George Harrison's c. 1968 Harptone L-12NC 12 String
Musician
George Harrison
(English, 1943 - 2001)
Maker
Harptone
(American, founded 1886)
Datec. 1968
ClassificationsMusic
DescriptionGeorge Harrison's c. 1968 Harptone L-12NCS guitar, serial number 2004-27, in natural finish. The original tuners were replaced while owned by George Harrison. An endpin mini-jack and Barcus Berry pickup were professionally installed in the mid to late 1970s.George Harrison reportedly purchased this guitar prior to the recording of the The Beatles (also known as The White Album). Harrison and members of Badfinger used this guitar on his debut solo album All Things Must Pass (1970). Badfinger member Tom Evans also used the guitar during Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh charity concerts at Madison Square Garden in 1971. Harrison then gifted this guitar to musician Robert Purvis in August 1974. Harrison produced Purvis' band Splinter on their debut album, The Place I Love (1974), and also played this guitar during those sessions at his Friar Park Studios.
George Harrison (1943-2001) was an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter who rose to international fame as a member of The Beatles. Harrison met future Beatle Paul McCartney while riding the school bus at age 14. McCartney introduced him to John Lennon, who were playing together in a band called the Quarrymen, of which Harrison later became a member.
The Quarrymen changed their name to The Beatles and brought in Ringo Starr as their drummer. The Beatles released their first album Please, Please Please (1963) and the cultural impact of their music was immediate. Harrison and The Beatles ushered in a new wave of popular music, with "Beatlemania" first sweeping through the United Kingdom before arriving in the United States in 1964 when the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. During the rest of the 1960s, The Beatles dominated popular music and Harrison, McCartney, Lennon, and Starr became cultural icons.
Although Harrison had released two solo albums while still a member of The Beatles, his third solo album, All Things Must Pass (1970), was his first release after the band's breakup. It was an influential album for the sound of rock music in the 1970s and is considered one of the best solo releases of the former Beatles. Harrison went on to release 12 solo albums, mostly during the 1970s and 1980s. Harrison also was a frequent collaborator with other musicians, including Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, and his former Beatles bandmates. Through his record label Dark Horse Records, Harrison produced albums for musicians such as Ravi Shankar, Splinter, and the Stairsteps.
While a member of The Beatles, Harrison's guitar playing and songwriting was often overshadowed by Lennon and McCartney. As time has passed, his reputation for innovative guitar work and complex songwriting has been heralded. Harrison grew interested in Indian music, specifically the sitar, in the 1960s, and is often credited with popularizing "world music" in Western culture.
Harrison died on November 29, 2001, after a battle with cancer.
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