Beatles Home Studio Instruments

cowboy_joe · Post by **cowboy_joe** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:32 pm

Hi gents, I'm curious about the various home studio setups of the Beatles. Since they really didn't have that many instruments, especially in the early days, I'm curious what they used for writing sessions and practices outside the studio. Especially John--after his J160e was stolen, was he playing some other acoustic on his own time, or did he just pinch George's? I'd love to hear from anyone with any speculation on what was going on. Thanks, Joe.

leesh · Post by **leesh** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:26 am

In the "Imagine" video there is a shot of John's studio and it shows both John and George playing John's (which was George's) stripped J-160E (with the Yoko & John caricatures).

There is also some video out there from Paul McCartney showing him making use of his Casino & 4001 in the 80's. The "spies like us" video (you can search for it on YouTube) shows him playing all of the instruments on the track including the Casino and 4001.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:00 am

In the early days I doubt they had much of a studio outside of the studio at all. After all, the technology was stone age compared to today.

cowboy_joe · Post by **cowboy_joe** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:09 pm

Great pictures, Kent, I think I've seen a couple of them in passing, but it's fun to see John (with glasses) and Paul sitting there jamming together. I guess these shots would seem to indicate that Lennon at least used somebody's Gibson jumbo when he was working alone.

As a side note, does anybody know if the white Telecaster hanging on the wall of Lennon's studio in the Imagine footage was ever used? I don't specifically hear it on the album, but I haven't listened that closely either.

geschwader · Post by **geschwader** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 12:34 am

The lower left photo was taken by Paul's brother Mike in late 1962. According to Mike, they were working out I Saw Her Standing There, so the J-160E would be John's first one, before it was stolen a year later.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:15 am

Are you talking about this telecaster Joseph? I know Lennon used a few during the 'Mind Games' and 'Walls & Bridges' sessions, but don't know if one was used during the 'Imagine' sessions.

cowboy_joe · Post by **cowboy_joe** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:01 pm

Jeff, if I recall correctly, the Tele on the wall during the Imagine sessions was white with a rosewood fretboard. It may have been just a random guitar he picked up and never seriously used, but I remember it stuck out because it was the only electric on the wall, among about six acoustics, including the J160, the resonator from the Plastic Ono Band sleeve, and a Yamaha 12 string.

I've never seen the Tele in the shot you have there before, I know he had at least two black models (one with a neck humbucker), but that one is new to me.

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 4:55 pm

Nice pix.... the shadowy outline in the background looks like it might be Phil Spector....?