Found a cool pic of John Lennon's Revolution Casino + Paul McCartney's burst w/Bigsby Casino

[Scott0]

Am doing some research on the guitar and couldn't find any real nice pictures of it except for this one.

 

Please post any more pics of these guitars, in particular John's (both before & after) and any info or fun facts etc about it/them. I didn't realize he left the guitar bare wood, I had assumed he had resprayed at least a thin layer of something over it. wow.

 

In early ’68, The Beatles headed to Rishikesh, India, to study transcendental meditation with The Maharishi and friends, including Donovan Leitch. There, Donovan convinced the trio to sand the finish off their instruments, telling them how a guitar sounds better without a heavy finish. After returning to London, during sessions for the self-titled “white album,” Lennon and Harrison sanded their Casinos. Lennon primarily played his newly stripped Casino for the sessions. Harrison said that once they’d removed the finish, they became much better guitars. “I think that works on a lot of guitars,” he explained. “If you take the paint and varnish off and get the bare wood, it seems to sort of breathe.”

 

http://www.vintageguitar.com/5485/the-beatles%E2%80%99-casinos/

 

 

[Not-Too-Late]

Here's John with his Casino.

 

 

 

Here's John playing Paul's Casino.

 

 

[Scott0]

^nice.

 

One thing I am really curious about, and what led me googling about, is if John altered the pickups, maybe had one rwrp or anything. And while he was putting that ring on the toggle did he fiddle with the electronics?

[Scott Marlowe]

Here's John playing Paul's Casino.

 

 

Paul was left handed, and that's a right handed casino. It's either John's before he stripped it or George's, right?

[charlie brown]

Paul was left handed, and that's a right handed casino. It's either John's before he stripped it or George's, right?

 

Scott,

Paul's Casino IS a "right handed" version! Also, George's had the hourglass headstock, like John's,

and John's never had a Bigsby...only the trapeze tailpiece. So, it's definitely Paul's Casino, that

John is seen playing, in that photo.

 

CB

['Scales]

Wow - not the easiest guitar to play opposite handed I'd have thought... the kid obviously had some talent!

[Thomse]

Here's John with his Casino.

 

 

 

Here's John playing Paul's Casino.

 

 

I think that's johns other Casino . As i see the strings are not reverse .

[Thomse]

Am doing some research on the guitar and couldn't find any real nice pictures of it except for this one.

 

Please post any more pics of these guitars, in particular John's (both before & after) and any info or fun facts etc about it/them. I didn't realize he left the guitar bare wood, I had assumed he had resprayed at least a thin layer of something over it. wow.

 

 

 

http://www.vintagegu...%80%99-casinos/

 

 

As in this picture they are in reverse.

[Not-Too-Late]

^nice.

 

One thing I am really curious about, and what led me googling about, is if John altered the pickups, maybe had one rwrp or anything. And while he was putting that ring on the toggle did he fiddle with the electronics?

 

I have a feeling that Paul's guitar, that John was playing, didn't have the mods done as yet. The reason I am saying that is -- if you look at the side by side photo you submitted, you will notice the placement of the strap nut on Paul's guitar allowing him to hold it left handed. Now look at the photo I submitted with John playing Paul's Casino -- it appears there is no strap nut installed for a left hander as yet. Plus the pick guard is still in place. At least that's my observation.

 

You asked a good question - did they change out the pups etc., on their Casinos?

[Not-Too-Late]

Scott,

Paul's Casino IS a "right handed" version! Also, George's had the hourglass headstock, like John's,

and John's never had a Bigsby...only the trapeze tailpiece. So, it's definitely Paul's Casino, that

John is seen playing, in that photo.

 

CB

 

Yes, I believe you are right, and I don't remember seeing a picture or video of John playing a sunburst Casino.

[frenchie1281734003]

I think that's johns other Casino . As i see the strings are not reverse .

 

John didn`t have another Casino! The sunburst one in the photo is Paul`s 62 (Different headstock shape). The photo was taken just after Paul got the guitar, and before it was modified for a left hander.

 

John had a sunburst 65 which he stripped to bare wood in 68. all the Beatles Casino`s kept their stock P-90 pickups ( there were no Lindy Fralin or other custom pickups back then, certainly not in general useage, anyway).

 

The "Beatles fab gear" book is a great source for info on those guitars.

 

Steve.

[Aster1]

"I've got a feeling" that the boys were on too many drugs and hearing what was in their heads not their ears at that time. Just IMHO now. I can't really believe that a thin coat of Nitro on a Casino will change the tone enough to be concerned about. Not that you can tell when playing with distortion, fuzz and all the other stuff on an electric. But, maybe with all the enlightenment & wisdom that the beautiful Maharishi brought to John & George (esp George) maybe so. To bad they weren't enlightened enough to have seen thru his BS and not allowed him to have his way with their wives!

 

I'd say if you like the color or look of natural that's one thing, but it sounding so much more "woody", well?

