Bartell was a

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

-based maker of

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

s and

basses Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass ...

, founded by Paul Barth and Ted Peckels. The company was active from 1964 to 1969. According to Peckels, approximately 2,000 instruments were made during this period. The company also made instruments for Hohner, St. George, and Lancer.

George Harrison

Bartell fretless guitars advert - Los Angeles Free Press p

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

was gifted a Bartell fretless guitar (the first prototype) by Hollywood session player and music shop owner Al Casey, whose wife Maxine on 1 August 1967 took it up to

Blue Jay Way "Blue Jay Way" is a song by the English Rock music, rock band the Beatles. Written by George Harrison, it was released in 1967 on the group's ''Magical Mystery Tour'' Extended play, EP and album. The song was named after a street in the Hollywoo ...

, where Harrison was staying. Harrison took the guitar back to the UK, where it ended up at

Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music c ...

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

was intrigued by the Bartell, but he found it difficult to play. They passed it around, then put it in the studio locker in studio 2. In a 6 June 1968 radio interview with

Kenny Everett Kenny Everett (born Maurice James Christopher Cole; 25 December 1944 – 4 April 1995) was an English comedian, radio disc jockey and television presenter. After spells on pirate radio and Radio Luxembourg in the mid-1960s, he was one of the fi ...

, Harrison referred to it as 'the mad guitar'. Lennon was heard playing it while being interviewed by Everett.

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

were recording ''

The White Album ''The Beatles'', also referred to colloquially as the White Album, is the ninth studio album and only double album by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 22 November 1968. Featuring a plain white sleeve, the cover contains no graph ...

'' at the time. Musicologists Kenny Jenkins, of Leeds Beckett University and Richard Perks,

University of Kent , motto_lang = , mottoeng = Literal translation: 'Whom to serve is to reign'(Book of Common Prayer translation: 'whose service is perfect freedom')Graham Martin, ''From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury'' ...

, have expressed the opinion that the fretless was used on " Happiness Is a Warm Gun" and " Helter Skelter", with Perks also suggesting its use on '' Savoy Truffle''. When the Beatles split up in 1969, Harrison took the guitar back to Friar Park, where it sat in his collection until 1985. The guitar was then given to its current owner, session musician Ray Russell, while recording the film ''

Water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

''. In March 2020, this guitar was shown on the

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

programme '' Antiques Roadshow'', where Jon Baddeley of Bonhams said "this is an incredibly rare Beatles guitar with an enviable history, which turns out to be one of the most valuable items ever seen on the show." It was valued at £300,000 - £400,000 by Baddeley. The programme included a picture of Harrison with his guitars, in which the Bartell is clearly visible. Despite the higher valuation, the guitar was sold by Bonhams at an October 2020 auction for £237,562 (including buyer's premium).

Other owners

A twelve-string electric Bartell , 'St. George XK12', was owned by John Frusciante. The company also made guitars for

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

. John Paul Jones of

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

played a Hohner-branded Bartell fretless bass during the band's 1972 Australian tour.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Blog post about the reputed first fretless electric bass
made by Bartell Guitar makers Companies based in Riverside, California American companies established in 1964 Manufacturing companies established in 1964 Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States Manufacturing companies based in California