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Beatles Gear: The Ultimate Edition

New book's author Andy Babiuk authenticated Lennon's 2.4 million dollar guitar

MONTCLAIR, NJ - With Beatles Gear: The Ultimate Edition - All The Fab Four's Instruments From Stage to Studio, published by Backbeat Books, author Andy Babiuk has written one of the most influential Beatles books yet. Babiuk was not only given access to band members and their most inner circles, but was also granted access to the Beatles musical equipment, (as he was for his research for his book, Rolling Stones Gear, 2014). As a result, Babiuk discovered and writes about some of the most intricate details about the Beatles' lives, their history, music, and tools of the trade. The book will be released Dec. 1, 2015.

"This is why the book is so comprehensive," says Babiuk. "In the years since I wrote the original Beatles Gear (2001), I kept discovering more stories, more secrets, and photos that have never been published before."

The 500-plus page Beatles Gear: The Ultimate Edition includes many previously unseen photographs, a cache of rare memorabilia, and a unique collection of specially photographed authentic Beatle instruments. Shown in luscious quality throughout the book are 43 of the group's original instruments, many still owned by ex-members of The Beatles or their heirs, from George's psychedelic Strat to John's "Bed In" Gibson, and Ringo's roof top Ludwig kit to Paul's Hofner violin bass.

Beatles Gear: The Ultimate Edition also played a key role in the recently auctioned John Lennon Gibson guitar, and that part alone in the book reads like a detective story. Babiuk predicted that this guitar would be sold for the highest price an instrument ever achieved, and was recently proved to be correct. Last week, the guitar was sold at Julien's Auctions for $2.41 million.

"I got to play the guitar-it was bone-chilling," Babiuk says. "It's just a really cool historical find. Kind of a crazy story."

Exactly this kind of "crazy story" make Beatles Gear: The Ultimate Edition an absolute must-have for all Beatles fans.

About the author:

Andy Babiuk is a musician, author, consultant, and owner of the boutiquemusic shop Andy Babiuk's Fab Gear in Fairport, N.Y. He is a founding member and bassist of the super-group, The Empty Hearts (est. 2014) featuring Elliot Easton of The Cars; Clem Burke of Blondie and Wally Palmar of The Romantics and was also a founding member and bassist for The Chesterfield Kings. Babiuk is also the author of Beatles Gear (2001), The Story of Paul Bigsby (2009), Rolling Stones Gear (2014). A leading authority on vintage guitars, he also serves as a consultant to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and for auction houses in New York and London. Babiuk continues to lecture about all that is Beatles and Rolling Stones gear all over the world.

Beatles Gear: The Ultimate Edition

December 2015, $60

Hardcover, 9.8" x 10.5", 512 pages

Hundreds of b/w and color photographs throughout

9781617130991

Backbeat Books, an imprint of Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group

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