John Lennon’s Gretsch Up for Auction

John Lennons Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120

The guitar John Lennon played on Paperback Writer

Guitar Player magazine (www.guitarplayer.com) is reporting that John Lennon’s Gretsch 6120 will be auctioned in November. This is the same guitar that was played by Lennon in April 1966 while recording The Beatles hit “Paperback Writer.” It is estimated that the guitar might fetch as much as $1 million!

The early 1960′s Gretsch is a Chet Adkins model with a pair of Gretsch FilterTron humbuckers, gold-plated hardware, Space Control bridge, and a Bigsby B6-C.

Here is the link to the article: John Lennon’s ‘Paperback Writer’ Gretsch Could Fetch $1M.

According to the Gretsch Guitar Database maintained at The Gretsch Pages, it is a 1963 Chet Adkins 6120, serial number 53940. Link to database here: 1963 Gretsch 6120: 53940.

Vox Berkeley Super Reverb Twin

1965 Vox Berkeley Super Reverb Twin

This page is a work in progress, but we’re very excited to bring you this historic amplifier!

NAME: VOX Berkeley Super Reverb Twin (SRT) electric guitar amplifier
MODEL: V8
MFR: VOX USA (Thomas Organ)
ORIGIN: Sepulveda, California
DATE: 1965
POWER: 17 Watts RMS, according to the Mfr.
REVERB: Tube-driven 2-spring Gibbs (Hammond) Tank
TREMOLO: VOX tremolo circuit
VALVES: 12AX7 preamps; 12AU7 reverb; 12AX7 tremolo, two (2) EL84’s output
RECTIFIER: EZ81 Valve
SPEAKERS: Pair of Weber (USA) 10-inch Blue Alnicos replaced the worn out Bulldogs

1965. The Beatles. Vox. What more can you say?

Vox Berkeley Super Reverb TwinThis 1965 model Berkeley is the original all-valve (tube) powered version that Thomas Organ produced in Sepulveda, California n small numbers from late 1965 through mid 1966. This one was partially restored by its owner “65mosrite,” giving it some fresh outer cosmetics (obtained from North Coast Music, of course), and some re-wiring and replacement of resistors and capacitors where needed.

I was fortunate enough to buy this amp from Richard H. (aka: 65mosrite), and couldn’t be happier.

North Coast Music, who runs The Vox Showroom, has some excellent data and stories related to the famous amplifier. I have provide some links to those pages below.

The Berkeley SRT Gallery

The Beatles and their VOX Amps

The Beatles on Stage

The Beatles on Stage – Image Courtesy of The Beatles Bible – www.beatlesbible.com

Video

Here is a video by 65mosrite, who worked to restore this awesome amp!

External Links

Excellent page from The Vox Showroom: The Vox Berkeley Amp

And another: The Vox Berkeley Super Reverb Tube Amp Head – Model V-8

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Previous Comments

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Randy September 23, 2015 at 10:49 am

I notice that the V8 head pictured has the original flat handle, but the cabinet has the later Vox logo styled handle. Did Thomas Organ sell them paired that way when they ran out of flat handled cabs but still had the older style heads? Or is this a (fairly insignificant) mix’n match.
I have the same head with flat handle, but my cab has no handle and no holes that I can find?!? Mysterious.
Thanks
Randy

REPLY

alex September 26, 2015 at 10:57 am

Hi Randy!
I really don’t know the answer. I checked at the Vox Showroom website, and they have photos of V8 Berkeley’s that have both types of handles. Go figure? Maybe Thomas Organ was using both types at the same time? If I learn anything more about this, I will let you know.

Thanks for visiting Tone Gems.
~alex

Signed ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ Sells for $290,500.00

SOLD! This Beatles-signed ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album sold at auction today for $290,500.00. This copy of the 1967 ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ album, acclaimed by most as the greatest of all Beatles’ albums, was signed by all four Beatles.

Today’s final bid exceeded the original estimated value by more than $260,000. The auction was held in Dallas, Texas by Heritage Auctions.

Links:
Link to Heritage Auction Lot: Beatles-Signed ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ Mono UK Gatefold Cover (Parlophone PMC 7027, 1967)
All Music: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Wikipedia: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Artwork for The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Sgt. Pepper is 44 Years Old Today


The Beatles album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was released on this day in 1967, forever changing rock and roll, and music as a whole. Tracks like A Little Help from My FriendsLucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Lovely RitaWhen I’m Sixty-Four, Good Morning Good Morning, A Day in the Life, and the album’s title song, are now timeless classics. Listening to the album’s Side Two is an experience within itself, that must be enjoyed from beginning to end without interruption. The songs on Side Two were carefully woven together so that the music flowed seamlessly, and almost endlessly.

Rock music had reached a pinnacle. Mick Jagger once said in a radio interview, that after hearing a early pre-release tape of Sgt. Pepper’s on cassette, “We’re done! No one is going to top that.”

So enjoy the day, and spin the vinyl if you have it. Because somewhere in the universe (pun intended), that magnificent final E chord is still fading…!

Beatles Amp Rediscovered

Vox UL730 Head

The Vox UL730 amp played by George Harrison on the Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s recordings

The Northwich Guardian reported today that a man in Wicham England discovered that a guitar amplifier he’s owned for awhile actually belonged to George Harrison in the mid-60′s. Apparently that fact went unnoticed for decades until the man took the amp in for repair. The technician discovered Harrison’s identification inside the amp during the repair.

Read the article here: Wicham man finds amp owned by the Beatles

More info about the Vox UL730 Amplifier from www.voxshowroom.com.

Photo courtesy of www.guitargeek.com.