BEATLES MYSTERY SOLVED! George Harrison’s LOST Gretsch Tennessean Serial # REVEALED

DONATE: nickmartellaro... :)
BEATLES BOOK PHOTO LIBRARY STORE: bbplstore.com/
COVERS + ISOLATED TRACKS on PATREON: / nickmartellaro
I’ve been working on this “quest” for many years, and I’m happy to finally say I’ve got “something new.” ;)
It's a crazy feeling to think “I discovered something no one else knows.” As much as I’d like to keep the secret and find the guitar for myself (kidding), this information is just too valuable not to share.
Thanks to everyone for all the support over the years, especially my Patreon supporters. Special thanks to Tom and Jo Adams for managing the Beatles Book Photo Library, which you can support using the above link.
Font is "Multicolore Pro" - it's not really a perfect match, but it was good enough for this explanation.
DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only. All images and video footage falls under fair use laws.

[@ManWithNoExpression]

Awesome video , I just checked mine and I’ve got 55872! Given that Gretsch serial numbers went from 53000 to 63000 in 1963, mine is probably within a month of George’s!

[@johnstackhouse1706]

Nice

[@MusicbyKR]

Great work, really great. I hope George's guitar will be found and Gretsch sends you a 63 model, that would be the least...

[@lg4360]

Awesome research! Your tenacity to figure this out is very admirable. Your passion is inspiring. Thank you for sharing these great videos!

[@perrystanleyNumber9]

Nick, absolutely fantastic work! Congratulations!

[@PaulRubino]

A lot effort went into this. Thank you, Nick. Great work.

[@kzinful]

Nick, I just want to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to your covers of the Beatles music over the years, thank you. Peace

[@tommymaguire2839]

PURE RESPECT!

[@GerarddeSouza-yt3fc]

Great detective work.

[@Vermoulian]

Fascinating! Good work. I'm glad to know that my '63 Tennessean that I got a year and a half ago was not stolen from George! (SN starts with 61). Also glad to know that it is in fact the same year as his.

[@lennon1252]

You should give this information to Andy Babiuk

[@chrisst8922]

I expect it's in an attic in Henley Upon Thames. Certainly no further than Reading.

[@andrewkemp1882]

It was most likely smashed to pieces in early December ‘65.

[@bills48321]

AI can do photo enhancement, if you want to try that.

[@lutherheggs]

I read somewhere the guitar was destroyed when it fell off the back of a truck.

[@sampopkin]

Incredible sleuthing! To me it does look like 55478. But also could be 55176 or 55178

[@drutgat2]

Thanks very much for this.

[@alexarteaga-caseyjunior5098]

Too bad i wish that would help with our problem with Paul's stolen Hofner the serial number of the bass but sadly Hofner never made the number for Paul's lost bass, neither does the other one.

[@NickMartellaro]

True, but even without the # Paul's bass should still be *technically* easier to find. There's only a handful of left-handed '61 Hofners out there - the instrument is very distinct and notably rare. Most other lost instruments - like this Gretsch, unfortunately - look the same as any other from that year/production run. There's literally ~10,000 Gretsch models from this 1963 production year alone, and who knows how many of them were actually Tennesseans! If we can't find Paul's bass with tons of people looking for it, pretty sure we're not going to find this one unless someone sees this video and realizes they've got a million-dollar guitar. And if that's the case, I sure would appreciate a finder's fee. 😉

[@elliotravencroft285]

Paul's bass has been found today

[@jamescromer550]

Great work! I think you solved it!!!

[@AllYouNeedIsLub]

Amazing!

[@StephenPike]

Brilliant!

[@andylucas1175]

Great little video and well done on your investigations.

[@tallscreengabbo]

Great job!

[@72estudiocreativo]

.....Your story of how you got the serial number is great. Congats!!. But, it is also interesting, as apparently this Tennessean was the Gretsch that fell from the truck in 1965 and was destroyed in pieces by the vehicular traffic that ran over it. (and not a Country Gentleman)

[@beatlesfan2884]

It’s both Gretschs that got destroyed

[@andrewkemp1882]

@@beatlesfan2884Is there reliable evidence that two were destroyed?

