Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments, from Stage to Studio by Andy BabiukPublication date: November 2001
How much did John Lennon's aunt really pay for his first guitar? (Answer: A lot more than is commonly thought).
Learn this, and other little known facts about the "fab four" and their gear, in Backbeat's meticulously researched, and lavishly illustrated, year by year chronicle Beatles Gear, featuring previously unseen photography.
In just 10 short years, The Beatles forever changed the sound, shape and look of popular music and pop culture around the world. Beatles Gear is a publishing landmark - the first book to focus exclusively on every guitar, bass, drum, keyboard and other instrument used by them both on stage and in the studio during their quest for musical perfection. It is a celebration not only of The Beatles' unique sound - but of precisely how it was made.
Year by year, this chronicle told through the reminiscences of The Beatles' colleagues - road manager Neil Aspinall, roadie and confidant Mal Evans, manager Brian Epstein, instrument manufacturers and many others. The author performed years of painstaking research, interviewing more than 400 sources, including Fred Gretsch of Gretsch Guitar Co., William Ludwig of Ludwig Drum Co., John Hall, owner of Rickenbacker Guitar Co., Christian Benker, owner of Hofner Bass, and Dick Denney of Vox Amplifiers. Other research included discussions with George Martin at the Abbey Road Studios, plus Ginger Baker, The Beach Boys, Ravi Shankar and Tony Sheridan.
Andy Babiuk is an expert on The Beatles. He is an avid guitar collector with more that 70 in his current collection. He is guitarist for The Chesterfield Kings and works at the House of Guitars. A former staff consultant for Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Babiuk advises auctionhouses on music-related memorabilia and worked on the John Lennon commemorative project for the Epiphone Casino and the Gibson J-160E limited edition guitars.