Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

From what I've understood, George Harrison has owned 4 Gretsch guitars in his days with the Beatles had none, but by 1986 only retained one.

If anyone can add to the stories on each guitar, please feel free to. Any info is greatly appreciated.

The first was a '57 Gretsch Duo Jet. In '61 after being fed up with his Futurama, George decided he would buy a Strat (which he didn't acquire until the "Help!" sessions). When a guy from Rory Storm and the Hurricanes bought it before George, he shortly found an ad for a Gretsch (a Gretsch turned out to be what he really wanted). Having the asked amount for the guitar, George bought it and used it all the way until May of '63, when a newer Gretsch came along. George gave this guitar to Klaus Voorman, who gave it back to him in 1986.

The new Gretsch was most likely a '62 Country Gentleman with two "screw down" string mutes. Used until the mutes had given out and had to be repaired. Not satisfied with his Rickenbacker 425, George bought a second Gent. This Gent was initally a back-up to the second Gent during the UK/Scotland tour of winter 1963, as well as The Beatles' Christmas shows, and maybe even the Paris shows and the first America trip (either this or his Tennesean), and by the time of "Hard Day's Night", likely stayed in EMI storage for much of The Beatles studio career.

The second Gent was almost identical to his first (and the reissue has been based on a 1962 model) and the more frequently used Gent. First used on "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (along with Paul's '62 Höfner Beatle bass, surprise surprise), the Gent saw almost all of George's studio action. Although his Ric 360/12 OS was the main guitar on the "Hard Day's Night" sessions, George was able to pull out this Gent for "Can't Buy Me Love", "Long Tall Sally", "I'll Cry Instead" and "Slow Down", possibly "Things We Said Today", "When I Get Home" and "Matchbox". The guitar was also the main 6-string guitar on a fall UK tour of October '64, the two America trips of '64, the Paris trip of '64 as well the trips to Hong Kong and Austraila. I'm not sure if he used it on "Beatles for Sale" or not, if he did, I think MAYBE "Mr. Moonlight" and the outtake "Leave My Kitten Alone" were the only songs. The rest of the "Beatles for Sale" tracks had a Gretsch Tennesean doing the lead work. George did use the Gent throughout the June/July '65 tour of Europe, because he broke a string on his Tennesean during the first song on the first night in Paris and never changed it until he got home, most likely.

The Gretsch Tennesean (again, based on a '62 model) was first used on a taping of "The London Palladium", and was probably a backup to George's second Gent throughout all of 1964. The first song that featured the Tennesean was "Baby's in Black" and the rest of "Beatles for Sale", and for the majority of the "Help!" album. It was during the Second Beatles Christmas show when George made the Tennesean his main guitar throughout all of '65 including the famous Shea Stadium show. The Tennesean was last seen during the taping of "The Music of Lennon and McCartney" and was last used on "What Goes On" during "Rubber Soul", which most of that album features George on a Fender Stratocaster. Probably before the recording of "Revolver", the guitar was probably stolen from an EMI storage closet. But there are said to be photos of George playing his Tennesean during the "Sgt Pepper" sessions, and if anyone has these photos, I would love to see them. Whatever the case may be, George no longer owned his Gretsch Tennesean by the time of the Beatles breakup.

I have a BIG question that I want people to answer for me, if you guys got the answers:
Which Gent was smashed on the British freeway before the opening night of the last Beatles UK tour?
And which Gent was given away to Brian O'Hara of the Fourmost and is today retained by Ringo?

This website (http://www.thecanteen.com/harrison4.html) says it was Gent number 1 that got smashed and number 2 that was given away and retained by Ringo, while "Beatles Gear" says it was number 1 that was given away (and does not state if it was retained) and number 2 that got smashed.

Something else that has me wondering, why did George suddenly rule out Gretsches when it was time to record "Rubber Soul"? He said that he was tired of the sound he had (a Gretsch guitar and a Vox amp), but I wonder if he had plugged any Gretsch (Duo Jet, Gent or Tennesean) into Paul's blond Fender Bassman would he have changed his mind about Gretsches? I know these are all speculations, but one does wonder.

