The rare (for the UK, at least) Strat ended up in the hands of the guitarist for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes-the band that featured the future Beatle, Ringo Starr, on drums. When he got there, someone else had already bought it. He got a call that one was about to go up for sale, so he asked them to hold it for him he’d be there the next day to buy it.

In the early 1960s, Harrison had a chance to buy a bonafide Fender Stratocaster. He admittedly didn’t like the sound very much and really wanted to get a Stratocaster to call his own.

In the Beatles’ early career, Harrison was playing his Gretsch Duo Jet through a Vox amp. Unfortunately, American guitars weren’t easy to find in the UK back in the early ‘60s. See the full list of George Harrison guitars and gear below.Įver since he started playing guitar, George Harrison wanted a Fender Stratocaster. Harrison was also known for playing several Gretsch and Rickenbacker models, among others. George Harrison’s most famous guitar is his 1961 Fender Stratocaster known as “Rocky”, which started out as Sonic Blue but was later handpainted with its famous custom finish. Without him, we wouldn’t have rock and pop music as we know it! Check out some of the iconic guitars and gear Harrison used throughout his career to creating his iconic sound and change music forever.

George Harrison is in the middle of this photoĪlthough he might have been called “the quiet Beatle,” George Harrison has cemented his influence in modern music and guitar playing over his decades-long career. George Harrison and his band, The Beatles, has influenced entire generations of musicians, winning 12 GRAMMY awards, being nominated for 39, won 16 NME awards, earned an Oscar, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (twice), and is ranked 11th on Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists list.

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