After bassist John Lodge and guitarist Justin Hayward joined The Moody Blues in the mid-'60s, they soon helped write and craft 1967's Days of Future Passed. That record's orchestral arrangements and inventive songwriting—which included Lodge's "(Evening) Time to Get Away" and Hayward's "Nights in White Satin"—made the early reputation of the band.
Today, we're excited to announce that Lodge and Hayward will launch The Official John Lodge and Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues Reverb Shop on Thursday, May 2. (Update: The shop is now live.)
The shop will feature instruments and equipment used throughout the duo's career, including Hayward's 1967 Telecaster, two original Sunn Loudspeakers, and more guitars and synthesizers.
When Hayward joined The Moody Blues, a 1965 Telecaster was his only electric guitar. Down the line, he acquired another Tele—a Bigsby-equippped '67 featured on "December Snow"—which will be for sale in this week's Reverb shop. A Vox AC30TB that Hayward modified throughout the '60s and '70s will also be available. Featuring a '64 Top Boost amp circuit in a late-'60s/early-'70s cabinet, it was featured on countless Moody Blues recordings.
Lodge's Sunn SPL-8188 and 1412L loudspeaker cabinets—complete with road cases—traveled extensively with the band. The sister set to these cabinets and another matching Vox AC30TB are on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to which The Moody Blues were inducted in 2018.
While the Mellotron is the keyboard instrument most commonly associated with the early years of the band, during the '80s and early '90s, the Moody Blues brought many synths into the mix. Hayward and Lodge's Official Reverb Shop will also include a Roland D-50, a Roland Juno-60—used to create many of the sounds on Keys of the Kingdom—and a modern, digital Mellotron M4000D.
The Official John Lodge and Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues Reverb Shop is now live.