Casinos during Revolver

[SPARKLEJET]

Does anyone know for certain if The Beatles were still using flatwounds on their Casinos when Revolver was made? If any of you out there have Casinos ( I'm sure many of you do ), how are you stringing the guitars? Gauges? Round or flatwound? .

[JakeK]

"Here, There and Everywhere" has clear string noise throughout the song, the only way you get get string noise is from roundwounds.

[wj350]

No idea on what strings they used.

OTOH, I think flats sound great on the Casino; I'm using T-I Jazz/Swing Flat 10s on mine. Actually I think these strings sound great on any hollow or semi-hollow; very warm.

[jdogric12]

I use flats on my Casino and rounds on my Riviera.

[sloop_john_b]

"Here, There and Everywhere" has clear string noise throughout the song, the only way you get get string noise is from roundwounds.

Are you sure that song is the Casino?

[ric325v63]

Check out this link to Rob's To-A-Tee video instructions. He shows two Casinos for this track. This set of 4 volumes is a great Beatles guitar instruction set that attempts to use the guitars that were used on the tracks as much as people know or can figure out.

http://www.to-a-tee.tv/products/beatles4/clips.html

[lennon211]

"Here, There and Everywhere" has clear string noise throughout the song, the only way you get get string noise is from roundwounds.

Are you sure that song is the Casino?

Good point. It could very well be a J-160E plugged in...after all, it's the same pickup.

[wj350]

Being a Paul song, I'm thinking Casino too Jake.

As an aside, big +1 on Rob's "Too A Tee" DVDs.

[SPARKLEJET]

I guess it could be that they went back and forth or Paul may have used rounds and George didn't, etc. However, speaking of the " Too-A-Tee " videos...on the example of how to play "Strawberry Fields", it certainly sounds like flatwounds. It seems to have that dark, definitive, attack. I would like to dedicate my Casino to that sound and that is why I asked if anyone knew for sure. By the way, I am new to the forum ( but not to Ricks ) and await the arrival of a 325V59 I just bought this week.

[ricmic]

Barry, congrats on the new baby. I know you're dyin for it to arrive. Mark

[robertpinter]

According to the book..beatles gear by andy babiuk, None of the bands at that time-including the beatles-cared much about what strings they used, just as long as they were new ! but the only person who would really know besides mccartney himself would have been mel evans- there roadie who was murdered in 1976 ! he cared for all of there needs, strings and all .

[Tommy]

I"Strawberry Fields", it certainly sounds like flatwounds. It seems to have that dark, definitive, attack.

I have two Casinos - one I string with roundwounds, the other has flatwounds. Because of that, they are two very different guitars.

You ask about "Strawberry Fields." If you listen to the outtakes of that song that appear on bootlegs, you can find some versions that have nothing but John and his Casino. You can hear the Casino crystal clear so I always use that as a guide to what strings may have been on John's Casino. What I find is that if I want to duplicate that "Strawberry Fields'" tone I always grab my flatwound Casino. It nails what John is playing perfectly.

No one will ever know for sure flats or rounds and on what song. All I know is that my flatwound Casino can get me closer to many Beatle tunes. And so can my roundwound. That's the thing - both flats and rounds will nail Beatle songs. The Beatles made use of THREE Casinos over the years and on a large number of songs, so the chances are that some had flats and some had rounds. Some songs have the round sound, some have the flat. My advice: Buy a second Casino and do what I do -- string one up with rounds and the other with flats.

[doctorwho]

I use flats on my JL Revolution Casino, D'Addario ECG24 (11-50). They sound great ... but no 'fret noise'!

[JakeK]

Tommy, you're right on that theory, but really, ANY guitar is different when you string it up with flats or rounds. The gauges you choose to use also play a big factor. Big flats can get you that "Strawberry Fields" sound, and smaller rounds can get you that wail and howl of "The End" (John and Paul's parts, George's Les Paul more than likely had rounds). Your Casinos are beautiful, digging the Sunburst on the '65 RI. I take it they are both Gibson made Lennon models?

[Tommy]

Tommy, you're right on that theory, but really, ANY guitar is different when you string it up with flats or rounds.

Oh, you are so right. I strung up my White Falcon with flats and bye bye rock-a-billy, hello sweet smooth jazz tones.

My burst Casino is actually a standard made in Korea Casino that I Lennonized -- black grommet, new pickguard, foil E, blue label. That's the one with flatwounds and she sounds amazing.