McCartney's early solo gear

milo · Post by **milo** » Tue May 02, 2006 4:37 pm

Is there very much documentation on what amps and guitars Paul used on his first couple of solo albums? I'm sure that the Les Paul and Casino probably played big roles, but what about amps and other guitars?

I've had the albums since they came out but never gave it much thought. I don't recall seeing many pictures of gear before Wings Over America.

bee_atles · Post by **bee_atles** » Tue May 02, 2006 6:02 pm

Hmmm well I can Imagine he use his Epiphone Texan acoustic and his Martin D 28 a bit. But I too would like to know what all he used on his first solo albums before Wings.

fireglo · Post by **fireglo** » Tue May 02, 2006 6:31 pm

I don't think he had a Les Paul at the time of his first solo album. He recorded a lot of it direct into the 4 track. I think he talks about it on Wingspan.

milo · Post by **milo** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:02 am

I thought that he got the first Les Paul right at the end of the Beatles. Didn't Linda buy it for him pretty soon after they were married?

oyoyobeatle · Post by **oyoyobeatle** » Wed May 03, 2006 1:08 am

I never seen the Les Paul with him so early in any Photos...So I believe the guitar was not LP.
I think he used Fender Esquire or Casino...the amps maybe Vox or Selmer.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Wed May 03, 2006 4:19 am

The Gold Top was bought for him in the mid 80's I'm thinking by Linda, and it actually came from a store in Virginia that specialized in Left handed guitars---at least I knew who owned it at one point before Paul...I bought my first Hofner from him in 1979.

fran4001 · Post by **fran4001** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:21 am

My guess too is the Esquire and Casino. And the Rick and Hofner. The LP I didn't start seeing until the late 80s tours.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Wed May 03, 2006 6:52 am

The sunburst Les Paul was bought in the mid to late 80's too. Somewhere around the house I have a Guitar Trader or Gruhn's flyer with the LP listed for sale with a caption under it asking something like "Paul, where are you?"! Soon afterward it was sold and I started seeing Macca with it. I think it's cool that he will tour with the fairly rare lefty '59 burst and his priceless Hofner.

I also believe he was using the Esquire, Casino, and Martin in the early solo years.

jayfbv · Post by **jayfbv** » Wed May 03, 2006 6:56 am

There's a picture inside the Ram album of him playing a non-reverse Gibson Firebird. I forget which model. P90's of course.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed May 03, 2006 10:55 am

Here's a photo of Macca playing a telecaster during the time of his first solo LP.

maplered · Post by **maplered** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:08 pm

It seems he's photographed w/ his Rick bass, jazz bass, and Kay bass in the early 70's. For electric guitars its his Casino, tele and Esquire. I also saw a pick of him w/ a plexi Dan Armstrong guitar.

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Thu May 04, 2006 1:47 am

There's a story floating around that Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick gave him the lefty Les Paul that he now plays in concert.

oyoyobeatle · Post by **oyoyobeatle** » Thu May 04, 2006 2:01 am

Really!? Linda gave him the Gold top '57 as a X'mas Gift...I thought the 1960 LP was like that...But I have never heard the story with Rick Nielsen before. Interesting!!

jwilli · Post by **jwilli** » Thu May 04, 2006 2:15 am

I believe that Linda bought him the '60 LP too.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Thu May 04, 2006 3:57 am

Ah, so it's a '60 burst! I hadn't looked at the add for a long time.

I never heard the Nielson story either, but it's possible.