George Harrison’s Futurama Electric Guitar: A Retrospective

[@AndrewAHayes]

My dad switched over from playing in a jazz quartet to a rock and roll band in 1963 and couldn't get hold of a Fender instrument, they were still quite rare even then, he bought a Burns Vista Sonic, it wasn't until 1968 that he got a US made guitar a Gibson Goldtop and he bought it in California on a trip to a family wedding, even though tey were gigged he looked after them, they were cleaned after each gig and not taken out of their cases until he went on stage and placed back immidietly upon finishing the set, I inherited these guitars.

[@jv_marchiori]

I imagine they're in incredible condition

[@raymondfryar1533]

Would be something great to hand down.

[@VidarLund-k5q]

Priceless and irreplaceable!

[@BryanClark-gk6ie]

So he waited until on stage gigging them to change strings?

[@THEOR1G1NALSTREETCAT]

​@@BryanClark-gk6ieyup legend has it he never even had to changed the strings and he never lost a pick either

[@nickdryad]

I hope you read this. I bought your book Beatles Gear In 2001 and it opened up a new world for me.

[@apatriot613]

I found A 1964-5 VOX Super ace made there and Always wondered if it could be one of the Beatles Guitars stolen at an early Detroit gig.I have a copy of that book as well My Cousin Knows The Author.

[@TheTwangKings]

Same! I saw it on sale and just had to have it. It didn't disappoint! I read it cover to cover, and as much as it was of great interest to me as a guitar player, it was even more fascinating for the story of the Vox amplifiers.

[@PewPewDevices]

A buddy of mine in Slovakia bought the brand a few years ago and has started making the guitars again as custom orders.

[@nickdryad]

That’s fantastic

[@luissampaio2104]

NICE!! I will look out for this, maybe I can have my own futurama hehe

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

Is that Resonet Gitary?

[@vokovevaku8199]

@@ARWest-bp4yb No, it's Jolana guitars, Futurama was a brand for the British market afaik. PS: My bad I didn't know that the name Resonet was also used, and that was later rebranded to Jolana, so there are today both Graziosos (Futuramas) by Jolana and Resonet.

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

@@vokovevaku8199 Correct, but Jolana makes a more modern version, while Resonet makes an almost exact copy of the '59 model. Check it out.

[@chrisreich40]

Cool beyond description. I hope a guitar manufacturer will make copies for the rest of us.

[@billr9125]

Thanks for this video! This is such an important guitar - the one George did his 10,000 hours on. He owned a lot of guitars in his day, but there is only one first 'real' guitar in every players life. I would rather have this one for its history than many of the multi-million dollar sellers out there. Lets hope this really gets appreciated and sells for what its worth on November 20.

[@harrysmusicroom]

Wanna bet Jim Irsay buys it?

[@christopherpatefield6150]

interesting video. The Beatles failed the audition to back Billy Fury but did tour Scotland with another singer called Johnny Gentle. In the mid 60s my friend Marshall had the same Futurama 2 guitar and I had the Futurama 3. They were good cheap guitars and stood up well when gigging.

[@markfahey3921]

Cry for a Shadow was a melody written as a tribute to the Shadows, a superb British instrumental band. Hank Marvin was the first person in the UK to have a Fender Stratocaster, brought over from America while the trade ban was still in place.

[@sipet214]

Actually Cliff Richard, legendary singer whose backing group were the Shadows, imported that famous Fender Stratocaster Fiesta Red for Hank Marvin the lead player with the Shadows. Today that Strat is with Bruce Welch, the rhythm guitar player with the Shadows. But technically Cliff Richard is still the owner.

[@54macdog]

Fantastic documentary. More please!

[@christopherpatefield6150]

Just to add that Georges' Futurama guitar is now in Pete Best's museum in Mathew Street Liverpool opposite the Cavern.

[@georgefromhenley]

no thats the guitar of Petes brother

[@tommymaguire2839]

Not sure that the Beatles ever actually backed up Billy Fury. Really enjoyed the segment. Thanks!

[@bills48321]

I like the switching; all 7 pickup selections.

[@SidBonkers51]

My first guitar was a Futurama, I bought it off a friend who was a dustman/garbage collector, who found it in a bin and I remember buying an amplifier from Woolworths. This would have been in 1970ish in the UK, I have no recollection of what happened to it, but I wish I still had it.

[@alexandrebenois7962]

I read and enjoyed your book soon after it came out. I didn't know you were on KZbin.

[@mattskustomkreations]

Thanks- never noticed this axe from early pics or even heard about it. A Bender the robot / George’s guitar crossover T-shirt is in order!

[@drutgat2]

Great video. For accuracy, the magazine was known as The Beatles Book Monthly, not The Beatles Monthly Book.

