The Beatles are so influential, that pretty much most of the gear they’ve used (and been photographed with) has become almost as iconic as the Fab Four themselves. The Beatles’ history has been well-documented and we all know they used Rickenbacker guitars, Gretsch Country Gentleman, Vox AC30, Hofner Violin Bass, Gibson J-160e acoustics and so on.

Unfortunately, not everyone can afford the same gear – most of which still in production and available today, thanks, in no small part, to the band’s popularity and continued influence.

The Beatles on stage: Paul McCartney and his Hofner bass; George Harrison and a Gretsch; John Lennon with his Rickenbacker; and Ringo.

The good news is – there’s a lot of great quality gear at a fraction of the price, and which will get you in the ballpark, both in terms of sound, and looks.

Beatles-style Guitars 

Eastwood Classic 6 DLX, a great alternative to the Grestch as used by George Harrison… 

Epiphone EJ160e VS: a good few years ago, Epiphone released the EJ-160e John Lennon signature, which was the first truly affordable version of the Gibson J-160e as used by John and George on several Beatles tracks.

The John Lennon model has been discontinued, but thankfully the current (non-Lennon signature) model is still available!

Eastwood Classic 6: for those who can’t afford a Gretsch Country Gentleman as used by George Harrison in the early years of The Beatles, the Eastwood Classic 6 is a truly stunning alternative. Also available with Bigsby, the Classic 6 is as close as it gets without breaking the bank:

Harley Benton Beatbass: this is one of the most affordable Hofner-style, violin basses around, and should be good enough to make you feel like a budget Macca! You might find better violin basses out there, but for the price it’s hard to beat…

Of course, The Beatles famously played Epiphone Casinos, which are still in production and not that expensive. When it comes to Rickenbackers, though, we’re not that lucky – the brand is really harsh with competitors who try to copy their (expensive) designs, so you won’t find good quality, new replicas around. The best bet is to try and find cheaper copies on Ebay.

John Lennon and his Epiphone Casino

Beatles-style Amps

For early Beatles, you gotta go the Vox AC30 route, of course! Today’s player on a budget (and those who don’t want a big heavy amp….) will be more than happy with the more affordable Vox AC15VR, which nails the classic Vox tone at a fraction of the price – and looks great, too:

Vox AC15VR… perfect for Beatles fan on a tighter budget

The most-used amp on Beatles record, however, was the Fender Bassman. One of the best amps ever, quite hard to beat… but for modern soundalikes (as much as possible…) on a smaller budget, you can’t go wrong with the Fender Bassbreaker series, or even the Peavey Delta Blues 115, which has a fantastic Fender-like tone and quite cheap on the second-hand market.

Beatles-style FX pedals

The Beatles were early adopters of fx-pedals, but their use was limited to a few songs, in the studio only. For instance, George was photographed fiddling with a Maestro FuzzTone in the studio; John used a Wem Rush PepBox  on Paperback Writer, and Paul used a Vox Tone Bender on his bass in Think For Yourself. All of them have been reissued “boutique-style” and can be found reasonably easily online, if not exactly cheap.

Paul McCartney Tone bender MKI, 1965B

The Way Huge Havalina fuzz is a well-priced modern option – a germanium fuzz that does the Tone Bender sound really well!

Other than that, George used some Wah in the later days of the Beatles, so the Vox Wah or Dunlop Cry Baby will be just perfect.

More interestingly, you can also get a few FX pedals to achieve some sounds from the Fab Four psychedelic era – reproducing the sounds of other instruments and studio effects used by the Beatles in the studio: 

• Get the Electro-Harmonix MEL9 pedal for near-perfect Mellotron sounds, such as in the flutes heard in the intro of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. The great thing about this pedal is that you can eighter plug your guitar to it and create what sounds like a background Mellotron accompaniment, when you blend effects and dry sounds, OR, you can plug a keyboard to the pedal and play wet-signal only, as if it as a real Mellotron. Even a cheap Casio will sound like something out of a Beatles record!
• Get the Electro-Harmonix Lester K for Leslie rotating speaker effect widely used by the Beatles, in tracks such as ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ (George’s guitar), ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ (John’s vocals) or ‘Something’ (rhythm guitar).
• Get any digital reverb delay pedal which features reverse delay, for the backwards guitar sounds heard on some tracks such as ‘Rain’. TC Electronics makes some wonderful delay pedals with reverse delay, but even a cheap Behringer EM600 will help you to achieve those sounds.

