John Lennon Makes Gibson Guitar History

Interested in a bit of John and George guitar trivia?but then proceeded to decorate it with caricatures
Well then, read on about how John made guitarof himself and Ono on the guitar's body during their
history with his Gibson J-160E. Early pictures of the1969 "Bed-In for Peace." Today, Gibson Guitars along
Beatles in their infamous Cavern Club days portray awith the endorsement of Lennon's widow offers a
rather and rough band of Teddy Boys, sportingreplica of the Gibson J-160E, aptly named The Gibson
leather motor cycle jackets, tight jeans, and fiftiesJohn Lennon J-160E Peace guitar. The replica looks
style pompadour hair styles - not the iconic, clean cutalmost identical to the original guitar - featuring a
mop-tops created by their manager, the late Brianrounded shoulder body design, a Sitka spruce
Epstein. When Epstein, then a young music storeplywood top; its back and sides are made of
retailer first heard the Beatles in 1962, their soundmahogany. Gibson proudly boasts that their
was as rough and unpolished as their instruments.instrument produces a full-sounding balanced tone
With great vision, and as a condition to manage thewith warm, rich lows tones, and crisp, presence-laden
group, the young Epstein made the brilliant decision tohighs.
have the group replace their leather jackets andJohn recorded and performed some of my favorite
jeans with the now iconoclastic Beatle suits andBeatles songs with this model, including, "You've Got
neo-Arthurian hairstyle. Along with the wardrobeto Hide Your Love Away" from the film, "Help!" The
makeover, came a musical makeover, which meantsong is played exclusively with acoustic instruments,
not only a modified sound, but also new instruments.with John strumming the G chord introduction, which
In Lennon's case, it was a new Gibson J-160E guitar -carries into the beginning of the song. It ends with a
a Lennon legacy and a very special chapter of rock 'nmelodic flute finale. The song was written in the key
roll guitar history. Several colorful myths surroundof G major, and built around four major chord
Lennon's guitar; one is that it was purchased with theprogressions G, D, F, and C, and composed in
help of Epstein as co-signer. Another legend is thatthree-quarter time.
Epstein bought one each for John and George, asWhether you are a collector shopping around for a
opposed to a tale that John nicked his from George!Gibson J-160E, a musician, Lennon fan, or even all
Through whichever means John did get his guitar,three, now you too can own a small part of the
having become so attached to it, rather than replaceLennon music history. If you are a musician, as well
it, in 1967 Lennon had the veneer repainted in aas a Beatles fan, playing any of his songs with this
colorful psychedelic design. However, within tworeplica will probably bring you to musically inspired
years, around the time of his marriage to Yoko Ono,spiritual heights that you probably only dreamt of.
John had the guitar stripped down to its original finish,