 1968: Gibson J-200 acoustic (vintage
unknown): Harrison got this jumbo in America in time for
the "White Album" sessions and afterwards used it for Let
It Be. He can be seen playing it in
the film of the same name during "For You Blue"
and later used it for "Here Comes the Sun." It
remains part of the Harrison estate. |
 1968: 1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard: Once
upon a time John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful had a
gold-top Les Paul Standard guitar. It found its
way to Rick Derringer of the McCoys, who took the well
used guitar back to Gibson and had them refinish it in
cherry red. But after that Derringer didn't fancy
it any more, so he traded it in at Dan Armstrong's
Manhattan shop. Soon Eric Clapton walked in and
bought it, and in 1968 Slowhand gave it to
Harrison. A few weeks later, Harrison picked
Clapton up on his way to Abbey Road, where Harrison had the guitar -- and a
Marshall amp -- waiting for Clapton to add his singular lead track to "While My
Guitar Gently Weeps."  Harrison used this guitar in the
"Revolution" promo film and the sessions for Let
It Be and Abbey Road (notably
on "Something").
In the early '70s, Harrison's Beverly
Hills home was burglarized, and the Les Paul stolen
from under his bed; it wound up at a Guitar Center
store in Hollywood, where a Mexican chap bought it for
$650. After the shop owner discovered it was
Harrison's guitar, he tried to get it back, but the
lucky purchaser wouldn't budge without a personal
appeal from Harrison, not to mention a '58 sunburst
Les Paul and a bass guitar. Harrison still had
this well traveled guitar when he passed on.  1968:1968
Fender
Jazz Bass: Perhaps miffed that other guitar
manufacturers were enjoying the glow -- and profit -- of
Beatles association, Fender sent the band several amps
and guitars, among them a Jazz Bass for
Harrison. He used it infrequently, and there are
almost no photos of him playing it, but Fender's plan
paid off handsomely with another instrument they gave
him (below).
|
 1968: 1968 Fender Telecaster solidbody: This
guitar, rosewood with a maple middle, was a gift from
Fender and one of only two made, and arrived at EMI
Studios one day in December, having made the trip from
the U.S.  in its own BOAC coach seat. Used
extensively on the Let It Be sessions and
prominently seen and heard at the Beatles' last public
performance -- the rooftop concert. After the
breakup, Harrison performed a bit with Bonnie &
Delaney and gave this guitar to Delaney
Bramlett. In 1998 Bramlett, in what I
consider an act of monumental ingratitude, offered it
for auction through Bonham's but withdrew it after his
asking price of $200,000 was not met. In
2003 he offered it again at a Hollywood auction,
insisting that Harrison had recommended he sell it
before somebody killed him for it. Ed Begley Jr.,
bidding for Olivia Harrison, bought it for more than
$470,000, including taxes and premiums. So the
fabled Rosewood Tele has come home. |
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(c)2000, 2015 John F. Crowley