Mona and Lisa's preferred guitars, the Rickenbacker and Gretsch

[Jung Roe]

[Jung Roe]

[Jacki Hopper]

I do enjoy Guitar Talk…. I found your post fascinating Jung…. ???

[Jung Roe]

Thanks Jacki!

[Jim Yahr]

“Lucy” was a red Gibson Les Paul, that was given to George by Eric Clapton in 1968 or so.  Clapton played it on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on the White Album and it turned into one of George’s favorite guitars.  It had an interesting history.  It was originally a 1958 Goldtop purchased by John Sebastian.  Sebastian traded it to Rick Derringer who basically played it until it was worn out.  Derringer sent it to Gibson to be refurbished and ordered it with the cherry red finish that was popular at the time .  He didn’t like the finish and sold it to a guitar shop in New York.  Clapton saw it a few days later, bought it,  and gave it to George as a gift.  George named the red guitar “Lucy” after Lucille Ball (a famous redhead).  George played it for most of the Beatles Let it Be album and for the rest of his solo career.  It was stolen (“kidnapped” according to George) in 1973 and George traded another Les Paul and a Fender Bass to get it back.

[Jung Roe]

Wow, thanks Jim for the detailed insight on the “Lucy”.   John Sebastian > Rick Derringer (McCoys) > Eric Clapton > George Harrison.  That is quite a lineage of owners for one guitar, even though it was with Clapton for a short time.  One of the top most famous guitars ever.

[Jung Roe]

Ahh just the photo for my little collection I was looking for.  Thanks for posting this one ladies!  🙂

Mona and Lisa’s Rickenbacker 350v63 and Gretsch Duo Jet

 

[Tomás F. Calvo]

When I first saw the picture of Mona and Lisa with John Sebastian, “Lucy” came to mind and it made me smile, sort of a full circle thing. His gold-top ended up a redhead. There he was all these years later with identical blond and redhead by his side 😉

Here are a couple of pictures of George and Eric playing Lucy.

I wonder if John has a picture when she was still a blond?

[Jung Roe]

Awesome pics of Lucy in action there Tomas.  

An interesting parallel about the transformation of Lucy from gold top to redhead and the scene you describe of John Sebastian with Mona and Lisa.  Now if George Harrison was still alive and he could see all the wonderful things MLT are doing, I wonder if he wouldn’t rename the Lucy to Mona-Lisa.   That would be just perfection!

[Tomás F. Calvo]

True Jung! Lucy was named after Lucille Ball, also a blond turned redhead. Given George’s humor, I’m sure the guitar would have a new nickname!

[Jacki Hopper]

Tomas… Actually Lucille was a natural Brunette… Then went Blind early in her career then the Iconic redhead?… She rocked all hair colours… I have read her biography/autobiography… An interesting life … I’m a Lucille Ball fan for as long as I can recall.. (That’s most of my 50 years)