Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments from Stage to Studio - Hardcover

Babiuk, Andy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0879306629 ISBN 13: 9780879306625

Publisher: Backbeat, 2002

Synopsis

(Book). We are proud to present this special 2002 "Love Me Do" Collector's Edition! Featuring many previously unseen photographs, this limited run of 1,500 hardcover books has been issued to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles' first Parlophone single, "Love Me Do," and autographed by author Andy Babiuk! Even though their songs are known by millions around the world, only now has a book been published that reveals how The Beatles sounded the way they did. This lavishly illustrated hardcover volume is the first to examine all the instruments and equipment The Beatles used to compose, rehearse, perform and record some of the best-loved popular music of all time. It features over 300 color and black & white photos of The Beatles many never before published as well as prime memorabilia, including instrument sales receipts, manufacturers' ads, concert posters and more. The book's year-by-year format analyzes in detail The Beatles' entire touring and recording career. Beatles Gear was written by Andy Babiuk, a staff consultant to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a 20+-year employee of House of Guitars, and an advisor to auction houses on music-related memorabilia. Includes a foreword by esteemed Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn.

About this title

About the Author

Andy Babiuk has worked at House of Guitars for over 20 years, and is staff consultant for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He worked on the John Lennon commemorative project for the Epiphone Casino and Gibson J-160E limited edition guitars.

Mark Lewisohn (foreword) is an acknowledged Beatles expert and author of The Beatles Recording Sessions.

Reviews

Babiuk takes a unique approach to the Beatles' story by documenting the history of their music equipment. The Beatles are forever associated with particular instruments, and thoughts of them immediately conjure images of John's Rickenbacker, George's large, hollow-bodied Gretch, Paul's signature custom Hofner violin bass (the first left-handed bass the company ever produced), and Ringo on a Ludwig drum kit. Babiuk begins with Lennon's first guitar in 1956 and follows through to the band's final 1969 sessions at the Abbey Road studios. As he shows, their choice of instruments were outlets for their personalities and creativity, and they selected a particular make and model for its individual sound, used that sound to its fullest, and then progressed to the next. Though dubbed "the quiet one," Harrison proved the maverick, continually experimenting with guitars and instruments from other nationalities, leading to the important Eastern influence on the Beatles' music. Babiuk provides marvelous technical detail on all of the Fab Four's gear, with numerous photos of either their own instruments or identical models. A fresh perspective on the group's well-documented history will appeal to hardcore fans and interested lay readers alike. Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Backbeat
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0879306629
• ISBN 13: 9780879306625
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256