 1966:
1964
Gibson SG Standard
solidbody, cherry red; Ser. #227666: This guitar, equipped
with a Gibson Maestro Vibrola w/ lyre-style cover, was first used during
the Revolver sessions, and was featured on the promo film
for "Lady Madonna" and the recently reconstructed "Hey Bulldog" video.
It makes its only public appearances on 1 May 1966 at the NME Poll Winners
concert in Wembley (photo below), and a few weeks later in Munich at the
first show on the '66 tour. Sometime in 1969 Harrison gave this guitar
to the band Badfinger, and after a dispute, Pete Ham aced out fellow guitarist
Tom Evans and kept the SG. 
He used it extensively on tour and in the studio, notably on "No Matter
What" and "Baby Blue." Just before his suicide in April 1974, Ham
left this guitar at his brother John's home. After keeping it stored away,
John Ham took it out in 2002 and loaned it to the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame after they'd contacted him regarding a Badfinger retrospective.
In 2004, Ham sold it through a Christie's auction in NYC for £294,000
($570,000) to an anonymous bidder.
Note: This SG is not to be confused
with another SG given to Harrison by Eric Clapton but apparently not used
in any Beatles project. Also not to be confused with a red SG used
by Badfinger bandmate Joey Molland. |
1965:Gibson
ES-345-TD (tobacco sunburst, stop tailpiece; vintage '63-'65).
It's been reported that one of the Moody Blues loaned this guitar to Harrison
after his Country Gent was smashed on a roadway on 2 December '65, but
photos from the "Daytripper" and "We Can Work It Out" video session of
23 November show Harrison playing this guitar, so another myth bites the
dust. Other photos show him using it on the December British tour,
but after that -- nothing. It doesn't show up in current photos of his
collection, so it may just be one of those guitars that passed through
his hands. I wish I had more to report, but that's show biz.
Harrison, as Lennon had done, stripped the finish off his Casino (right).
"They became much better guitars," he said in a Guitar Player
interview. "I think that works on a lot of guitars: If you take the
paint and varnish off, and get the bare wood, it seems to sort of breathe."
This guitar hangs on Harrison's wall.
