John Lennon was always a fan of Charlie Christian, and he also enjoyed tinkering with his guitars. So when he met New York luthier and guitar repairman Ron DeMarino in the early '70s, he asked him to take his 1950s Tobacco Sunburst Les Paul Junior and add the pickup made famous by the jazz legend. Later, at Lennon's request, DeMarino sanded off the 'burst finish and added the Tuno-O-Matic bridge and stop tailpiece. On August 30, 1972, Lennon used his customized Les Paul in its new, raw wood state during his famous benefit concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. Today, the guitar is on permanent display at the John Lennon Museum in Japan. Histroy of The John Lennon Les Paul JuniorBy Andy Babiuk, author of the bookJohn Lennon a name known worldwide as an icon, musician, and poet, the voice of a generation, and without a doubt, one of the most important and influential figures in rock 'n' roll history. It was John Lennon and the Beatles that forever changed the world of music and pop culture.As with all great musicians, the tools of the Beatles' trade at times became as important as their music. The instruments they chose helped to reflect their thoughts, ideas, and even lifestyles. The everlasting images of Lennon with his Gibson J 160E guitar during the height of Beatlemania, or his Epiphone Casino on the rooftop of the Beatles' Apple headquarters, or his modified Gibson Les Paul Jr. at his famous 1972 Madison Square Garden concert have all left a lasting impression on our minds. John Lennon is so closely associated with these instruments that the instruments themselves have become extensions of Lennon's personality.Lennon solo After the break up of the Beatles, the prolific John Lennon immediately embarked on his successful solo career, recording and collaborating with wife Yoko Ono. It was during this time, in the early '70s, that John Lennon expressed his passion for New York City. "It's the greatest place on earth," he said. "I love the place 'cause this is where the music came from; this is what influenced my whole life."Soon after, on September 3, 1971, the Lennons left the U. K. for New York, never to return. Lennon enjoyed New York's artistic environment. "There are these fantastic 20 or 30 artists who all understand what I'm doing and have the same kind of mind as me," he said. "It's like heaven."Enter Ron DeMarino Ron DeMarino, a New York luthier known for his guitar repair and restoration work, met the Lennons in late 1971. "I was at one of the guitar shops on 48th Street and overheard a guy who was looking for an old vintage amp for a friend," DeMarino recalls. "The store didn't have that style of amp, but I did, so when the guy left the shop I told him that I had one to sell. He told me that it was for John Lennon, and I of course didn't believe him. The guy introduced himself as Claude and said he worked fo
$4999.00
The Epiphone John Lennon 1965 Casino Electric Guitar has a heritage as fascinating as the man whose name it bears. In 1966, during the recording of "Revolver," John Lennon and George Harrison acquired sunburst Epiphone Casino guitars. John was taken by his new guitar and made it his main axe from that point on, using several different versions over the ensuing years. In cooperation with Yoko Ono, Epiphone introduces 2 Limited Edition Lennon Casino guitars. The '65 Casino is a reproduction of the original guitar John purchased with its sunburst finish and stock hardware. In 1968, John had his Casino sanded down to bare wood and finished with a thin, dull coat of lacquer. He first used this "natural" Casino in "The White Album" sessions of '68. The John Lennon Revolution Casino is a reproduction of this stripped guitar as it remains today, featuring one coat of lacquer, gold Grover tuners, and the pickguard removed. A combined total of 1,965 of these individually hand-numbered, historic guitars have been produced, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each goes to the BMI Foundation for the John Lennon Scholarship Fund which supports music education. Limited lifetime warranty. Epiphone includes a hardshell case wiht the '65 John Lennon Casino Electric Guitar.
$2662.00
The Dean ML Knight Electric Guitar features a solid ML-shaped mahogany body and neck. Powerful EMG pickups send the MLs powerful sustained tones to your amp in style. A licensed Floyd Rose tremolo bridge provides your license to dive bomb the night away, and Grover machine heads keep you tuned up right. Finishing touches include dot inlays on the rosewood fretboard, and all black hardware.Of course, being a Dean, you know the ML Knight is endowed with more than visual temptations. Whether you're chunking out a locomotive-from-hell rhythm or slicing the air with a face-melting solo, Dean's ML guitar is a well that won't run dry.
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The NJC Bich is an old-school classic model designed to capture the essence of yesterday's collectible neck-through B.C. Rich guitars at an affordable price. When guitarists talk about B.C. Rich instruments from "back in the day," this is the look and feel they're talking about.
$699.99
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