The Beatle Invasion

John Lennon’s Guitars Part 18 - Ends and Odds

by gisrael on June 27th, 2008

This is the concluding entry in The Beatles Invasion’s series on John Lennon’s Guitars. Scroll down to read about a few odd instruments John owned and played. See previous entries in the series here:

• Part One: Gallotone Champion Acoustic John Lennon Guitar.
• Part Two: Hofner Club 40 Electric John Lennon Guitar.
• Part Three: 1958 Rickenbacker 325 Capri John Lennon Guitar.
• Part Four: 1962 Gibson J-160E John Lennon acoustic/electric.
• Part Five: 1964 Gibson J-160E John Lennon acoustic/electric.
• Part Six: 1964 Rickenbacker 325 Jetglo John Lennon Electric.
• Part Seven: 1964 Rickenbacker 325-12 Jetglo John Lennon Electric 12-string.
• Part Eight: 1964 Jose Ramirez A-1 John Lennon Classical Guitar.
• Part Nine: 1964 Rickenbacker 325 Fireglo John Lennon Electric.
• Part Ten: 1964 Framus 12-string Hootenanny John Lennon Acoustic.
• Part Eleven: 1965 Gretsch 6120 Hollow-Bodied John Lennon Electric.
• Part Twelve: 1965 Russian Acoustic John Lennon Guitar.
• Part Thirteen: 1961 Fender Stratocaster John Lennon Electric Guitar.
• Part Fourteen: 1965 Epiphone E230TD Casino John Lennon Electric.
• Part Fifteen: 1966 Guild Starfire XII John Lennon Electric 12-string.
• Part Sixteen: 1966 Vox Kensington John Lennon Electric Guitar.
• Part Seventeen: 1965 Martin D-28 John Lennon Acoustic Guitar.

(image source)

Over the years John Lennon made occasional use of some stranger instruments. There was a Hofner 5140 Hawaiian Standard lap steel guitar that he played on For You Blue off Let It Be. There was a Fender Bass VI six-stringed electric bass guitar that both John and George Harrison used occasionally for some particularly low chords. John bought himself a Spanish guitar in 1965, which might be heard on Rubber Soul. In addition, both John Lennon and George received Danelectro Coral electric sitars in 1967. John never used his sitar on record.

In 1968, John bought Bob Dylan a 1966 Gibson J-160E sunburst. Dylan gave it away after John was murdered. It is on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York.

The Hard Rock Cafe in London holds a 1963 Rickenbacker 325, which appears to be signed by John Lennon. My sources dispute the authenticity of this claim.

I hope you enjoyed reading this series as much as I did compiling it. In the future I may expand it to include post-Beatles instruments. But first I think I’ll turn to Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr’s instruments.

History source: thecanteen.com

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John Lennon’s Guitars Part Seven: 1964 Rickenbacker 325-12 Jetglo John Lennon Electric 12-String
John Lennon’s Guitars Part Twelve: 1965 Russian Acoustic
John’s Guitars Part Four: 1962 Gibson J-160E John Lennon acoustic/electric
John Lennon’s Guitars Part Ten: 1964 Framus 12-string Hootenanny John Lennon Acoustic
John Lennon’s Guitars Part Nine: 1964 Rickenbacker 325 Fireglo 1996 John Lennon Electric

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