Threetles Guitar and Basses

[ch willie]

Here're are my three main Beatles geets. At different times, Paul, John, and George played semi-hollows, a LP, a Strat, a Martin D28, and a Tele--got all those covered, but I still need a Gretsch semi-hollow, something equivalent to the Kalamazoo Casino, and a Gibson acoustic. I'm not so bothered to get any of those, but I really would like a 335 to cover the Casino type sound (and of course for other reasons).

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by ch willie

Here're are my three main Beatles geets...I still need a Gretsch semi-hollow, something equivalent to the Kalamazoo Casino, and a Gibson acoustic. I'm not so bothered to get any of those, but I really would like a 335 to cover the Casino-type sound...

In order:

• Gretsch offers both a '62 Country Gent and '62 Tennesseean reissue as part of their Japanese-made Professional Series, so you've got both the '64 and '65 tour periods covered. If you can't handle the $2500+ price of admission I'd strongly recommend one of the Korean-made Electromatic 5400/5600-Series instruments, equipped with either "blacktop" Filter'tron or Super Hi'lo'Tron pickups (the first being a recreation of a late Baldwin-era original with less high end and more gain and upper-mids, the latter a true humbucker based on a modified late-Brooklyn Filter'tron with a single set of exposed polepieces) - I've seen a couple local-level Beatles-tribute groups using one of these as their "George" guitar, and when you run one through an EL84 amp you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference in a live setting (I use my 3-PU 5622 through a Bugera V22 when our band does their annual Beatles tribute show)...
• Back in the '90s Epiphone produced the high-quality Elite/Elitist line of MIJ reissues of their iconic New York/Kalamazoo instruments, among which was a '65 Casino whose quality rivalled its contemporary Gibson counterparts (and which ultimately resulted in the demise of the entire lineup), and there have also been "John Lennon Inspired" models issued in both the standard and Elitist lines and in both "Rubber Soul" and "Rooftop" livery; although they're not currently listed on the Epiphone website, there are still a good number of full-size Casinos in the pipeline (only the 339-size Casino Coupe is currently listed) - one of these could easily be modded to spec. If you really want to go the whole nine yards there was a limited-edition '62 reissue produced several years ago - flip it over and channel your inner Sir Paulie Mac...
• Everything I said about the Casino also applies to the J-160E, which appeared in both Gibson and Epiphone livery over the last two decades; in addition, Epiphone is currently producing both Pac-Rim and USA versions of the Texan - at this point in time it might be easier to score one of the former than a J-160E...
• It's not cheap, but Gibson is producing a mono version of the mid-sixties ES-345 George Harrison was using in late-1965/early-1966 - if you're a stickler for visuals you should probably be able to have one fitted with a Varitone through the Custom Shop. BTW I noticed that you forgot the Maestro-equipped Gibson SG Standard he also used at this time - those have also been reissued, and at a far lower price than the 345...

Hope this helps...

[Beachrunner]

Cool! Here's my stash of Beatles Geets.

[ch willie]

Beachrunner, those are beautiful. Thanks for posting those pics. I love looking at the Casino and the Gretsch.

Steve, thanks a lot for the information.

[ghostnote]

Nice guitars. Hey willie, what model is that Ampeg head in the pic? I have an old B25B that we used extensively in our band back in the day. I'm not sure how old mine is, but I do know they stopped making them in 1979. Can't beat those old Ampegs, they sound great.

[ch willie]

Originally Posted by ghostnote

Nice guitars. Hey willie, what model is that Ampeg head in the pic? I have an old B25B that we used extensively in our band back in the day. I'm not sure how old mine is, but I do know they stopped making them in 1979. Can't beat those old Ampegs, they sound great.

This is a V4B. I'm in love with it. I'd wanted one for many years. I know they aren't made as well as the old ones were, but it sounds great, and a buddy of mine had one of the older ones, and he tried the reissues and said they sound really close to him.

[Beachrunner]

Originally Posted by ch willie

Beachrunner, those are beautiful. Thanks for posting those pics. I love looking at the Casino and the Gretsch.

Thanks, Willie. I probably don't play the Hofner bass as much as I should, but the rest get plenty of play time.