almost omitted the Jazz Bass Paul played on some tunes on the White Album. I also didn’t include any instruments that I didn’t think were heard on recordings from Please Please Me and afterwards, such as the Hofner Club 40 or that Futurama thing. I also didn't include strictly acoustic guitars; the J-160s were included because of the pickups. There may be others I omitted.
To answer my own question, right now, it’s the Gibson SG, such as George played on Rain and Paperback Writer, and maybe some others. My brother has one and it has a really sweet tone. It’s also the guitar most associated the Eric Clapton’s Cream years. IMHO, it’s a rather homely-looking guitar, compared to the Strat, but it sounds great in any pickup position.
I also like the Ric 360-12 old style, except you have to dedicate yourself to it, since the upper-octave strings are on the lower side of the run, favoring upstrokes. Beautiful guitar. (The guitarist most closely associated with the Ric 12, Roger McGuinn, was previously a Scruggs-style banjo player, making him well-adapted to the Ric 12).
I also have a soft spot for Gretsch guitars, and in fact I own one of the lesser-expensive models, the Electromatic 5120. But I have fallen in love with the SG.