John Lennon's usage of his 325s during "Beatles for Sale"

[sloop_john_b]

Absolutely a Gretsch on "Words of Love".

[wj350]

Saw a similar thread in another locale, and the recording consensus for the 325/12 seemed to center on "Matchbox" and "Every Little Thing".

Bill

[JakeK]

I'm listening to "Matchbox" right now. Now that you mention it, Bill, I DO hear some octaves in there! That or it's his 325/6 double-tracked. I'm lost now.

[lennon211]

All of this Beatles For Sale talk is making me realize that I want to be playing my 325/12v63. I may have to go pick it up tomorrow to play some of these songs. While I'm at it, I might as well pick up the J-160E and 325v63

[wj350]

All of this Beatles For Sale talk is making me realize that I want to be playing my 325/12v63. I may have to go pick it up tomorrow to play some of these songs. While I'm at it, I might as well pick up the J-160E and 325v63

Sounds like a solid plan for the day!!

[ric325v63]

This talk makes me want to kick myself because I almost bought one of the few 325/12s that were made in 1999. Even a few years after that I saw one for sale by Mike Parks and passed on that! KICK-KICK-KICK!

[JakeK]

Could John have used the 325/12 on "Slow Down"? I'm hearing some octaves in the rhythm part...

[JakeK]

I've finally got a list of songs that John could have used his 325s on, after a good long listen of songs:

325/6:
You Can't Do That
Tell Me Why
A Hard Day's Night
When I Get Home
Long Tall Sally
I Call Your Name
Slow Down (6 or 12, can't tell that well)
Matchbox (6 or 12, can't tell that well)
Leave My Kitten Alone
Rock and Roll Music
Kansas City/Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Ticket to Ride
If You've Got Trouble
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Bad Boy
What Goes On
You Won't See Me
The Word
Day Tripper

325/12:
Slow Down (6 or 12, can't tell that well)
Matchbox (6 or 12, can't tell that well)
Every Little Thing

After October 1964, John never used his 325/12 again, only to keep it in an EMI storage closet, and stayed there until an "Abbey Road" session (according to Beatles Gear). After the end of 1965, we would never see John again holding his '64 325/6. I think John retired from using Rickenbackers after 1965, and just used mostly Fenders, Gibsons and Epiphones for electric guitars.

[deaconblues]

Very comprehensive, Jake! Thanks for putting that together.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Some say he played his 325 on the week he died...possibly his last recording:

"Obviously, John had a special fondness for his original 325 as it was the one chosen to be restored, despite the fact that the '64 325 was in need of a further headstock repair Some sources say that John used the '58 325 on the 'Double Fantasy' and subsequent 'Milk and Honey' sessions. It is thought that John's last work on the track "Walking On Thin Ice" (early December 1980) was played on this guitar. Bitterly ironic is the knowledge that the last guitar used by John may have been his old favourite."

...from http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/lennon325.html

[deaconblues]

We're talking about the second here, which Lennon described as 'playing like ca-ca' in the 70's.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

I know...I should have been more specific...I was responding more to "I think John retired from using Rickenbackers after 1965".

I often read that he liked the smaller scale back when he refused to wear glasses...

[deaconblues]

Yeah, he seemed to have a bit of nostalgia for the Rickenbackers after he left the Beatles...too bad there's hardly any information on that period.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

I seem to recall a picture of him, maybe from that last Annie Leibovitz session, in his bedroom playing a Stratocaster...looked like it was sort of stationed there for when he felt like playing. I don't see that pic anywhere on the Net, though.

[shamustwin]

Keep in mind on the songs mentioned, George Martin was often playing piano, which may account for some notes sounding like octaves.