This Reverb.com video suggests other pedals you can use, too, to reproduce the sounds of specific Beatles tracks:

How to Sound Like The Beatles… On a Budget from MyRareGuitars.com

Singer, songwriter, star guitarist. Glen Campbell had a fantastically rich musical career – spanning different genres, instruments and playing with some of the greatest names in music. Not to mention stints as TV presenter and award-nominated acting roles! With over 45 million records sold, Campbell was also a true crossover artist like few other musicians before or since – with 48 country hits and 34 pop hits between 1967 and 1980.

His attitude was the he didn’t really care about being bound to “genres”, but just about whether something was good:

“I felt my music wasn’t aiming at anybody. Everything I was doing was because it was a good song” he once said.

From a guitarist perspective, there’s no doubt he was an inspiration to many, being one of the most notable players of baritone guitars – and, for us fans of vintage and rare guitars, a look at his instruments over the years is nothing less than mouth-watering!

Here’s just a few reasons why Glen Campbell was such a musical legend, who won’t be forgotten:

1) He was a former member of the Wrecking Crew

The Wrecking Crew was the greatest assembly of session musicians ever – the L.A. group played in innumerable legendary sessions, and, with Campbell, performed on tracks by names such as Bobby Darin, Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, the Monkees, Nancy Sinatra, Merle Haggard, Jan and Dean, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Phil Spector.

One of the session tracks featuring Campbell is The Beach Boys ‘I Get Around’:

Despite the Wrecking Crew featuring so many extremely talented people, only Glen went on to become such a massive solo star in his own right – some feat!

2) He was a touring member of The Beach Boys…

Carl Wilson and Glen Campbell ready for another Beach Boys gig

As part of the Wrecking Crew Glen also played on the sessions for Pet Sounds, but, before that, he also toured with the Beach Boys in 1964, replacing none other than Brian Wilson  on bass and vocal harmonies, while Wilson recovered from a nervous breakdown. No small job!

And once a Beach Boy, always a Beach Boy – Glen joined the band onstage on a number of other occasions since.

3) … and Brian Wilson was forever grateful

As a “thank you” to Campbell, Brian Wilson wrote him a wonderful song, ‘Guess I’m Dumb’, one of Glen Campbell’s finest moments – with the Beach Boys singing backing vocals!

Wilson, unsurprisingly, was one of the first to pay tribute to the news of Campbell’s passing:

4) Glen Campbell introduced America to Cream

During his stint as a TV show host, Campbell was the man who introduced Cream to mainstream America. His TV show brought together a very diverse mix of musical acts, which people paid attention to thanks to his popularity as a performer himself. Respect.

Coincidence – or not! – only 2 weeks after Cream’s appearance on Glen’s show, the band entered the Top 10 with “Sunshine Of Your Love”. Other songs on that same week’s Top 10 included The Doors (who Glen had once opened for) at #1 with “Hello, I Love You”. Mason Williams (who was a writer on Glen’s show) close behind with “Classical Gas” while the 5th Dimension (who appeared on Glen’s show & had big Jimmy Webb hits!) were on #3 with “Stoned Soul Picnic”. And that was not all – “Lady Willpower” by Gary Puckett & the Union Gap was at #7 featuring Glen on guitar, and the Vogues had their first Top 10 in three years with (the Glen Campbell-penned) “Turn Around, Look At Me”.

