George Harrison “Got My Mind Set on You” signed & studio-used

George Harrison

"Got My Mind Set on You" Recording Session Guitar

Hamer double-cutaway in bright red finish, rosewood fretboard, prototype three coil pickup with selector switch and single volume knob, in original case.

Signed by Harrison.

A nice solo and Wilburys-era instrument with an important studio provenance.

George Harrison played this unusual Hamer while recording the guitar solo that appeared on the extended mix of "Got My Mind Set on You" released in Europe on a 12" vinyl EP. The recording session took place at the Village Recorder in West Los Angeles in the fall of 1987, and Harrison borrowed the present instrument from the studio's staff technician, Jeffrey Gilbert, then singing it after he finished the track. Harrison's cover of GMMSOY, which was originally recorded in 1962 by James Roy, was the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts in January 1988, and was Harrison's last solo U.S. No. 1 hit. Harrison first heard the son during a trip to the US in 1963.

Signed and played Harrison guitars are rare. LOAs accompanying this include one from Frank Caiazzo, another from the original owner Jeffrey Gilbert (the tech who lent Harrison the guitar and for whom Harrison signed it for), and one from recording engineer Bill Bottrell regarding the recording session and the story of the guitar. 

Bottrell adds in his letter Harrison referring to his next project, with Harrison saying "Yeah, I guess we're have a group or something," and handing Botrell a Traveling Wilburys guitar pick.