[@beatlesfan2884]

@@andrewkemp1882 Yes, one of Paul’s Cavern bass tuning pegs has the one from the destroyed Tenny kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoTPhKuGeN-YZ7ssi=p-ApU1bMYUBFZj2j

[@andrewkemp1882]

@@beatlesfan2884That’s evidence that the Tennessean was destroyed, not that a Gent was destroyed. What I am getting is that it has always been assumed that it was a Gent but the physical evidence is that it was a Tennessean.

[@mankdeems251]

Good work!

[@casario2808]

So according to your most recent video, this was the one that was most likely smashed to bits on the motorway. So the focus is now on the CG serial number?

[@WeiFischer]

So, is there anyone here brave enough to say they have this Gretsch?

[@BuChan89]

Jim Irsay will probably soon own it 😂

[@Yougotadollar]

Nice detective work.

[@user-td3ew5cl7p]

I think you nailed it, 99% sure.

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

I hope your hard work and dedication pays off Nick! Please share this info with Andy, after all he ended up locating John's J-160. O'Mahoney ended up with George's Futurama and I think it was sold at auction not too long ago. Another possible video if you can track it down!👍👍

[@bigbear450]

love it. thx

[@Johnny_Doe]

Maybe his son Dhani would have more info? Contact him perhaps if he has social media..

[@e4tm333]

Interesting 🧐

[@JimDiBattista]

George had bad luck with those Gretsch axes. His Country Gentleman got destroyed after being run over by 11 lorries

[@jsullivan2112]

How do you know it was 11??

[@JimDiBattista]

@@jsullivan2112 It was the answer that George, with his droll sense of humor gave when he was asked about what happened to his guitar

[@jsullivan2112]

Oh duh! That's definitely a George-thing to say, I should have known that.@@JimDiBattista

[@casario2808]

see his most recent video...looks like it was the Tennessean that got destroyed :)

[@TeVista]

Just posted your video to the Gretsch Talks forum. I'll provide a link when the post gets cleared. Lots of archiving takes place there, and I'm sure we'll see something come out of the woodwork! Check your '63 Tennys everyone!

[@georgeprice4212]

Wasn’t George’s original Gretsch supposedly destroyed after it allegedly fell off the roof of a car?

[@chrisst8922]

That's his first Country Gentleman not the Tennessean.

[@andrewkemp1882]

@@chrisst8922The Tennessean probably was destroyed as well or instead of a Country Gent in that incident.

[@ksharpe10]

Another youtuber did a tennessean video, and in that video he showed an Auction page with a Tennessean that was being sold from Richard Starkey/Ringo estate, it was listed as having been gifted to Richy from Georges Wife and Son in 2002, because Ringo had done the tribute show for George, it was Supposedly ONE OF GEORGE"S actual guitars, Did he buy another at one time??? Anyway the serial number listed was 52994, for the Auction Guitar, the photos of the Auction Guitar show no White around the F HOLES. I am really surprised that all the info. on these guitars is so RARE. Wish someone would talk to PAUL and OR RINGO, about these, The gibson 345 is a mystery also, where it came from and where it Went. What a Rabbit Hole of Beatlemania after all these years.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

A M A Z I N G!!

[@jsullivan2112]

Mmmm looks more like 56478 to me. Either way I'd say you're 99% right, whether that second digit is a 5 or a 6. Neat video.

[@ryandennis9897]

This is insane

[@toddkurzbard]

Looks like "56478" to me.

[@johnbasos]

dig it

[@markwestervelt9708]

Instead 55. Could it be es478

[@ABCFORKIDSCOMEDIAN1998]

You should make a video on Ringo’s drum kits

[@The-Beatles]

最高ー😀

[@csavard24]

It's 55475, no ?

[@cuda426hemi]

I'm not so sure. If you look at the "4" next to the 7 there is no way a "4" is making that 45º angle at a bottom of a "4". Bottom of a "4" is a horizontal with vertical cross to right - no 45º angle anything. Look at how robust the 7 is - none of the "4" matches that and the main vertical post should. Those numbers could be 55278 My 2¢ 👻

[@johnfoster535]

Super detective work !!!!!! Now.......who killed JFK ????!!!!! Maybe artificial intelligence will somehow accelerate the linkage of this serial number with whoever has the guitar now....I hope your information travels far and wide.......great job !