Guitar on "Strawberry Fields Forever"???

[E5RSY]

I was listening today and got to wondering about the guitar in the first minute of this cut.

Was it George on the red Strat? John? What was he playing then? The Rick, or was he using the Casino by that point? Anybody know?

I love the sound of the guitar in that song. Any ideas on how to replicate it?

RSY

 

[metropolis74]

John and his Casino. I think wikipedia got it right on this song: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Fields_Forever

 

[Willandthewonts]

Ever heard the demo/acoustic version? It's amazing.

 

[Willandthewonts]

But, yes, the guitar rocks on that tune! It's a brilliant song in almost every way.

 

[hekawi]

yep, John on the Casino...

...about a year and a half before he had the sunburst finish sanded off

 

[E5RSY]

So, I'm thinking I should be able to get close to that sound with my ES-125TDC.

In addition to the finish, didn't he ditch the pickguard, too?

 

[hekawi]

In addition to the finish, didn't he ditch the pickguard, too?

yes he did:

 

[TG]

I wish he'd have left it sunburst. I know I have a weakness for sunburst guitars, but even so I find that with the photo 3 posts up with the garish tie I'm almost compelled to look at the guitar.

But not the pic just above. I've always disliked the look of it stripped.

 

[E5RSY]

I think the natural looks better with the silver p'ups. Black p'ups would have looked better with the sunburst, I think.

 

[elihu]

I wish he'd have left it sunburst. I know I have a weakness for sunburst guitars, but even so I find that with the photo 3 posts up with the garish tie I'm almost compelled to look at the guitar.

But not the pic just above. I've always disliked the look of it stripped.

I was reading an old issue of Guitar Player with George Harrison-George says him and John both stripped their Casinos and "they became much better guitars"...something about letting the wood breathe? FWIW...

 

[Blazer]

Did you ever hear the version that was on "Beatles Love?"



Oh and what red Strat of George are you reffering to, last time I checked he and John had matching blue strats and George painted his with a rockabilly themed thing, but only the front, the back remained blue.

John during the Sgt Pepper sessions with his strat.

Strats feature as early as songs like "Ticket to ride" that droning rythm playing that John does on that song with George Chiming away on his 12 string Rickenbacker is pure strat. Also on "Nowhere man"

 

[Post Toastie]

Theres a pic of Sir Paul playing a Sunburst Tele during this era.I wonder what songs he used that on?:?:

 

[hekawi]

Theres a pic of Sir Paul playing a Sunburst Tele during this era.I wonder what songs he used that on?:?:

actually, it's an Esquire. Paul used it on the Revolver album....i'm thinking on "Taxman". also on Sgt Peppers...maybe "Fixing A Hole", "Getting Better" & "Good Morning Good Morning"?...also believed to have been used on "Helter Skelter" on the White Album

 

[sixstringbastard]

I think Taxman is Paul on a casino.

 

[hekawi]

I think Taxman is Paul on a casino.

you're right. my mistake. John and Paul used the heck out of those Casinos.

 

[Zurdo]

those were the days when an Epiphone was made by a company called Epiphone. John used this guitar in the "Revolution" solo, and the same sound in the jam on "Abbey Road" right before Paul sings "And in the end..."

also used it in the "Let It Be" album and the Rooftop Concert per the picture above;

I always wonder what if any distortion box he used. Clearly the Fender amps in "Let it Be" sucked big time, very cheesy sound. There is nothing like a Vox even today. Ok, so sue me.

 

[Zurdo]

I was reading an old issue of Guitar Player with George Harrison-George says him and John both stripped their Casinos and "they became much better guitars"...something about letting the wood breathe? FWIW...

it's true, what purpose does lacquer have ? it's not sound-filtering, it's just a decorative, protective, sealing coating on wood, it's been done for centuries, first it was Varnish, then Lacquer in the 20th century, and now Urethane in the 21st century.

for example take "Pledge Wood Polish"; It it really WOOD polish? or lacquer finish polish? What exactly are you polishing? Certainly not the wood, it's under a coat of lacquer, in order to polish the wood you have to sand the finish off, and that's what John did. Pretty logical if you ask me.

Pretty soon guitars will come out of a vacuum mold complete with strings, you know, corporate profit margins...

 

[Frodebro]

those were the days when an Epiphone was made by a company called Epiphone.

Gibson bought Epiphone in 1957.

 

[Zurdo]

Gibson bought Epiphone in 1957.

my point precisely, they were Epiphones, not Korean epoxy-dipped Epiphones.

 

[Post Toastie]

Gibson Epiphone were still made in the USA until 1969 then overseas came into play.