Ticket To Ride- The Beatles (Guitar Cover)

Thanks to meticulous notes that George Martin made during the Help! album sessions, we know exactly what guitars and instruments were used on Ticket To Ride!
The backing track consisted of George Harrison on his Rickenbacker 360/12 12-string, John Lennon strumming rhythm guitar on his Fender Stratocaster, Paul played his Hofner bass, and Ringo on drums

Martin notes that only two guitar overdubs were recorded:
George on Stratocaster
and Paul on Epiphone Casino

This recording was the first session for the new Help! album. It took place on February 15th 1965. At this point, the Beatles were using Vox AC-100 amps exclusively in the studio for their electric guitars

Hats off to Ably House and Michael Sokil who discovered the little Epiphone Casino noodling at 0:21 and 0:52

Paul overdubbed his Casino on the breaks before the verses, and the outro solo. He most likely used his bridge pickup with the tone knob rolled down, which is what I did here too

Because the only other guitar overdub listed by Martin was Harrison on his Fender Stratocaster, it's safe to assume that George was the one playing the single A-string notes AND the volume pedal swells in the choruses. This is further proven if you listen to the stereo version of the song and hear that both the A-string stabs and swells are in the same location (middle)

The chord that occurs during the volume swell section "ticket to ri-hi-hide" is a mysterious one that was hard to crack. It turns out all three guitars are playing different chords at once. The Rickenbacker is playing X25432 which is a G major 7 with a low B. John's Strat plays XX0432 which is a D6
The overdubbed Stratocaster plays XX5422 which is Gmaj7 with a flat 5

However, at 1:00 John accidentally plays XX0532 which is a D7 chord

I'm using my 1999 Rickenbacker 360/12v64 with roundwound strings into my Vox AC-30. I added a lot of compression afterwards with Waves plug-ins, and Abbey Road Plate Reverb on all the guitars

My Epiphone Casino is a new 2021 USA model with Gibson P-90 pickups in a Royal Tan finish. This is also going into my AC-30 top boost channel

For John's Stratocaster part, I'm using my 2022 Custom Shop Fender Strat straight into the AC-30 TB channel. To my ears it sounds like he was using position 2, which is the middle and bridge pickups out of phase. This was only possible on their vintage strats by jamming the switch between the middle and bridge positions

For George's Stratocaster overdub, I'm using the same Custom Shop Sonic Blue Strat into the Top Boost channel of the AC-30. But first I'm using my Analogman King of Tone pedal as a boost, into my Ernie Ball Volume Pedal

My Gear:
1999 Rickenbacker 360/12V64 (Scatterwound Pickups)
2022 Fender Custom Shop '63 Journeyman Stratocaster
2021 Epiphone Casino USA Royal Tan
Vox AC-30C2X (Celestion Alnico Blues)
Neumann TLM-103
Analogman King of Tone (Boost side)
Ernie Ball VP Jr. Volume Pedal (Analogman Taper Mod)

#thebeatles #guitarcover #instrumental

[sambakery]

Wow, George's amazing playing is all over this song. Don't think I've ever seen a pedal used this early in music before.

[JacobKMusics]

This absolutely rocks! Tones are on point as usual. I love everything about this cover, everything.

[Luke_dude_]

The amount of chime form the rick 12 string and Strat combo is absolutely killer.

[riogrande]

The magical shimmer of a Rickenbacker 12, great work!

[Alxvndro]

Spot on, fav part is that sweet pedal work at 0:30

[elirosen]

Awesome cover! Ticket To Ride was really one of the first songs in which the Beatles got into heavy, complex layering of instruments.

[TonkineseCatFancier]

This masterpiece has got the breakdown it deserves now. Thank you.

[michaelgutman]

Ticket to Ride is one of my favorite Beatle songs.
Reading how you re-created it gives me some insight into the genius of the Beates, creating it.
Love it!

[plweis]

Bloody marvellous to see and hear!! Thank you

[larrypeek-ityo]

I never get tired of listening to that song. love the sound of the rick 12 string

[EmmaEmbla]

I always forget they had their strats as early as Help! Rubber Soul is always my first thought when I see that strat.
Absolutely amazing cover as always! 🎟🚆❤

[ordepsmusic]

I was missing the 12 string Rick!! Glad to see it on a such classic. Awesome quality as always, Sam.

[zulaqil]

You never fail to impress me. I really love those rickenbackers❤

[wet_]

A classic that was needed here! Perfect cover

[keith]

That 360v64 is amazing. Great work again Sam! I love that little E chord walk at :35 on the 12 string. Classic Harrison.

[darthplagueisthewise]

Yeah I would've never guessed that the overdub was the casino, that's a good catch. and what a treat to hear AND look at that beautiful rick 12 string, you've gotta bring it out more.

[soregazu]

It's the same as the record! Amazing job, Sam!

[curtis]

Sounds amazing though! You definitely nailed that strat rhythm part sound wise.

[westfield]

Your videos never fail to impress me. You’ve captured every sound so well.

[drexlerjohn]

Of all the covers I've seen in YT, this is the most spot on. That little arpeggio riff played on the 12 string around 0:25 to 0:26 is one I've heard in the isolated guitar tracks of the song, but you're the only one so far that has done it faithfully.

It sounds somewhat 80s ish tbh. Truly ahead of its time.