Beatles rigs

[Crooner]

I think guitargeek should post the beatles rigs.

after all they the beatles did revolutionize music when it was said that guitar bands were on the way out.

[joeinthebox1980]

Originally posted by Crooner
I think guitargeek should post the beatles rigs.

after all they the beatles did revolutionize music when it was said that guitar bands were on the way out.

read Beatles Gear by Andy Babiuk or go to www.beatlesgear.com and knock yourself out. :)

[Crooner]

i will

[joeinthebox1980]

Originally posted by gururyan
They finally have a paperback (translates: affordable) version of that out. I can finally pick up a copy.

my girlfriend got me the hardcover version when it came out. i read that book cover to cover within a day or so. it's a GREAT book, very in-depth, very focused.

[beatlesgear]

www.BeatlesGear.com is soon to be updated with the addition of the keyboards section and then the guitars and drums to follow. Please be patient because this is a huge undertaking and we are trying our best to report this stuff accurately.

In reference to the book, some of you have noted to me via-email that there seems to be some discrepancies if you compare what is in the book to what is in the website. I did send Andy Babiuk a list of amplifier errors found in the book, so hopefully he will update some of this stuff in his future editions. I noticed he did add the A.C15 and changed the Selmer Zodiac to a Thunderbird 50 in his ltest edition. Of course as a courtesy, I will send him future error lists regarding his book as each section of the gear website opens to the public.


This list was posted by somebody a few months ago over on www.voxtalks.com in regards to the amp errors found in the book compared to the correct info found in www.BeatlesGear.com :

Quad QC11 was ID'd as a Quad 22.

Selmer Selectortone was missed.

Selmer T-Bird 50 was ID'd as a Zodiac.

Vox A.C.4 was missed.

Vox A.C.15 was ID'd as an A.C.30.

A full set of Vox A.C.100 guitar amps were missed, along with Bass version too.

Vox A.C100s were reported to have been given away in a contest when in fact it never happened.

Vox 730 was missed.

Vox 7120 Bass was ID'd as a 4120.

Vox 430 was ID'd as a 4120, there doesn't appear to be a 4120 that was used by McCartney.

Vox Conquerors with 730 speaker cabs were ID'd as Defiants.

Vox Conquerors in the studio such as "Hey Bulldog" sessions were ID'd as Defiants.

Vox Defiants are mentioned everywhere, but there doesn't to be any evidence that the Beatles ever used them, were have been looking hard at the photos. It would be nice if a four vent amp actually turns up somewhere to add them to the list.

The Vox Foundation is mentioned, but it is unknown if it is either a Foundation or Dynamic.

Ampeg was missed.

Fender Princeton was missed,

Fender Deluxe Reverb ("Revolution" promo) was ID'd as a Silverface when it is actually a Blackface.

[joeinthebox1980]

wow! thanks!

and great job on that web site... i really enjoy it.

[guitargeek]

we'd love to post a few live beatles rigs that cover a few pivotal points in their career. this will have to fall under "the work in progress" type rigs we've been posting lately. lot's of info out there and we just want to get it right.

submissions welcomed

[beatlesgear]

What do you guys want to know?

I've tracked them all.

[guitargeek]

maybe a few key live rigs:

hamburg
shea stadium
ed sullivan
etc...

a few thoughts

[beatlesgear]

It would depend on which trip to Hamburg you want to know about. When they first arrived in Hamburg in 1960, it was pretty low end in regards to gear. Paul had his Elpico amp and Solid 7 guitar. George was using his Futurama and Selmer Truevoice. John had his Hofner Club 40 and seems to have been using George's amp also. Stu was playing his Hofner bass along with Pete Best's Watkins amp. By the end of that first Trip, Lennon had acquired his Ric 325, George had acquired his Gibson GA 40 amp, etc. That was the beginning of them stepping up the gear a bit. By the very last trip to Hamburg's Star Club in December '62 they used the house amplifiers, Paul used his first Hofner 500/1, George used his Gretsh Duo-Jet and Lennon used his first Ric 325. I'm still looking for pics regarding to them possibly taking along their Gibson J160Es on that trip.

Sullivan in Feb of '64 was basically the same as the DC and Carnegie Hall shows. Paul used his second Hofner 500/1 and thin edged Vox A.C. 100 head with 2x15 bass cab. Harrison played his second Gretsch Country Gent and had the Tenny as a back-up (off stage), powered by a thin edged Vox A.C.50 Super twin. Harrison received his first Ric 360/12 in New York on that trip as well, but didn't use it until he got back to the UK, except for some rehersals in Miami. Lennon came with his first Ric 325 and received his second one in Miami (used in the second Sullivan show performance), powered by a thin edged Vox A.C.50 Super twin.

Shea Stadium in '65 was McCartney with his second Hofner 500/1 and first 500/1 as a back-up, powered by a thick edged Vox A.C. 100 head with Bass speaker cab. George mainly used his Gretsch Tenny, but his first Ric 360/12 and second Country Gent were both there, powered by an thick edged A.C.100 head and Super Deluxe speaker cab. Lennon mainly used his second Ric 325, but there was also a double rosette J160E there as well, powered by an 80 watt A.C.100 thin edge head from the year before and Super Deluxe speaker cab. Over on stage rightthere was the Vox organ used in the last song of show powered by an A.C.30 on a swivel trolley.

[beatlesgear]

I forgot to mention that all of these amp rigs are listed in www.BeatlesGear.com if you want to check them out, just follow the navigation instructions and you should have no trouble finding your way around the site.

[guitargeek]

nicely done. beatle fans are always wonderfully nutso about these details! any other key live rigs you can think of would be welcomed...

please contact me privately at guitargeek@guitargeek.com to fine-tune these and any other rigs...

[rybread1969]

Oh my god...what a great beatles site. I could get lost in there for quite some time.

[joeinthebox1980]

beatles rigs! yay!