John Lennon played various guitars with The Beatles and during his solo career, including the Rickenbacker (four variants thereof), Epiphone Casino, and various models of Gibson and Fender guitars.
His other instrument of choice was the piano, on which he also composed many songs. For instance, Lennon's jamming on a piano together with Paul McCartney led to creation of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in 1963.
| “ | We wrote a lot of stuff together, one on one, eyeball to eyeball. Like in 'I Want to Hold Your Hand,' I remember when we got the chord that made the song. We were in Jane Asher's house, downstairs in the cellar playing on the piano at the same time. And we had, 'Oh you-u-u/ got that something...' And Paul hits this chord [E minor] and I turn to him and say, 'That's it!' I said, 'Do that again!' In those days, we really used to absolutely write like that—both playing into each other's noses.[1] | ” |
Lennon also played harmonica (his first instrument), banjo (his mother gave him lessons before he switched to guitar), other keyboards besides piano (harpsichord, harmonium, mellotron, clavioline), six-string bass (either he or George Harrison, when McCartney was playing piano or guitar), and some percussion instruments (in the studio).
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Rickenbacker makes several "Lennon" model electric guitars, Gibson makes a limited-edition replica of his J-160E[2] and an "inspired by" John Lennon Les Paul replicating the modified Junior.[3]
Lennon composed his biggest solo hit "Imagine" on a Steinway piano he bought for his home in England. This piano was bought by George Michael at an auction by Yoko Ono for £1.45 million.[4] Later, the piano was on charity tour.[5]
Lennon used a variety of sound sources for his songs, such as radios, sound effect records, resonators, and even his own heartbeat. He recorded his, Ono's and a their baby's heartbeat for sounds on the Wedding Album and Unfinished Music No.2: Life with the Lions.