Who owns/once owned or has played any reissue of any of George's Gretsches? If you have played all of them, which one is your favorite? I've never played any of them (shame on me), but based on looks and record sound alone, my favorite is the Tennesean. I like how it has it's twang, but it isn't as twangy as a Gent. It's the guitar I've been having a serious jonesin' for. They are all fine guitars, really.

I have an original `65 Tennessean in the same finish as George's. It was my first Gretsch. It's a great guitar. I didn't buy it because it was like George's, but it was the coolest looking, most reasonably priced Gretsch I could find at the time.

I also have a reissue of the early 50s Duo Jet, the one that predates the George model reissue in that it came with square block inlays instead of the humped or "Tombstone" type, a Melitta bridge instead of a Rocking Bar or Space controller, and the earliest type fixed arm bigsby. The controls and pickups are otherwise just like the George RI. I switched out the Melitta bridge for a Space Controller for better sustain, as well as the fixed Bigsby arm for an old style moveable arm, and bingo-perfect. I didn't buy it to have a George RI per se, but I like the look and feel of those models. This too is a really cool guitar. The Jet series of guitars are a great buy.

I don't like double cutaway Gretsches, or double cutaway guitars in general, unless they're Ricks or Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the later LP Junior/Specials, so I've never bought one of those. I prefer the early, single cutaway Chet Atkins Western Style 6120 models for the money. I love my `55 era Chet Atkins Western style Nashville.

Which Gent was smashed on the British freeway before the opening night of the last Beatles UK tour?
And which Gent was given away to Brian O'Hara of the Fourmost and is today retained by Ringo?

Interesting SUPERtrivia..... do you have a reason for wanting to find this out other than general curiosity?

I have heard several stories about the Gent was smashed and the Gent that was given away. I want to know the truth.

JakeK wrote:Which Gent was smashed on the British freeway before the opening night of the last Beatles UK tour?
And which Gent was given away to Brian O'Hara of the Fourmost and is today retained by Ringo?.

Don't know which is was, but my friend Steve Dudas, who played in the Roundheads for nearly 10 years and still records & writes with Ringo, got to play whichever it is -- along with a few other legendary guitars -- when he visited Ringo's home along with Mark Hudson. Apparently neither Ringo nor Paul never gives away an instrument.

I can't answer your questions, but I wanted to add that back in 1991 I was very lucky to have an opportunity to trade a Peavey Telecaster to a young fella for a 1963 Country Gentleman. I called Duke Kramer and he told me it was from summer/late summer 1963. The only non-original part on it was the bridge. I wonder how many serial numbers it was from George's.

Jake -- I'm a huge Gretsch freak as well as a Rick and Beatle freak. I've read everything I ever could about what happened to which guitar when, and I still don't know. But, my supposition has always been that the first Gent was the one smashed on the road, and it was his second one that he gave away -- and which today may or MAY NOT be in Ringo's possession. I don't know when that crash happened exactly, but we do know he used it in "Help!" in 1965 (recording studio scene) and you mention he used it during a summer European tour. I got the feeling that the smashed guitar happened well before this. I know rock bands did things differently back then, but it's hard for me to believe that as big as The Lads were by 1965, that they were schlepping themselves around the English countryside with their guitars tied to the outside of their car. I'd love to believe that 2nd Gent was still around, and I've read the Mark Hudson story. But would sure love for Ringo to at least publish one pic. You'd think one of the guitar mags would've asked about that sometime.

As for playing those models, well I have played and own them all, but mostly the reissues. My own first "good" guitar was a 1964-65 amber orange double cutaway 6120 for Christmas 1965. It wasn't exactly the Gent I craved, but it was the same shape (and I had to get used to the orange color, but I was only 13), and had all the same parts (single mute instead of double mute, but the mutes were useless unless you were playing "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter"), and it was $100 cheaper than the Gent! And so it became -- and still is -- my sentimental favorite.

