Beatles Gear: All the Fab Four's Instruments, from Stage to Studio
Babiuk takes a unique approach to the Beatles' story by  documenting the history of their music equipment. The Beatles  are forever associated with particular instruments, and thoughts  of them immediately conjure images of John's Rickenbacker,  George's large, hollow-bodied Gretch, Paul's signature custom  Hofner violin bass (the first left-handed bass the company ever  produced), and Ringo on a Ludwig drum kit. Babiuk begins with  Lennon's first guitar in 1956 and follows through to the band's  final 1969 sessions at the Abbey Road studios. As he shows,  their choice of instruments were outlets for their personalities  and creativity, and they selected a particular make and model  for its individual sound, used that sound to its fullest, and  then progressed to the next. Though dubbed "the quiet one,"  Harrison proved the maverick, continually experimenting with  guitars and instruments from other nationalities, leading to the  important Eastern influence on the Beatles' music. Babiuk  provides marvelous technical detail on all of the Fab Four's  gear, with numerous photos of either their own instruments or  identical models. A fresh perspective on the group's  well-documented history will appeal to hardcore fans and  interested lay readers alike. Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.