 

Aster

[rct]

"...it seems to sort of breathe."

 

seems is the key word here. In the early 90's after HCGFs took off, the idea the guitars "breathe" really got repeated, no matter how many people told guitar players and especially guitar sellers that the wood didn't breathe when it was a live, it certainly isn't breathing now.

 

But hey, anything to sell a better guitar!

 

rct

[Not-Too-Late]

John didn`t have another Casino! The sunburst one in the photo is Paul`s 62 (Different headstock shape). The photo was taken just after Paul got the guitar, and before it was modified for a left hander.

 

John had a sunburst 65 which he stripped to bare wood in 68. all the Beatles Casino`s kept their stock P-90 pickups ( there were no Lindy Fralin or other custom pickups back then, certainly not in general useage, anyway).

 

The "Beatles fab gear" book is a great source for info on those guitars.

 

Steve.

 

Thank you for sharing the info on the Beatles gear. I checked it out on Amazon and they allow you to view some of the pages.

 

Cheers

[Scott0]

thanks for the infos folks!

 

John didn`t have another Casino! The sunburst one in the photo is Paul`s 62 (Different headstock shape). The photo was taken just after Paul got the guitar, and before it was modified for a left hander.

 

John had a sunburst 65 which he stripped to bare wood in 68. all the Beatles Casino`s kept their stock P-90 pickups ( there were no Lindy Fralin or other custom pickups back then, certainly not in general useage, anyway).

 

The "Beatles fab gear" book is a great source for info on those guitars.

 

Steve.

 

 

I'll look for that book, thanks. While there may have been few, if any, aftermarket pickup boutiques in the late 60s, it occurred to me that rewinding or changing magnets, etc was an option for John to do, perhaps a rw/rp rewind. etc. that sort of thing. It seems he had no probs tinkering on that guitar from top to bottom.

[Not-Too-Late]

thanks for the infos folks!

 

 

 

 

I'll look for that book, thanks. While there may have been few, if any, aftermarket pickup boutiques in the late 60s, it occurred to me that rewinding or changing magnets, etc was an option for John to do, perhaps a rw/rp rewind. etc. that sort of thing. It seems he had no probs tinkering on that guitar from top to bottom.

 

If you check it out on Amazon, you can preview some of the pages. I think I will order it.

[taxman]

rewinding or changing magnets, etc was an option for John to do, perhaps a rw/rp rewind. etc. that sort of thing. It seems he had no probs tinkering on that guitar from top to bottom.

Different times. Tinkering and modding wasn't really being done back then.

 

Also different players. Lennon really was not always hunting for the perfect tone. He'd get a guitar he liked and stick with it for years keeping it more or less stock. His Gibson acoustic and his Casino are perfect examples of that. No major surgery modifications to improve the tone were made on those guitars.

 

That's not to say John didn't monkey with his guitars. He did:

 

Rickenbacker 325 (his first one):

- new Bigsby

- new bridge

- painted black

 

Rickenbacker 325 (his second one):

- just bent the vibrato arm to get it out of the way

 

Gibson J-160E:

- relocated pickup to below soundhole

- stripped it of its finish

 

Casino:

- stripped it of its finish

- changed tuners to gold Grovers

 

As you can see, John made simple changes to his guitars (most to do with looks). No ripping out the wiring, no new harnesses, no new pickups, no rewinding pickups, no pot changes.... Mostly just cosmetic modding or the simplest of tone mods.

[tonematter]

Isn't it 'high' time that GIbson/Epi custom-made a proper '64 replica Epi Casino Leftie and gave it to Sir Paul?

 

Without Paul's studio Casino use, John And George probably end up playing something else, thus no 1966-1970 visibility for the Casi in Beatles hands.

[Scott0]

Different times. Tinkering and modding wasn't really being done back then.

 

 

 

 

Sorry but this just isn't true.

[Thomse]

You are right Scotto. Look at Les Paul he was one of the best and he was from way be for the Beatles.

[Thomse]

Isn't it 'high' time that GIbson/Epi custom-made a proper '64 replica Epi Casino Leftie and gave it to Sir Paul?

 

Without Paul's studio Casino use, John And George probably end up playing something else, thus no 1966-1970 visibility for the Casi in Beatles hands.

You know i am sure if Paul wanted a leftie guitar he would have them .I just think its what he is comfortable with . I allways see him playing right handed guitars

[taxman]

Sorry but this just isn't true.

You think guitar players back in the '60s modded their guitars like players do nowadays? Today there are so many pickup manufacturers to choose from, pots and switches, bridges and vibrato units, tuners and tailpieces...everything is available today at a moments notice and because of that many of today's player go mod crazy. Back in the '60s guys were stringing their guitars with piano wire because even strings were hard to come by!

 

Different times back then -- guys didn't do as much modding because there really wasn't many options, many parts available to them.

['Scales]