This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/24/2024
The Beatles 1960 Pete Best’s Zildjian Ride Cymbal - Used by Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr on Stage and on Hamburg Auditions, Decca Auditions and “Love Me Do” Recordings - Used in Over 300 Concerts!
Offered here is one of the most important artifacts relating to the Beatles to come up for public auction in recent memory. This is the actual Zildjian Ride Cymbal used on Pete Best’s first drum kit with the Beatles. It was used on stage and for many recording sessions by both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
Pete Best purchased the cymbal in Hamburg on October 17, 1960 and used it until Pete was fired and Ringo Starr took over as Beatles drummer in August, 1962. The cymbal was part of Pete’s drum kit and used on Beatles’ live performances in Hamburg and the greater Liverpool Merseyside area. It was also used on the following Beatles recordings: Recordings of Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers (The Beatles) in Germany; The Decca Audition Tapes in London; The first George Martin EMI Studios (aka Abbey Road) recording test in London and on two BBC radio shows and many more.
Pete joined The Beatles on August 13, 1960 because The Beatles could not play in Hamburg without having a drummer.
The cymbal was originally consigned to the London Sotheby’s auction in 1995 by Pete Best and has not been in the public eye ever since. According to Pete’s receipt, he bought this cymbal on October 17, 1960. His original kit, purchased in Liverpool, was a starter kit that did not have the complete set of cymbals and did not come with a ride cymbal, and Pete wanted one to make his kit more professional and complete. Pete began to use the new ride cymbal in his kit immediately at Beatles' shows in Hamburg.
After Hamburg, once back in Liverpool, The Beatles could no longer just take their guitars, amps and full drum kit on public transport. With Pete now in the Beatles with a full drum kit (which included the recently purchased ride cymbal) the group asked Neil Aspinall to formally become their driver and roadie just before Christmas, 1960. Pete would play in concert and in the studio with this cymbal with the Beatles until his firing.
Pete Best is not the only person to use this iconic Zildjian ride cymbal, Paul McCartney played Pete’s drum kit with the ride cymbal. Mersey Beat Founder and Editor, Bill Harry wrote a guest column for Beatle Fan Magazine in 2019. He stated “For their August 7, 1961 gig, the Litherland Town Hall classified advertisement in the Liverpool Echo carried the message: ‘Hear Pete Best Sing Tonight.’ Best had been talked into performing the song “Pinwheel Twist,” which Paul had written for him to sing. Pete recalled in a conversation with Spencer Leigh: ‘Paul wrote the song and asked me to do it. He coupled it with Joey Dee’s hit “The Peppermint Twist.’ I used to get up and do the twist onstage and Paul played my drums. It was a little novelty act and it went down well with the fans. When The Beatles performed it, Paul took over on drums, George played Paul’s left-handed bass right-handed and Pete sang.” There are two photos of Paul playing Pete’s kit when Pete would sing and one photo of Paul playing just the famous ride cymbal while Pete plays his kit!
Paul also played Pete’s kit on April 5, 1962 at the Cavern Club.
Ringo Starr also used the cymbal before he was even an official member of the Beatles. Ringo Starr borrowed Pete Best’s drum kit with the iconic Zildjian Ride Cymbal on a couple of occasions when he filled in with The Beatles in place of the ailing Pete Best. This was before Ringo Starr was asked to join The Beatles and while he was still a member of Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. Paul McCartney recalled the day Ringo subbed for Pete Best in his 2015 induction speech for Ringo Starr at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. McCartney said in his speech: “One night, our drummer then, Pete Best, uh, wasn’t available (applause) and, um, so Ringo sat in. And I remember the moment. I mean, Pete was great and we had a great time with him, but me, John (Lennon), and George (Harrison), God bless ‘em (applause). . . Yeah! Me, John, and George were on the frontline, singing, as we usually were, and now behind us we had this guy that we’d never played with before. And I remember the moment when he started playing and I think it was Ray Charles and most of the drummers couldn’t nail the drum part — it was a little difficult to do — but Ringo nailed it. So. . . . (applause) Yeah! (Laughs) Ringo nailed it!!! (Applause) Woo! And I remember the moment just standing there and looking at John (Lennon) and then looking at George (Harrison), and that was “the moment” know, that was the beginning, really, of the Beatles. Anyway (applause).”. Ringo Starr has commented on the occasion of playing at the Cavern, without his drum kit. Ringo did not have the ability to transport his kit all over town, so he borrowed Pete’s kit the night he subbed for him. Ringo: “This is my playing at the Cavern… these are not my drums. The snare [drum] and sticks would have been mine, but I never had a white kit.” There are various pictures of Ringo Starr using this cymbal in the cavern club.
Pete Best used this cymbal during the iconic Hamburg Recordings on June 22-23, 1961. The songs featured include: My Bonnie, When The Saints Go Marching In, Why (Can’t You Love Me Again) and Cry For A Shadow. The cymbal was also used during the iconic Decca Audition Recordings on January 1, 1962 and finally The Beatles First EMI Test Recordings featuring Love Me Do, PS I Love You and Ask Me Why.
In total, Pete Best used the cymbal for a total of five recording sessions, two programs and over three hundred live concerts! A full list of every concert and recording session can be provided to you directly.
An incredible one-of–a-kind item that would be perfect for any museum.
Good condition.
Authentication: Pete Best’s original receipt of purchase, the original 1995 Sotheby’s Catalog of which the cymbal sold, a letter of provenance, a Real Game Used (RGU) Letter of Authenticity and a Gotta Have Rock and Roll Certificate of Authenticity.