[@ericbgordon1575]

It's November 2024 as I leave this comment. Several years ago, I purchased the large size edition of the gear book. Paging through it and reading about the Futurama guitar, I came to a realization. It actually predated when Fender started building instruments with individual pickup selectors in the electronics, as well as when Dr Brian May and his father Harold designed and built Brian's homemade model, the Red Special. In an interview from 2014 with Premier Guitar, Brian talked about how the two of them collected brochures of different manufacturers like Fender. Though he didn't mention it, it wouldn't surprise me if one of the brochures featured this model.

[@petermcgarrymusicandflying]

I really hope that the Hamburg Tapes are worked on by Peter Jackson

[@jackthebassman1]

I have one, it plays pretty well for a cheap guitar.

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

seriously?🚬🥸

[@jackthebassman1]

@jesusislukeskywalker4294 I bought it about ten years ago, I have several old instruments, so I just wanted something from my youth, I was surprised how well it plays the action is well acceptable, the electrics all work.

[@williampayne7678]

George Harrison was a great guitarist, RIP George.

[@stevenferentzy5832]

Hey Andy! I have a question. I traveled to Liverpool for a Beatles pilgrimage with a few close friends some years back, and one of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Casbah Club. We were given a tour by none other than Rory Best (Pete’s brother). Rory showed us a beat up Futurama in a display, and claimed that George, having already trashed his own, had taken his (Rory’s) Futurama to Hamburg, and it returned to Liverpool, much worse for Reeperbahn wear. Know anything about this?

[@scarcam]

My first electric was one of these, I got it in the late 70s. it was an early 60s model with a rosewood board and tele style headstock, it had an odd vibrato on it.

[@johndickson8405]

There’s a scene in the beginning of the James Bond movie Dr. No where there’s a band playing and the guitar player is playing a Futurama. Also the bass player in that band is playing a then brand new pre-CBS Sunburst Fender Precision bass… Sweet!

[@jayman252]

I just saw this guitar at the Musicians Hall of Fame Museum in Nashville.

[@SurferJoe1]

(They ended up backing Johnny Gentle rather than Fury, right?)

[@nickdryad]

That’s the Scottish tour.

[@SurferJoe1]

@@nickdryad Yes, but when did they back Fury?

[@nickdryad]

@ I don’t think they did. They were at the same Larry Parnell Audition with Billy Fury but not sure about anything else

[@stormytempest6521]

​@@nickdryadI'm from Liverpool, bit pushed.......explain later.

[@nickdryad]

Stormy tempest. I get the reference

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Bought my first Guitar at Hessys

[@johnduckworth474]

So did I. A Futurama Duo. I still have it.

[@5150show]

Incredible

[@idobro]

I love that! Thank you so much. Great history, ain’t it?

[@khamisangeth7330]

Amazing

[@brighter22]

Enjoyed this video, commenting for the algorithm.

[@mcarp555]

Andy, when are you going to finish your website? And is there an updated version of _The Beatles' Gear_ with all the new info you've amassed since it originally came out?

[@kkteutsch6416]

Gretsch as Rickenbacker and Vox was ever the guitars I've wanted to own and play....

[@joshuaross4644]

Would be awesome if you did these types of videos for some of the Beatles other guitars like the Matching Sonic Blue Strat’s

[@stratocasting128]

The Beatles museum in Liverpool tells a different story about the actual Futurama Guitar that was used on the named records. George borrowed the same guitar from Rory Best because his own Futurama was broken and was returned for repair.

[@pa0letti]

When are you gonna do an episode on Paul's lost & found bass???

[@hobbayne]

Is that Stuart Sutcliffe playing bass on Cry For A Shadow or had Paul Taken over by then. If it is Stuart, it is very well played for a newbie bassist.

[@peterwilson9165]

I think Paul might have played bass on that recording

[@SalsBodybuildingArchives]

Congratulations on such a great video and history. I love John Paul, George and Ringo…by the way when are the Empty Hearts gonna get back together and make some more music? When are you gonna make another CD? Peace, Sal 💪🏻🎸

[@Vitotesta]

Excellent

[@Zackedoff]

Great vid

[@marcraygun6290]

A guy in Welsh village I grew up in had one , rubbish to play sounds great though , the owner had picture of him playing drums with Clapton in bluesbreakers back in day when he filled in for a gig

[@johnbarry1965]

Johnny Gentle was also from Liverpool.

[@richardbartolo2890]

Prior to the embargo with the English bands dealing with guitars having poor playability, What was the guitar string situation like in England ? Here in America in the late 50 & early 60's there was Black Diamond guitar Strings that were mighty thick. There were very few other companies selling guitar strings with different sizes like today. I heard in that era the Nashville studio musicians used Banjo strings for the 1st, 2nd,& 3rd strings.

[@kennethhardacre]

I used to have a futurama still got some pics of me playing it. it cost £55 I traded it when i bought my first strat in 1962

[@chrisst8922]

Andy Babiuk is THE world's expert on all these matters and if he says it then it's a fact.