In 1997, I got a new 6122-1962 Gent reissue (called the "Country Classic II" at the time). This was before Fender got involved with Gretsch, and there were no mutes, but it was the one guitar I had always wanted since 2/9/64. Some people complain about the pre-FMIC Gretschs, but this one was perfect, and it still is one of my favorites to play. There's just nothing else that sounds like early Beatles (apologies to all the 325 owners).

Since then I've also gotten a Tennessee Rose 6119-62HT and then one of the Duo Jet 6129TDS reissues of George's 1957 original Gretsch. I have to say that first of all, for pure fun, the Tenny is the one that beats them all. I'm a fan of the hollow body guitar, and for some they are too big and boxy, but there's something about the Tenny that just feels good. And it sounds good on any type of music -- rock, country, jazz.

I will say I was slightly disappointed with the Duo Jet. It's a nice guitar, the build quality and playability are great, but it doesn't seem very versatile. It has great clean, chiming tones, but it doesn't take the place (in my mind) of a Les Paul or a Strat for harder rock. Again, that's my opinion, and I have seen rock acts playing various versions of Duo Jets, so obviously my opinion is not the last word here.

And since I'm writing about this in a Rick forum, let me hasten to add that my second good guitar was my 1980 360/12, and I also now own a 360/6 BBR, a 325C58 JG and my other pride and joy -- a 360/12C63. It still gives me a rush to walk into the music room and see those three hanging together -- the Gent, the Rick 325 and the C63. Makes me feel a little "less old".

Very interesting info on the Gretsch's. Question: To all the guys who have posted. I had a mid 60's Gretsch Tennessean which I sold several years ago. The crumbling body binding drove me crazy and couldn't get used to the "floating" bridge...I had heard that the binding problem was common and well known but can anyone explain how to sucessfully deal with the floating bridge and whether or not people end up gluing the bridge down very often out of frustration? Also -
does the "Country Gentleman" that George also used have the same floating bridge? Thanks in advance....

OK, I plead absolute ignorance here, Greg. What's the problem with the floating bridge on a Gretsch? Many other instruments have floating bridges; all violin family instruments, and banjos come to mind immediately. And there may be a few ethnic folk instruments out there as well.
JimK

... not to mention Hofner basses

GSRIC wrote:Very interesting info on the Gretsch's. Question: To all the guys who have posted. I had a mid 60's Gretsch Tennessean which I sold several years ago. The crumbling body binding drove me crazy and couldn't get used to the "floating" bridge...I had heard that the binding problem was common and well known but can anyone explain how to sucessfully deal with the floating bridge and whether or not people end up gluing the bridge down very often out of frustration? Also -
does the "Country Gentleman" that George also used have the same floating bridge? Thanks in advance....

Billy Zoom attaches the floating bridge to the body with two scrws (Silver Jet)
Brian Setzer double stick taped his floating bridge, and my local guitar tech does the same thing. He uses the thin double sided tape, rather than the padded foam type.

jimk wrote:OK, I plead absolute ignorance here, Greg. What's the problem with the floating bridge on a Gretsch? Many other instruments have floating bridges; all violin family instruments, and banjos come to mind immediately. And there may be a few ethnic folk instruments out there as well.
JimK

I would think that if one changed all the strings at once, the bridge would fall off. Easily remedied by changing one at a time.

That's true - I forgot about about all those other instruments having floating bridges, Jim. I guess my main concern was if it moved out of place a little - affecting the intonation? Or does that not really happen and the movement of the floating bridge only affects the height and location of the strings on the neck, if moved?? I had heard of guys who had permanently glued the floating bridges down on Gretschs, though so I assumed it was out of aggrevation.

I change the srings one at a time with all of my guitars. Even if the floating bridge moves, it's usually pretty easy to see where it was on the guitar body and move it back into place.

Exactly Paul. In my experience, the bridges on banjos and fiddles don't move that far out of alignment. You just have to change the strings one at a time.
JimK