Beatles Gear, Revised Edition
by Andy Babiuk, Mark Lewisohn, Tony Bacon
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Book Summary Information
Author: Andy Babiuk, Mark Lewisohn, Tony BaconEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-10-01
ISBN: 0879307315
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Backbeat Books
Book Reviews of Beatles Gear, Revised Edition
Book Review: The Perfect Book for Non Musicians and Musicians Alike
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the perfect book especially for fans because it concentrates on the music and the tools used to make that music. You won't find any nonsense about infighting etc. Like other reviewers have said, Babiuk's book is the product of meticulous research. Every guitar, every amp, and drum kit is included in chronological order, with detailed pictures, and sales invoices ( in the early years when the boys had to BUY their equipment,by 1963 it was being given to them gratis, the various companies seeing it as an honor, and a sales booster that the Beatles were using their equipment).
George: The biggest guitar buff of the group. He was obsessed, and as time went on he aquired so many guitars that I lost count and began to get confused! ( well not really) He even gave some of them names. Even early on when the guys had no money he was the one who seemed to persuade his doting mother to foot the bill ( at Hessy's Music Shop) for a new guitar. Every guitar Mr. Harrison owned is detailed with glorious color pictures and a story to go with it. I remember reading years ago about a Beatle guitar that ended up under the wheels of a truck on some highway. This book reveals that it was his beloved Gretch Country Gentleman, that he used from 1963 to 1965 (when it happened), and the guitar he played on Sullivan. Needless to say, it was reduced to a few smashed pieces laying in the street and the rest was ground under the wheels of the truck (ouch). No matter, Harrison had already moved on to a Gibson SG Standard by this time. (the red one with cutaway horns on each side of the neck.)
You will also read about the 12 strings owned by George and the beautiful sound they made. There is a lot of detail about his Rickenbacker 12s and I was facinated because I didn't know much about 12 strings.
Speaking of sounds this book talks about which guitars were used on which songs and which albums. I don't think any book has ever done this. Now I know for sure that the opening guitar on 'Ticket to Ride' was George's '63 Rick 12 string. And when Paul did a guitar solo,like the ones he plays on 'Taxman','Ticket to Ride',and the many he does on 'Pepper', he always chose his favorite electric giutar, an Epiphone Casino.
Paul: The most frugal member of the group. Even early on it took him a long time to buy a good guitar, and when his crappy Rossetti Solid 7 fell apart in Hamburg, he resorted to piano. Always told by his dad to "never get yourself into dept", when he finally bought his Hofner violin shaped 500/1 bass guitar, he worked out a careful payment plan with the music store. Interestingly, it seems the only reason Paul picked this bass at the time was because it was all he could afford. So it is ironic that it ended up being his favorite, and his trademark. Even when he dropped Hofner from Rubber Soul, through Magical Mystery Tour in favor of the cooler looking Rickenbacker Bass, he ended up going back to Hofner by the Let it Be sessions, and still plays one today. I love the sound of the Rick however. You can hear the difference on the records.
John: He loved his Rickenbackers and was as loyal to a guitar as Paul. When he discovered Rick in Hamburg he stuck to it for the next five years. John liked to tinker with his guitars a lot, something you will find out when you read this fantastic book. And both John and Paul seemed to be less fanatical about aquiring guitars than their lead player was.
Ringo: The story of his many drum kits from a lousy Premier, all of the Ludwigs and finally a beautiful kit that he purchased in 1968,is detailed, as well as the origins of the two famous Beatles logos. This part was extremely interesting.
One very ironic thing I found out is, in the early years the Beatles especially George really wanted Fender guitars, but were never able to afford them, by the time they were successful however, they had already discovered and fallen in love with their own brands. By this time Fender was BEGGING them to use their equipment but it was too late. They were too happy with the Gibsons and Gretches and Hofners and Rickenbackers. Eventually Fender wound their way into the groups hearts ( anything they wanted and all for free of course) and you will read about this towards the end of the book. I won't give anything else away, and even what I did tell you barely covers the exhausting detail you will find in this book. I could not put it down.
Summary of Beatles Gear, Revised Edition
Now in paperback and updated with new material and photos, this acclaimed book is the first to examine the guitars, basses, drums, keyboards, amplifiers - everything The Beatles used to become historyÃ?Â?s greatest rock Ã?Â?nÃ?Â? roll band. It analyzes all the gear and how the trend-setting Beatles played it to sculpt an unforgettable range of sounds. Year by year, Beatles Gear examines in fine detail specific instruments, amplifiers, and other equipment used by each artist - from the pre-Beatle days in 1956-57 Liverpool, throughout the global Beatlemania of the Ã?Â?60s, to the groupÃ?Â?s disbanding in 1970.History & Criticism Books
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