You know that feeling when you're listening to a classic track and something just feels... different? That’s the Let It Be guitar solo for you. It’s not just one solo. It’s a bit of a sonic puzzle that has confused casual listeners and obsessed gear-heads for decades. Depending on whether you’re spinning the original 1970 single, the Let It Be album produced by Phil Spector, or the stripped-back Let It Be... Naked version from 2003, you are actually hearing fundamentally different performances by George Harrison.
George wasn’t trying to be a shredder. He was a melodicist. But in January 1969, the vibes at Apple Studio were, frankly, terrible. The Beatles were falling apart. Yet, amidst the bickering and the cold morning rehearsals, George managed to squeeze out some of the most soulful, stinging notes of his career.
The Tale of Two (or Three) Solos
If you grew up with the 1970 album version, you know the "aggressive" one. It’s got that distorted, biting tone that cuts right through the orchestral swell. But if you first heard the song on the 1967-1970 Blue Album or the original 7-inch single, you heard something much more polite.
Here is the weird part. Both solos were recorded on the same day—April 30, 1969—months after the initial filming for the Get Back project had wrapped. George sat down to overdub a solo onto "Take 27." He played one pass that was mellow and another that was more high-gain and distorted.
George Martin, the legendary producer, preferred the "sweet" solo for the single. He thought it fit the hymn-like quality of Paul McCartney’s songwriting. Phil Spector, the guy brought in later to "save" the album, went the opposite direction. He chose the more abrasive, rocking take.
Then you have the Let It Be... Naked version. This one uses a solo from the January 31, 1969, session. It’s different again. It’s cleaner, more tentative, and arguably more "live." It’s fascinating how a single song can have three distinct identities just based on about thirty seconds of lead guitar.
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That Signature George Harrison Tone
How did he get that sound? It wasn't just a guitar plugged into an amp.
For the Let It Be guitar solo, George was famously using his 1968 Rosewood Fender Telecaster. This wasn't a standard Tele; it was a heavy, solid rosewood prototype gifted to him by Fender. It had a darker, more resonant quality than the usual ash or alder bodies.
But the real secret sauce? The Leslie 147rv speaker cabinet.
Normally, a Leslie is for a Hammond organ. It has a rotating drum and horn that creates a shimmering, warbling effect. George loved running his guitar through it during the late-Beatles era. When you hear that "underwater" yet gritty texture on the album version, that’s the sound of a Telecaster screaming through a rotating speaker. It adds a physical movement to the air that a pedal just can’t replicate.
Why the Let It Be Guitar Solo Matters Today
Most modern guitarists try too hard. They want to show off every scale they know. George did the opposite. He played for the song.
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The solo follows the vocal melody but expands on it. It’s bluesy, sure, but it has that "Harrisons-esque" touch where every note feels intentional. He wasn't just filling space. He was answering Paul’s lyrics. When Paul sings about "times of trouble," George’s guitar provides the catharsis.
It’s also a masterclass in tension and release. In the album version, the solo starts with a punchy, distorted double-stop. It’s a wake-up call. It tells the listener that even though this is a ballad, it’s still a rock record.
Breaking Down the Versions
- The Single Version (Produced by George Martin): Recorded April 30, 1969. This uses a lower-gain setting. It’s melodic, tucked back in the mix, and features a very subtle Leslie effect. It feels "safe."
- The Album Version (Produced by Phil Spector): Also from the April 30 session, but a different take. Spector cranked the volume. It’s got more fuzz, more "hair" on the notes, and it’s doubled in some places to sound massive.
- The "Naked" Version: This is the "film" version. It’s raw. No overdubs. It shows the band as they actually sounded in the room. It’s less polished, but some purists swear it’s the most honest representation of the song.
The Gear Behind the Magic
If you’re a gear head trying to nail this at home, you need to understand the signal chain.
- The Guitar: A Telecaster is preferred, though George used his "Lucy" Gibson Les Paul on other tracks in this era. For Let It Be, the Rosewood Tele is the king.
- The Amp: Silverface Fender Twin Reverb. This provided the clean, high-headroom foundation.
- The Effect: A Leslie speaker (or a high-quality rotary pedal like a Strymon Lex or a Neo Ventilator).
- The Technique: George used a lot of "rake" picking here. He’d drag the pick across muted strings before hitting the target note to give it more "thump."
Learning from George’s Restraint
We often talk about "The Quiet Beatle," but his guitar playing was loud in its influence.
The Let It Be guitar solo teaches us that you don't need a thousand notes to be memorable. You need the right notes. Musicians today still study these takes because they represent a transition point. The Beatles were moving from the psychedelic experimentation of Sgt. Pepper back to their R&B and Rock and Roll roots.
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The solo is grounded. It’s earthy. It doesn’t try to be "Tomorrow Never Knows." It tries to be "Stax Records meets a Church Hymn."
Actionable Insights for Guitarists and Fans
If you want to truly appreciate or replicate this piece of history, don't just listen to the "1" album.
- A/B the versions: Put on high-quality headphones. Listen to the 1970 single and then the 1970 album track back-to-back. Notice how the guitar tone completely changes the "mood" of the song. One feels like a prayer; the other feels like a protest.
- Study the "Rake": If you’re a player, practice that opening double-stop. It’s not just about hitting the strings; it’s about the attitude of the attack.
- Research the "Get Back" Sessions: Watch the Peter Jackson documentary. You can actually see the tension in the room while these songs were being hammered out. It gives the solo a whole new level of emotional weight.
- Explore the Rotary Sound: If you don't have a Leslie, try a Chorus pedal with the "Rate" turned up high and the "Depth" kept moderate. It’ll get you in the ballpark of that shimmering 1969 vibe.
The Let It Be guitar solo remains a landmark of recorded music because it’s imperfect. It’s the sound of a man playing through his frustrations and creating something timeless in the process. Whether you prefer the "sweet" George or the "gritty" George, there is no denying that those few bars of music helped define the end of an era.
To dive deeper into the technical side, look for isolated tracks of George’s guitar from the April 30 sessions. Hearing the "raw" Leslie cabinet without the orchestra or the piano reveals just how much work that Rosewood Tele was doing. It’s a gritty, beautiful mess that somehow sounds like perfection.