5) He was an award-nominated actor…

What was the last time you heard of a celebrated session musician who went on to join one of the biggest bands in the world, and who was also nominated for a Golden Globe? Exactly – but that was Glen Campbell for you… nominated for “Most Promising Newcomer” for his turn on the original ‘True Grit'(1969)! 

6) … and an Oscar-nominated songwriter!

Glen was brilliant until the end. After announcing his retirement due to Alzheimer’s, Glen recorded his final song, “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” with members of the Wrecking Crew, for the documentary “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me.” The result? A heart-breaking beauty that got him nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar at the 87th Academy Awards!

7) Glen inspired a generation of younger rock musicians

Like Johnny Cash before him, Campbell branched out to perform modern rock’n’roll songs in his later years, covering tracks from bands as diverse as U2, Foo Fighters and Green Day on one of his last albums. Musicians who lined up to work with him in his final records include Paul Westerberg from the Replacements (who wrote Ghost On The Canvas), Jellyfish, The Wallflowers singer Jakob Dylan, Chris Isaak, Rick Nielsen and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins.

8) ‘Wichita Lineman’

The song, written by Jimmy Webb, is arguably Glen Campbell’s greatest moment. A timeless classic, which also inspired many guitarists to try a baritone guitar!

9) All those guitar solos…

At the end of the day, we can’t underestimate Glen Campbell as a guitarist… what a wonderful player! This video compilation says it all:

10) …and let’s not forget the guitars!

Besides having introduced the baritone guitars to many players, over the years he could be seen playing some amazing guitars, including many Mosrites which, as those who are familiar with My Rare Guitars will know, is one of our favourite brands!

Here’s some of our top Glen Campbell guitar photos:

Glen Campbell and a Mosrite 12-string

Glen Campbellin the studio with a Mosrite Celebrity III semi-acoustic

Glen Campbellin with a Ovation semi-acoustic

Glen Campbell and a Gretsch Country Gentleman

Glen Campbell and a customised Mosrite Californian dobro guitar

Young Glen Campbell with his Teico T60

Read more:

Glen Campbell: the guitar prodigy represented the best of pop and country

Remembering Glen Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) from MyRareGuitars.com

‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Love Me Tender’, and ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’ bring only one name to mind – Elvis Presley. Even though the 50s and 60s icon was not the greatest of the guitarists of his time, the instrument played a significant role during his performances.

According to the History Channel’s sources, Elvis – the King of Rock N’ Roll – was only eleven years old when he got his very first instrument on January 8, 1946 and began to practice guitar in a space at home. Throughout the years the King accumulated over seventeen guitars including the Gibson J-200 from 1956, and the famous Martin D-18 from 1942. Here we’ll tell you a bit about each of these legendary instruments. 

Elvis Presley’s Martin D-18

Elvis Presley’s Martin D-18

Historical notes indicate that Elvis’ Martin D-18 is a handcrafted masterpiece that was created in the year of 1942. The instrument was designed by Martin guitar factory in Pennsylvania on January 15. Martin produced about 326 style D-18 guitars that year alone, however, that was considered a low number due to restrictions.

Elvis’ Martin D-18 features:

• 40 1/2″ total length
• 20″ body length
• 15 5/8″ body width  and a 4 7/8″ body depth  
• Mahogany neck
• 20 fret Rosewood fingerboard with a 25.4″ scale length
• solid Spruce top
• Mahogany back and sides
• Rosewood bridge
• Black Boltaron® endpiece
• Black/White binding

Elvis’ Martin D-18 was said to be installed with Kluson sealed case tuners, which wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for guitarists in the 50s. The King’s Martin D-18 was given to the Country Music Hall of Fame in the year of 1974 where it resided till 1991 after it was purchased at an auction by a British collector. Only two years later in 1993, the instrument made its way to Michael Malone, who paid $151,700 for it. Since 1998, the guitar has been displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Elvis Presley’s Gibson J-200

The Gibson J-200 was purportedly Elvis’s all-time favorite acoustic guitar. Its sound was perfect for the new up-coming mix of blues and country music that was swiftly gaining mainstream popularity in the 1950s.

