Paul McCartney
  Höfner 500/1 bass guitar
 
The German-made Höfner 500/1 bass
was Paul McCartney's main instrument
on stage and in the studio during The
Beatles' touring years. It possessed a
distinct “hollow” sound, while its
unique shape resembled a violin.
McCartney was so identified with the
instrument that it became known as
“the Beatle bass.”

[Period Höfner Beatle Bass guitar] ?
[on loan from ... ... .] ?

             Ringo Starr
       Ludwig “Downbeat”
 Oyster Black Pearl drum kit
The simple American-made Ludwig set displayed
here is representative of the kit that Ringo Starr
played in The Beatles. Live and on record, Starr
played different-size versions of this same
set-up. It was a smaller kit than what most other
drummers were playing at the time. The kit used
for The Beatles' American debut consisted of a
20" bass drum, a 14" snare drum, a 12" tom-tom,
and a 14" floor tom.

Period Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drum kit
on loan from Gary Astridge.

       George Harrison
      Gretsch Chet Atkins
 Country Gentleman guitar
Probably the Beatle most curious about
sounds and most apt to experiment
with new instruments, George Harrison
settled on the Gretsch Chet Atkins
County Gentleman guitar in 1963.
However, Harrison's guitar collection
eventually included those made by
Epiphone, Rickenbacker, Gibson, and
Fender.

Replica Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar
on loan from Fender Musical Instrument Corporation.

           John Lennon
    Rickenbacker 325 guitar
 
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