Here there are the receipts for John's Club 40, George's Futurama and Stu's 500/5, scanned from Babiuk's book. I also enclose two catalogue scans from those days with the price for a Rosetti Solid 7: £18-8-0. Those catalogues are very interesting and, among other things, they give the very address for Rosetti Co. in London: Fitzroy Court, W.1...
With the help of a magnifying glass I can conclude the following:
- John Lennon signed his hire-purchase agreement with Hessy's for his Höfner Club 40 on 1959, August the 28th. His aunt Mimi was the guarantor and paid a deposit of £17-0-0. The hire-purchase contract rises the initial price of £28-7-0 to £30-9-0, by means of £2-2-0 add charges. First payment of £0-5-0 is dated September 10. John had to pay £0-5-0 during 53 weeks, i.e., a total amount of £14-5-0
(=is this last calculation correct??)
- George Harrison signed his hire-purchase agreement with Hessy's for his Futurama Grazioso on 1959, November the 20th. His mum Elsie was the guarantor and paid a deposit of £10-0-0. The hire-purchase contract rises the intitial price of £64-1-0 to £74-6-0, by means of £10-5-0 add charges. First payment of £0-16-0 is dated December 5. George had to pay £0-16-6 during 44 weeks, i.e., a total amount of £37-4-0
(=is this last calculation correct??)
- Stuart Sutcliffe signed his hire-purchase agreement with Hessy's for his Höfner 500/5 bass on 1960, January the 21st. His guarantor was
(=I can't read it at Babiuk's scan) and paid a deposit of £15-0-0. The hire-purchase contract rises the intitial price of £50-8-0 to £59-15-0, by means of £9-7-0 add charges. First payment £8-0-0 is dated..., February 4
(=I can't read it at Babiuk's scan) Stu had to pay £0-8-0 during 40 weeks, i.e., a total amount of £16-0-0
(=is this last calculation correct??)
I hope to be right with my calculations as old English currency is a bit complicated for me...
If this is correct, then Paul McCartney (=who had to pay £21-0-0 for his Solid 7, being the initial guitar's price £18-8-0 and the agreement £0-10-0 a week) should have to pay during 42 weeks..., correct?? So, add charges were £2-12-0
(=is this last calculation correct??)
I still wonder if there was any deposit before for Macca's Solid 7, having in mind that John, George & Stu made a deposit. It had to be an usual procedure at the time...
And..., why John, George and Stu (=and Paul!!) get different add charges for their purchases?? Is due to the different prices of their respective instruments?? Due to different deposits?? Or perhaps is due to the fact that they finished payments at different time rates??
I would love to know your thoughts...
Best,
Xosé