Elvis Presley’s Gibson J-200

Elvis’ Gibson J-200 features:

• 25 1/2″ scale length
• 17″ x 21″ x 4.5″ body with a solid Sitka Spruce top
• Solid eastern curly maple back, sides and neck
• Rosewood fretboard
• Moustache bridge featuring Mother of Pearl Crown inlays on the fretboard

The Gibson J-200 was considered one of the best of its time, as it produced maximum volume and clarity. The unique sound of Elvis’ Gibson J-200 can be heard in movies like ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘King Creole’ and ‘G.I. Blues’.

Interestingly, the King of Rock N’ Roll was drawn to the guitar out of admiration for his predecessors who dazzled the audience with their performances in hopes that he too would accomplish the same, which he certainly has.

– Article by Sally Writes

Elvis Presley’s Acoustic Guitars: Martin D-18 and Gibson J-200 from MyRareGuitars.com

There’s just something so cool about a Bigsby vibrato, doesn’t it? Well, not everyone will agree with this, but they look sturdy and go well with most kinds of guitars – unlike Fender-style vibratos (also wrongly known as tremolo arms). 

Two different Bigsby vibratos

Nothing wrong with Fender vibratos – especially the Jazzmaster / Jaguar ones, of course, as any My Bloody Valentine fan will agree. “Floating tremolos” can be fantastic. But can you image a Les Paul with a Fender trem? Exactly – sometimes, only a Bigsby will do!

Besides, Bigsby vibratos were designed so they can be easily retro fitted to most types of guitars – so pretty much anyone with a hardtail guitar can easily modify it with a Bigsby, whereas if you wanted to fit a Fender-style trem, for instance, it’d be more complicated. (Check Bigsby for sale here)

If you still have any doubts about it, here’s our pick of Top 7 very different guitars with Bigsby vibrato, as played by famous guitarists. Post a comment to let us know which one is your favourite, or whether we forgot a guitar that should be here!

7) Airline 3P: PJ Harvey, Ripley Johnson, G. Love, Jeff Wootton

PJ Harvey and her Airline 3p

Polly Jean Harvey is not just an amazing singer and gifted songwriter – she’s got a great taste in guitars, too! After playing Gretsch, Gibson Firebird and Fender Telecaster and Jazzmaster, she chose a (vintage) Airline 3P with Bigsby.

Airline 59 3P DLX

Since then, we’ve seen many more guitarists choosing this model. Users of Eastwood’s Airline 59 3P DLX include Ripley from Wooden Schjips / Moon Duo (who now plays his signature 3P), G. Love (who’s also got his own signature guitar), and Jeff Wootton of Gorillaz.

Whereas some people might thing an Airline 2P looks “too Jack White”, the 3P with Bigsby is even more versatile and ideal for guitarists who want to experiment.

6) 1959 Les Paul Standard, the “Keefburst”: Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor

Keith Richards and his 1959 Les Paul

Some of us (maybe most!) might say that a Les Paul is better with its traditional hardtail bridge, but we perhaps wouldn’t even be talking about Les Paul guitars if not for this model – the legendary Keefburst. Why? Well, for the simple reason Keef was the first notable player to play a sunburst Les Paul. He used it on the Rolling Stones’ first US tour and extensively on TV shows and recordings, such as “The Last Time”. 

A Keefburst-style Les Paul with Bigsby

And more – Keef’s Les Paul might’ve inspired Jimmy Page to get his own sunburst Les Paul, too! As a session musician, Page used Keith’s LP on a version of the Stones’ “Heart Of Stone”. And that’s not the end of it: Eric Clapton is said to have borrowed it for a while circa Fresh Cream, and Mick Taylor also played it.

