This one has rumbled on for years so I'm glad to be able to offer some concrete evidence at last. Here is Gerry using the original 360/12 on British television in 1974, finally laying to rest that old 'hacked off headstock' story. Comparison of the fireglo finish with images from the 1960s shows that this is clearly the original instrument.

Interesting shot! Supposedly this guitar is now in Australia...

_________________
Brian Morton
A Rickenbacker Fan in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
===============================
67 FG 625
74 JG 4000
76 JG 430
77 JG 620
77 JG 320
79 JG 4001
80 FG 620/12
81 BG 480
91 JG 610
02 BG 620

Amps -
78 TR7
83 TR25

I've always been most curious about the history of this instrument.

I'm not certain, but it seems to me it was possible that Gerry's OS 360/12 FG may have been the 2nd one produced of that "Harrison" model. Seems possible, at least. -Remember, both the Beatles and the Pacemakers were managed by Brian Epstein and both were recorded by George Martin at Abbey Road as well as being longtime friends of the Beatles.

John Hall would know he answer to this. I don't think there were very many of these produced in those 1964/early 1965 years as the NS 360/12 seemed to follow close it it's heels. Remember George's was a 1963 made "proto-type" and differed from Suzi Ardens.

It was shipped the same time as Lennon's 12 string - which was DB 151.

The first 12 string to show up in the RRF is from May 1964.

Gerry's was likely a DB or more likely a DC... Seems to me by late April it had arrived in the UK and it would have been shipped by sea in those pre FED-EX days...

All of this is just speculation of coarse... As is the "cut off the headstock" story - perhaps that happened in the late 70s?

_________________
Brian Morton
A Rickenbacker Fan in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
===============================
67 FG 625
74 JG 4000
76 JG 430
77 JG 620
77 JG 320
79 JG 4001
80 FG 620/12
81 BG 480
91 JG 610
02 BG 620

Amps -
78 TR7
83 TR25

I like this quote from Marsden: "The Beatles and ourselves (The Pacemakers) - we let go when we get on-stage. I'm not being detrimental, but in the south, I think the groups have let themselves get a bit too formal. On Merseyside, it's beat, beat, beat all the way. We go on and really have a ball."

Read that how you like, but I find it pretty cynical.

Reading that Gerry Marsden quote in print I don't see remote bit of "cynicism" in it in the remotest way. Its a Liverpudlian telling it like it is, as is their northern English bent.

The Liverpool group 'The Beat les (you know, the bit more famous group with the dropped T on the drum kit, emphasizing the words "The Beat" ) didn't call themselves that name for nothing.

Who really knows at this point? Story could be urban myth. I think "umbrella man" from the grassy knoll did it.