List of Instruments

This is a list of various instruments that were owned, played by, or used by The Beatles.

Guitars

The Beatles have widely been known to use guitars throughout their performances.

Framus

• 1965 Framus Hootenanny (Lennon)
  • Lennon used it to record "Help!" "It's Only Love", and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" among other songs. In 2024, the Hootenanny sold for $2.85 million at auction, making it one of the most expensive guitars to be sold.

Egmond

• Egmond Rosetti Solid 7 (McCartney) McCartney first used this guitar as a makeshift bass before receiving his first Höfner violin bass.
• Egmond Rosetti 276 (Harrison) - One of the first ever guitars Harrison owned.

Rickenbacker

• John with his Rickenbacker 325
• Paul's Ric in action
• Ric's new Psychadelic paint job
• George with his original 360-12

1/4

• 1958 Rickenbacker 325c64 Capri Electric (Lennon)
• 1964 Rickenbacker 325c64 Electric (Lennon)
• 1963 Rickenbacker 360/12 Electric (Harrison)
• 1965 Rickenbacker 360/12 Electric (Harrison)
• 1964 Rickenbacker 4001S-Lh Bass Electric (McCartney)

Gretsch

• 1957 Grestch Duo Jet (Harrison)
• 1962 Grestch Country Gentleman (Harrison)
• 1963 Grestch Tennessean (Harrison)
• 1963 Gretsch 6120 (Lennon)

Höfner

• Höfner Club 40 (Lennon/McCartney)

  

  Paul with his Hofner "Violin" bass guitar

• 1961 Hofner 500/1 Violin Bass (McCartney)
• 1963 Hofner 500/1 Violin bass (McCartney)
• Hofner 5140 Hawaiian Standard lap steel guitar (Lennon)

Epiphone

• 1965 Epiphone 230TD Casino
  • All members except Ringo played one.
  • Paul's strings, bridge, and nut were inverted in order to be left handed
  • They were all originally sunburst.
  • John and George sanded the sunburst off their Epiphone so it could breathe.
  • It was used on the rooftop.
  • Paul and George's guitar had a Bigsby bridge installed.

    

    two Casinos in action

• Epiphone Texan
  • McCartney used this as his acoustic guitar until he got a Martin in the later years.
• Epiphone Rivoli (McCartney)
  • Briefly seen during episode 2 of the Get Back documentary, in addition to being played by Paul in at least one promotional image. It is unknown if the bass was ever used live or in the studio.

• Close up of "Lucy"
• Lucy In action
• Lucy
• Lucy before the refinishing

1/4

Gibson

George had a Gibson Les Paul Standard that was a gift from Eric Clapton that was used on While My Guitar Gently Weeps by Clapton.

• It was gold topped before it was refinished to a cherry red at the Gibson factory.
• Was stolen from under George's bed in 1970 and was later purchased at a Guitar Center in Hollywood, California.
• George had to trade a '56 Les Paul and a Precision Bass for it.
• It was nicknamed "Lucy" after comedienne Lucille Ball.

  

  Gibson SG

Gibson J-160e on the right with John's original Rickenbacker

• Gibson SG Standard: George used one for Rain, Paperback Writer, and Lady Madonna, among other songs.

• Gibson J-160E: John and George both used one.

Fender

• 1961 Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster (Lennon/Harrison)
  • George had a custom built guitar named Rocky.

    

    George during the Let it Be sessions with his new Telecaster

• 1964 Fender Esquire (McCartney) - known to have been used in Strawberry Fields Forever, among other songs

• 1969 Rosewood Fender Telecaster
  • Was gifted to George as a Prototype and used on the Let It Be rooftop concert.

Replica named "Rocky"

Martin

• Martin D-28 (McCartney)

Ramirez

• Ramirez A-1 classical guitar: Owned by both Lennon and Harrison at some point in 1964. May or may not have been the same guitar.

Ovation

• Ovation 1651 Legend (Lennon)
• Ovation Pacemaker 1615 (Harrison)

Takamine

• Takamine EF340SC (Lennon)
• Takamine EF361EC (Starr)

Drums

Main article: Drums

• Ringo originally had a four piece Ludwig kit with a Black Oyster Pearl finish and the classic Drop-T logo.

For Magical Mystery Tour, he painted his own drum head.

In 1968, Ringo upgraded to a five-piece Maple finish Ludwig Hollywood kit.