5) Epiphone Casino w/ Bigsby: George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Johnny Marr

George Harrison and his Epiphone Casino

What can we say? Both George Harrison and Paul McCartney had Epiphone Casinos equipped with Bigsby. They used it on tracks such as “Drive My Car”, “Taxman”, on lots of the “Sgt. Pepper” album, and during the Beatles last tour, which included legendary gigs such as Candlestick Park.

Johnny Marr’s Casino, today – minus trem…

Even though both Keith Richards and Brian Jones also played Casinos, it was The Beatles who truly introduced the model to a wider audience. Which also included an young Johnny Marr – who bought a Bigsby-equipped Casino because of the Fab Four, and used it on one of The Smiths’ best songs, “How Soon Is Now?” (Check Johnny Marr website for more). 

Epiphone Casino with Bigsby, still available from Epiphone

The list of Casino with Bigsby users also includes Thom York from Radiohead, The Edge from U2 and Gary Clark Jr.

4) Harmony H78: Dan Auerbach, Anton Newcombe

Dan Auerbach and his H78 with Bigsby

Make no mistake – Gibson/Epiphone semis are great, but if they are guilty of one thing, is that over the years they’ve become a bit generic. Sounds hard to believe, but so many players still get them all mixed-up: 335, 345, 355, Riviera, Sheraton, Casino… 

With the H78 there’s no mistake! No other semi-acoustic looks like it. The current Airline H78 is a fitting tribute to the original H78, as used by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and Anton Newcombe and Matt Hollywood from Brian Jonestown Massacre. Many players who’ve tried both models will testify that the new H78 is even better than the original!

Betterthan the original? The Airline H78, a truly unique semi-acoustic…

3) Supro Dual Tone: David Bowie

David Bowie and his Supro Dual Tone

A fact not always acknowledged by many fans is that David Bowie had a great taste in guitars, as discussed on our dedicated article about Bowie’s guitars. So his choice of instrument for his final tour, in 2003, couldn’t be better: a Supro Dual Tone with Bigsby – a stunning guitar! That was the first time many people saw a Dual Tone, but in fact this vintage classic featured on some of the most influential recordings from the 1950’s… after all, Link Wray used it in classic tracks such as “Rumble”.

An original Dual Tone will set you back thousands of bucks, but fortunately, Eastwood’s Airline Twin Tone DLX can give you a taste of the original:

The Airline Twin Tone DLX… as close as it gets to a Supro!

2) Gretsch Triple Jet: Jack White

Jack White and his Gretsch Triple Jet in copper finish

The Gretsch Triple Jet in copper finish is perhaps Jack White’s most iconic guitar, after the red Airline. After years with The White Stripes, White had to really choose a striking new guitar to help setting his new project The Racounteurs apart… and besides an Airline Town & Country (as featured on the ‘Steady As She Goes’ video) he opted for the Triple Jet, which was actually his main axe, live.

Jack White’s Gretsch Triple Jet in copper

A wise choice, too. His customised Triple Jet in copper was a stunning guitar which got many guitarists wondering if they could find one just like it. Sadly, the answer was “no”…

For more about Jack White’s guitars, read our previous blog, A Brief History Of jack White’s Guitar Collection.

1) Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty: Jimmy Page 

Jimmy Page and his Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty

What’s so special about this Les Paul? Besides being a gorgeous instrument, this is the instrument that helped to establish Page’s name: pre-Led Zeppelin, this was the guitar he used on several studio sessions for other artists. He also used it in the early days of Led Zeppelin, but then lost – only to be found more than 40 years later!

Jimmy Page and the Black Beauty

So… we think the Black Beauty with Bigsby deserves the #1 spot: a gorgeous guitar, owned by one of the greatest guitarists ever in legendary recording sessions and gigs, and considered lost for many decades – but miraculously found years later. How cool is that? 

Les Paul Black Beauty with Bigsby

The Top 7 Guitars with Bigsby… As Played by Famous Guitarists from MyRareGuitars.com