What Guitar Strings Did The Beatles Use?

The history and music of the Fab Four
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carr
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Post by carr »

Im struggling to remember what strings were available during the late 60's. I seem to remember selmer and I definitely remember Burns strings......... I used Burns Black Bison Plastic wrapped strings on my bass ... In those days strings were called either tape wound or wire wound .. which probably relates to flat or round..
ricnvolved

Post by ricnvolved »

Larry-- All of us are hoping that maybe you could provide us with that information.
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Post by larrywassgren »

Jeffery, I'm afraid nobody on the planet could answer that question. Not even Paul as he just wasn't into it and has admitted so in his 'long, shiney ones' comment. George has never mentioned what brands of strings The Beatles played, but has mentioned he was annoyed by the fact they were too stiff and they had a hard time playing the riffs the early American rockers were playing because the British strings were 'like cables'. We can only take an educated guess on this. I would say The Beatles were using flat-wounds the majority of the time they played Liverpool and Hamburg. Once they came to America they would be famous for over a year already and would have access to even more round-wound strings than just the Gibson round-wounds available in Liverpool and London. John's Rickenbacker 325/12 still has the original strings on it so we know he only played that with flat-wound strings. I also believe George only used flat-wounds on his 360/12 as it has that sound. I saw DB122 in Japan and today it has round-wound strings on it. Who knows what year they were put on? I would say the odds are John's second 325 had flat-wounds for all the records it was used on(it has that tone). But, for anyone to say 'they absolutely used flat-wound strings on You Can't Do That' is not being fair. There are just too many factors that effect tone in the recording studio. Once The Beatles got into the Casinos and the SG I believe the strings were all round-wound at that time. These guitars left the factory with round-wound strings. We know George commented about his dislike for the heavy flat-wounds, so why would he change the round-wounds on his Casino for flat-wounds?
jazzsmith

Post by jazzsmith »

I've been really happy with the roundwound Pyramids on all my electrics - from a '64 SG to a '59 Jazzmaster to a '66 Tennessean which sounds more "George-like" to me than when it had Pyramid flats on it. But now I have just purchased a '67 360/12 and I'm going with the flats this time. It already rings out, so we'll see if the Pyramids will make it sound even better. As Pete Townsend said, "You've got to use tapewounds on your Rickenbacker 12-strings".
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Post by jeff »

This might put to rest some of the mystery surrounding what strings The Beatles used in the early Liverpool and Hamburg days. I just recently purchased a new book called "The Beatles: The True Beginnings" by Roag Best (with Pete & Rory Best). It's a $35 hardcover book which chronicles the early Casbah Coffee Club days with wonderful anecdotes from Paul McCartney, Cynthia Lennon, Neil Aspinall, Astrid Kirchherr, Klaus Voorman, Howie Casey, Ken Brown, and of course Pete & Rory Best, and various others about The Beatles earliest appearances. With lots of photos of the Casbah as it looks today and photos of various memorabilia including the pink caps The Beatles wore in Hamburg (in tribute to Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps), Lennon's harmonica, Harrison's Futurama guitar, and the "Dansette" record player that was used in the club just to name a few. Anyway, back to the string 'mystery'. On one of the two page full color spreads of the memorabilia shown in the book is the contents that were found inside one of Pete Best's drum cases. They are the crumpled and tattered remains of a few string packets and a few loose strings. The packets clearly show 'Cathedral' and 'Hofner' as the brands in question. There is one more different packet, but I can't seem to make it out. Maybe someone else out there who owns this book can solve the mystery of the 3rd packet (if it is even a string packet?).
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Post by admin »

Jeff: Excellent. This validates Larry Wassgren's research. Can you scan the photo and send in a large jpg file?
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Post by beatlesgear »

Both Larry and I were there last year when Pete re-opened the Casbah, it was pretty cool watching Pete playing away down there in the basement. I didn't buy the book because it didn't have anything "new" in it that I didn't already have, but I remember seeing the pic you are talking about. If they did use Hofner strings, they were made by the Jungers (Pyramid). I've been to the old Hofner factory site and you can walk to the Pyramid factory within a few minutes from there. Hofner has always had a strong relationship with Pyramid, they have always received their electric guitar strings from them.
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Post by jeff »

Sorry Peter, I'm not set up for scans on my side (I'm in the plating department) here at work. I'll see about trying to bring the book in and see if the guys across the hall over in scanning can do it for me tomorrow. Hopefully I won't get into trouble for doing it. I'll try to get back to you tomorrow.
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Post by admin »

Thanks to Jeff Jerdon who sent in the most brilliant scan of some of the contents from one of Pete Best's drum casses.
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Post by admin »

By popular request, here is the image of the third set of strings in Pete Best's drum case. For those of you who can identify this make from a sample you have in your closet left over from the 1960s, please let us know the name.
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Post by larrywassgren »

ivor mairants, this info comes from Alan Stratton, Black Cats, & Kansas City 5, Liverpool, England, the world....
toneman

Post by toneman »

Right on the money Larry!!! Cool scans! Thanks!!
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Post by larrywassgren »

Nick, I didn't know you were at The Casbah too. I had a great time. Besides meeting Pete and his daughters again I also had a good talk with my friend Ken Brown(who is still working on his book) and also got to meet Chas Newby who filled in on bass after The Beatles returned home from their first trip to Hamburg. The original drummer for the Remo Four was there too. Chas Newby was playing the night all the fans rushed to the stage at Litherland Town Hall and that was known as the beginnings of Beatlemania. And yes, he did remember that actually happening. I was in The Casbah in 1987 too as they opened it for one day during The Beatles Convention. Mona Best greeted everybody at the door and Pete was there too. I sent them a Christmas card that year and Mona sent us one back with a nice note in it. The Best's really are a great family and I believe Pete is still more of a hero in Liverpool than Ringo(especially to the rockers who are now in there 60's). And, they will all tell you he was a great rock drummer with the atom beat. Bob Wooler saw The Beatles play at The Cavern 292 times so he would know why Pete was booted out. He said it was jealousy. Mainly from Paul. The book is worth it just for the picture of Mona Best with the family dog named Satan. Great stuff.
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