John Lennon and George Harrison are passionate about their guitars and their acquisitions are often coordinated in their purchase, exchange or loan. Their instruments make it possible to establish the list of the best manufacturers of electric and electro-acoustic guitars of their time.
Their first electric guitars in 1959 were Höfner Club 40. In 1960 John acquired a Rickenbacker 325. In 1962 they each buy a Gibson acoustic J-160E equipped with a pickup, a practical solution for a disconnected playing during travel. Add to this list Gretsch, Fender and Martin.
In 1963 George replaces his Gretsch Duo Jet with a Country Gentleman of the same brand. In July the new guitar requires some urgent rework and George needs an instrument for the ongoing concerts. The repair vendor, Barratts in Manchester, lends him a Maton Mastersound MS-500.
This is an excellent opportunity for George to test an Australian electric guitar. Created in 1946 by the May brothers, one of them specialist and machinist of rare Australian wood and the other a guitar enthusiast, Maton is the leader in its Australian market.
The Mastersound meets George's immediate needs : before restituting it to Barratts, he plays it on stage for five weeks. He then returns to the Country Gent.
The Australian guitar is exchanged soon afterward by Barratts with the guitarist of The Cruisers for a Fender Stratocaster. It was sold for $ 485K including premium by Julien's on May 16, 2015. It is estimated £ 300K for sale by Gardiner Houlgate on September 12 at Corsham near Bath, lot 189 here linked on The Saleroom bidding platform. Here is the link to the Guitar department of the auction house.
The Country Gent meets a tragic end in 1965. Not stuck on the roof of the Beatles van, it falls and is crushed by the road traffic. The team is looking for it. A trucker picks up the pieces and tells them "Is this banjo anything to do with you?".
SOLD for £ 280K before fees
Their first electric guitars in 1959 were Höfner Club 40. In 1960 John acquired a Rickenbacker 325. In 1962 they each buy a Gibson acoustic J-160E equipped with a pickup, a practical solution for a disconnected playing during travel. Add to this list Gretsch, Fender and Martin.
In 1963 George replaces his Gretsch Duo Jet with a Country Gentleman of the same brand. In July the new guitar requires some urgent rework and George needs an instrument for the ongoing concerts. The repair vendor, Barratts in Manchester, lends him a Maton Mastersound MS-500.
This is an excellent opportunity for George to test an Australian electric guitar. Created in 1946 by the May brothers, one of them specialist and machinist of rare Australian wood and the other a guitar enthusiast, Maton is the leader in its Australian market.
The Mastersound meets George's immediate needs : before restituting it to Barratts, he plays it on stage for five weeks. He then returns to the Country Gent.
The Australian guitar is exchanged soon afterward by Barratts with the guitarist of The Cruisers for a Fender Stratocaster. It was sold for $ 485K including premium by Julien's on May 16, 2015. It is estimated £ 300K for sale by Gardiner Houlgate on September 12 at Corsham near Bath, lot 189 here linked on The Saleroom bidding platform. Here is the link to the Guitar department of the auction house.
The Country Gent meets a tragic end in 1965. Not stuck on the roof of the Beatles van, it falls and is crushed by the road traffic. The team is looking for it. A trucker picks up the pieces and tells them "Is this banjo anything to do with you?".
SOLD for £ 280K before fees
The guitar that George Harrison played during The Beatles' final appearance at Liverpool’s Cavern Club is coming to auction @GardHoulgate:https://t.co/V2ZEba93q9 pic.twitter.com/CHlPOA091S
— AntiquesTradeGazette (@ATG_Editorial) August 3, 2018
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