[@apatriot613]

I always wondered if Any Beatle Owned a VOX Super Ace Strat Style Guitar. Pickups as good or better than Fenders/ And only made in England in 1964-1965

[@johnbrereton5229]

Brian Jones the guitarist of the Rolling Stones played a Vox guitar. Vox had a factory in Dartford Kent where both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards lived.

[@ilabelle1]

WOW!!!!

[@ksharpe10]

What happened to George's 345 Gibson guitar, did he trade it for to get the SG??

[@HMJohnsonGuitar]

Fun Stuff!

[@shanebrbich5698]

Hey Andy! Greetings from Aus! This little beauty looks like my Kendrick Continental! Built by Tony Nobles in Texas. I’m a lefty too! And, it doesn’t play like a Dog either (far from it) 👍🇦🇺

[@1rwjwith]

Incredible…I would love to hear someone play it on a video now! Great vid.

[@fatroberto3012]

Wow! It just sold for $1.27 million!

[@mrcarloselche248]

I hope it does not rot away in some Hard Rock Café

[@radomirratkovic9014]

Sooo cooll❤

[@NeverGoBack2]

I have to ask. How much did it sell for?

[@neilbeacher17]

The auction is on Nov 20th. It has an estimate of $600,000-$800,000! 😮

[@NeverGoBack2]

@ Wow, I am sure George didn’t see this coming when he bought it with his mom….

[@donnacushman7024]

@@neilbeacher17 It's up to $600,000 now on November 18, 2024...(3 bidders).

[@neilbeacher17]

@@NeverGoBack2 Went for $1.27 million in the end.

[@NeverGoBack2]

@@neilbeacher17 Wow, well there is worse ways to spend your money.

[@lyndamcardle4123]

I had a red Futurama III (three pickups) bought second hand for about £50 in 1974....unlike George's, my wouldn't be worth a million pounds mind !

[@zackamania6534]

I bought BEATLES GEAR in 2004. It is ESSENTIAL! Mach schau Andy So f’ing COOL what a story… hope Jim Irsay doesn’t end up with it 😮

[@jesusislukeskywalker4294]

how cool 🔥🚬😎

[@kkteutsch6416]

Futurama and other guitars using three HH toggle pickup switches permits that all 3 pickups can be switched On at same time, the fender's 5 position switch doesn't have this possibility...

[@johnhodges8264]

Cliff Richard imported the first Fender Stat in England for Hank Marvin.

[@rodneykitchen3869]

I had one of these bought when I was 16 at J60 Music Bar in East Ham London around. 1960 It was. Terrible to play, Nice video Mate. ! Rod in London

[@KaBoomChannel]

So was the Futurama put up for auction? I can just imagine what its worth, and that guy took the money rather than the guitar

[@fractalnomics]

How much will it sell for? 500,000?

[@johnliddell7999]

George Harrison’s Futurama has just become the most expensive Beatles electric guitar to ever sell at auction, selling for $1.27 million

[@davedee4382]

They recorded Cry and Ain’t She in Germany.

[@richardthelionheart01]

Paul and George wrote Cry for a Shadow? No?

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

George and John, the original writing credit was Harrison/Lennon.

[@lamper2]

AI Overview Learn more … The Beatles were offered the chance to back Billy Fury, but they declined the offer: The Beatles audition: Larry Parnes, Fury's manager, held auditions in Liverpool for a new backing group for Fury. The Beatles, then known as the Silver Beetles, auditioned for the job but were turned down. The Beatles' decision: The Beatles were offered the job for £20 per week, but John Lennon refused on the condition that they keep their bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe. The Beatles left after Lennon got Fury's autograph. The Tornados: The Tornados were eventually chosen to back Fury. Rock'n'Roll Heroes - Billy Fury Fury's first backing band was Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, but they were fired by Parnes. Fury's hits were more ballads than rock 'n' roll, and he was sometimes compared to Elvis.

[@lamper2]

4:50 Where are these instruments today if any exist? especially Stu's. 10:34 when i see all that fan mail it occurs to me that there are probably 100 girls SO much nicer and prettier than any that they ended up with in that pile!

[@kentstray1]

I hope George's family buys it.

[@Carlsings]

Aww.. you skipped Sam Leach.. but that's alright..

[@lesbois53]

I still have mine. It’s STILL a dog to play!

[@vitgit]

Poor guy who took money instead of guitar

[@josephrogers2843]

Futur RAM a. Entire world including George pronounces it Futur ROM a

[@Edward1312]

Yeah, he used a futurama but they were trash guitars (Harrison admits it was a dog to play). Harrison got something decent (Gretch duojet) as soon as he had the money. If it didnt have the Beatles association I doubt the Futurama would be worth more than £300.

[@jamesconnors4297]

Didn't george say it sounded good kind of like a fender but the string action was awful.

[@davemarr7743]

Pronounced O'Ma ho nay.. jeezus wept!

[@eti313]

@AudioPilz "Welcome to Fab Gear, the show about The Beatles' most loved audio tools."