Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Graham: I think the mag article is wrong. Although George had his Fender Stratocaster when 'Day Tripper' was recorded, Lennon didn´t get his Epiphone until much later.

Chris: Yes, of course! I´ll post it here and I´ll send it to you. Just give me some days to scan it and work with the size...etc. Don´t think I´ll forget about it. I won´t.

I read Lennon and Harrison used their Strats. Harrison played the intro, Lennon played rhythm and did the solo as well.

Peter,
the rhythm guitar sounds like a strat to me, too.
And so does the solo. If so,it could be recorded in one take together with the double tracking of George's riff. And George could have used the ES-345 TD with Varitone. I do not know if one can achieve the characteristic sound of the Day Tripper riff with a Gretsch or a Strat. But maybe with the Varitone.

Wolfgang: George didn´t have the ES345 when 'Day Tripper' was recorded in October 1965, he got it at the end of that year, and it seems he didn´t play it in the studio.

Thanks for the pic, Miguel!!

I thirst for new/old Beatle pics.....

This thread kinda proves that perception of guitar tones are pretty much totally subjective and also depend on listener, recording environment, amp, and player. (And a zillion other things)

Certainly does not sound like a rick to me, I guess 345 sounds probably closest. . . but again. . . only in theory.

Kind of amazing that we don't really know what axe recorded the best riff of all time. . . if it really was a strat. . . I might have to join the Dark Side and get one. . . (shudder) buying gear from the MIcrosoft of the guitar world is not a prospect that makes me happy.

Miguel: You're right about the Casino's, I never bothered to check. This just confirms my thoughts that the article is pretty inaccurate.

It does sound to me that the "solo" guitar is different to the 2 guitars playing the riff.

One more "fly in the ointment" on the Day Tripper tone; back around 70'-71', I played a 60s Rick 360 through a Vox Super Beatle[American made/transistor] and was using the "MRB" feature, and ,man, That gave That tone in spades.But George wasn't using That setup, though...

I have gone through my guitars and amplifiers. It is my consideration that the Day Tripper riff was played on a Epiphone Casino using the bridge pickup thorough a Vox. This is pure speculation but to me the P90 nails it. It is also much closer with the nylon saddles than the metal saddles.

Based on sound alone, nearly 40 years later I am going out on a limb with the Epiphone Casino with nylon saddles and bridge P90 pickup through an AC-30. This may have absolutely no basis in reality but to my ears this is very close. Also, the Beatles were certainly using the Casinos a great deal during this time so it is a possibility. QED

Yes, of course. It could be that Paul played the intro with his left-handed 'Casino'. The amps were 'Vox', that´s for sure, for they were using only 'Vox' gear at the studio back then. So if Peter says he has get the sound with his 'Epiphone' and his AC30, surely we have got the solution.
(P.S: the funny face at the end of your post is great! How do you make that?).

Miguel: I think that there are many ways to achieve a "close sound" that solving this question requires more digging. I am not totally convinced that my present interpretation is correct. I am leaning in this direction, however, until someone else comes up convincing documentation.

The smile can be achieved by typing \clipart(smile) but use these brackets {} around the word smile.

Thanks, Peter! That funny face is fabulous! Makes me smile!
I think you could be right with your interpretation. Anyway, it seems that either was a Casino or a Gretsch, but let´s wait and see.
(And now, I´m going to try the 'Funny Face' myself. Here I go!)

But as Miguel said earlier, Harrison and Lennon didn't have their Casino's at this time although McCartney did have his

The sound thing is very subjective. I can tweak my V-Amp 2 and, using my Casino, it will pass for a Gretsch on some of the earlier Beatles recordings probably due to it being a semi-acoustic.

Graham: I don't claim to have the answer to this one, however, some lead riffs during this period were handled by McCartney. Also, there would be no reason why Paul wouldn't have let Harrison play his Epiphone Casino.

Maybe someone can help me here....

I read somewhere recently that McCartney had stated that if he had to pick ONE favorite guitar that he's owned, it would be the Casino....
If that's the case, it would make sense that when he did utilize a guitar, he would use his favorite....