Lucy (guitar)
Encyclopedia
"Lucy" is the name George Harrison
of The Beatles
gave to the unique red Gibson Les Paul
guitar he received from Eric Clapton
in August 1968. Previously owned by rock guitarists John Sebastian
and Rick Derringer
, and used by Clapton to record the notable guitar lead on Harrison's song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps
," Lucy is one of the most famous electric guitars in the world.
, a combination only produced in 1957 and part of 1958. Gibson records show that serial number 7-8789 was shipped from the Kalamazoo factory on December 19, 1957. By 1965 the guitar was owned by John Sebastian
of the Lovin' Spoonful, who traded it to Rick Derringer
of tourmates The McCoys
for an amplifier to replace one which had blown.
By around 1966 the guitar's original gold finish was looking very worn, and Derringer's father continually ragged him about it. "So I figured that since we didn’t live far from Gibson’s factory in Kalamazoo, the next time the group went there I’d give it to Gibson and have it refinished. I had it done at the factory in the SG-style
clear red finish that was popular at the time." However, he wasn't happy with the instrument when he got it back: it "just didn’t feel the same … it had changed into an altogether different guitar." Derringer therefore sold it to Dan Armstrong
's guitar shop in New York.
. Clapton did not play this instrument much, his principal guitars in 1966-68 being his psychedelic 1964 SG, a 1964 ES-335 and a sunburst Les Paul he bought from Andy Summers
; in August 1968 he gave it as a present to his good friend Harrison. Harrison dubbed the red guitar "Lucy," after redhead comedienne Lucille Ball
.
Harrison and The Beatles were at the time recording what would become The Beatles (the White Album), and had been working for several weeks on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Harrison had been unable to record a lead track for the song he was satisfied with; moreover Lennon and McCartney were dismissive of it and "didn't try very hard." Therefore Harrison, knowing that his bandmates were on good behavior around guests, invited Clapton to come into EMI Studios
on September 6 and lay down a lead track, telling him "you don't need to bring a guitar, you know I've got a good Les Paul you can use." Clapton laid down the track in a single take; but later stated that he was so high at the time he doesn't remember it at all.
Harrison continued to play Lucy as one of his principal guitars for the remainder of his time with The Beatles; it can be seen in the promotional video for "Revolution
" and the documentary Let It Be
.
for the return of Lucy. Harrison would later refer to the incident as a "kidnapping." Harrison kept Lucy until his death in 2001.
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
gave to the unique red Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
guitar he received from Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
in August 1968. Previously owned by rock guitarists John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
and Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
, and used by Clapton to record the notable guitar lead on Harrison's song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is a song by George Harrison, first recorded by The Beatles in 1968 for their eponymous double album...
," Lucy is one of the most famous electric guitars in the world.
Origins
Lucy was originally a "Goldtop" Les Paul Model with humbucking pickupsHumbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
, a combination only produced in 1957 and part of 1958. Gibson records show that serial number 7-8789 was shipped from the Kalamazoo factory on December 19, 1957. By 1965 the guitar was owned by John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
of the Lovin' Spoonful, who traded it to Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer
Rick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
of tourmates The McCoys
The McCoys
The McCoys were a rock group that started in Union City, Indiana, in 1962.-Career:The original members, all from Union City, were guitarist Richard Zehringer , his brother Randy on drums, and bassist Dennis Kelly. This first line-up was known as The Rick Z Combo, and later known as Rick and the...
for an amplifier to replace one which had blown.
By around 1966 the guitar's original gold finish was looking very worn, and Derringer's father continually ragged him about it. "So I figured that since we didn’t live far from Gibson’s factory in Kalamazoo, the next time the group went there I’d give it to Gibson and have it refinished. I had it done at the factory in the SG-style
Gibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
clear red finish that was popular at the time." However, he wasn't happy with the instrument when he got it back: it "just didn’t feel the same … it had changed into an altogether different guitar." Derringer therefore sold it to Dan Armstrong
Dan Armstrong
Dan Armstrong was a guitarist, luthier, and session musician.-Biography:Dan Kent Armstrong was born on October 7, 1934 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He started playing the guitar at age 11, and moved to New York in the early 1960s in order to work as a studio musician and guitar repairman...
's guitar shop in New York.
Clapton and Harrison
The guitar had only been in Armstrong's shop for a few days when it was purchased by Eric ClaptonEric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
. Clapton did not play this instrument much, his principal guitars in 1966-68 being his psychedelic 1964 SG, a 1964 ES-335 and a sunburst Les Paul he bought from Andy Summers
Andy Summers
Andy Summers is an English guitarist born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. Best known as the guitarist for rock band The Police, he has also recorded twelve solo albums, collaborated with many other artists, toured extensively under his own name, published several books, and composed...
; in August 1968 he gave it as a present to his good friend Harrison. Harrison dubbed the red guitar "Lucy," after redhead comedienne Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
.
Harrison and The Beatles were at the time recording what would become The Beatles (the White Album), and had been working for several weeks on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Harrison had been unable to record a lead track for the song he was satisfied with; moreover Lennon and McCartney were dismissive of it and "didn't try very hard." Therefore Harrison, knowing that his bandmates were on good behavior around guests, invited Clapton to come into EMI Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
on September 6 and lay down a lead track, telling him "you don't need to bring a guitar, you know I've got a good Les Paul you can use." Clapton laid down the track in a single take; but later stated that he was so high at the time he doesn't remember it at all.
Harrison continued to play Lucy as one of his principal guitars for the remainder of his time with The Beatles; it can be seen in the promotional video for "Revolution
Revolution (song)
"Revolution" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The Beatles released two distinct arrangements of the song in 1968: a hard rock version as the B-side of the single "Hey Jude", and a slower version titled "Revolution 1" on the eponymous album The Beatles...
" and the documentary Let It Be
Let It Be (film)
Let It Be is a 1970 documentary film about The Beatles rehearsing and recording songs for the album Let It Be in January 1969. The film features an unannounced rooftop concert by the group, their last performance in public...
.
Theft and recovery
In 1973 Lucy was one of the items stolen in a burglary at Harrison's home in Beverly Hills. The thief or an intermediary sold it at Whalin's Sound City on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood; owner George Whalin promptly resold it (in violation of the statutory 30-day waiting period) to Miguel Ochoa, a musician from Guadalajara, Mexico. When the red guitar appeared on a police stolen-property bulletin Whalin called Ochoa's contact number, his friend Mark Havey; this began a lengthy negotiation which resulted, ultimately, in Harrison via Havey trading Ochoa a Les Paul sunburst and a Fender Precision BassFender Precision Bass
The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
for the return of Lucy. Harrison would later refer to the incident as a "kidnapping." Harrison kept Lucy until his death in 2001.