The Cars – Heartbeat City

Ric Ocasek of The Cars is seen playing a Gibson SG Original in a 1978 performance on "The Midnight Special." Initially, he used an early 1970s SG, likely a '72 or '73 model, in heritage cherry with aftermarket DiMarzio pickups and a blind spot mirror on the body. This guitar was repainted to black with red pinstripes between their first album and "Panorama." Ocasek continued to use this guitar throughout his career, including during The Cars' "Move Like This" tour in 2011-2012.

Additionally, Ocasek frequently played a red 1962 SG, notable for a sticker near the bottom strap button. He began using this guitar around 1980, especially during his early solo work and "Heartbeat City." This model retained stock pickups and might be an '80s reissue.

In a live performance of "Heartbeat City" by The Cars, Ric Ocasek can be seen playing a black Gibson ES-335. Notably, he began using this semi-hollowbody electric guitar around 1985, incorporating it into various songs and his solo album work.

In the clip Ric is playing either an origina 1954 or a reissue 1954 Stratocaster (either would make sense, The Cars were HUGE when/after Heartbeat City came out, so Ric would have the money for a 54' Strat, but also it could have been another Elliot Easton thing as Elliot was working with the early Fender custom shop off/on at the time, before they were even called that).

Ric owned at least 2 other strats, a black on black 1977-1979 model, and a Black & White one that was smashed in the "True To You" video from his solo career. Also, Ric Ocasek has cited Buddy Holly as an influence so the fact he plays a Strat every so often is not that surprising.

Ric used the CMI Fairlight on Heartbeat City as well as Greg Hawkes for some parts

Greg Hawkes Both Greg and Ric used the Fairlight CMI extensively on Heartbeat City, but also used the Roland Jupiter B and Vocoder, the Memorymoog, the Yamaha DX7 and DX9, the Mini-Korg, a Prophet 5 and a PPG 3.2 Wave synthesizer.

In the article "Ric's Right Hand Man Greg Hawkes" from the Daily Events Book Page Three, it is noted that Greg Hawkes extensively used the Fairlight CMI during the production of The Cars' album Heartbeat City in 1983-1984. This 16-bit sampling synthesizer, featuring an advanced touchscreen interface for editing waveforms, was a standout piece of equipment on the album. It played a significant role in tracks like "Hello Again," contributing orchestral hits and various other sounds. Alongside the Fairlight CMI, Hawkes and Ric Ocasek also utilized other synthesizers, including the Roland Jupiter B and Vocoder, Memorymoog, Yamaha DX7 and DX9, Mini-Korg, Prophet 5, and PPG 3.2 Wave synthesizer.

It's mentioned as a part of Greg's setup for the 1984 Heartbeat City album - and was also used extensively on Door to Door in 1987 as well.

http://dailyeventsbookpagethree.blogspot.com/2006/03/rics-right-hand-man-greg-hawkes.html

Greg Hawkes Both Greg and Ric used the Fairlight CMI extensively on Heartbeat City, but also used the Roland Jupiter B and Vocoder, the Memorymoog, the Yamaha DX7 and DX9, the Mini-Korg, a Prophet 5 and a PPG 3.2 Wave synthesizer.

It's actually a misprint, there was never a PPG Wave 3.2, but there was a PPG Wave 2.3

Greg Hawkes Both Greg and Ric used the Fairlight CMI extensively on Heartbeat City, but also used the Roland Jupiter B and Vocoder, the Memorymoog, the Yamaha DX7 and DX9, the Mini-Korg, a Prophet 5 and a PPG 3.2 Wave synthesizer.

Greg Hawkes used a Synclavier during the Heartbeat City tour. You can see it during the Live Aid concert.

In 1980, Elliot Easton of The Cars started using Fender Lead series guitars, including the Lead I, Lead II, and a custom hybrid of his own custom built for him by Fender called the Fender Lead 1 1/2.

The Fender Lead 1 1/2 is a creation of Elliot's that mates the bridge humbucker of the Fender Lead I with the angled neck pickup of the Fender Lead II. It was NEVER a production instrument, just a custom job made for Elliot. The picture for the product provided is one of Elliot Easton's actual guitars owned by the Hard Rock Cafe currently.

Elliot had at least 2 if not 3 Fender Lead 1 1/2's that he has been seen with..

#1 - This one - which is a 1979 model in red with matching headstock that looks like it suffered some kind of fire or water damage.

#2 - a better known example in Olympic white with a white pickguard and black pickups that Elliot was seen using for most of the Panorama tour in 1980.

#3 - There was another white one, a cream white one from circa 1980-1982 with a Kahler Whammy bridge. It is unknown if this may have been the above Panorama guitar modified further by Fender in the early 80's, but it was said it was used on "HEartbeat City" for the guitar solo on "Magic". It was sold by Route 66' guitars in the late 1990's.

I used it all through the “Shake it Up Tour, but didn’t take it to England to make “Heartbeat City”. Factoid: I traded Bun E. Carlos, the drummer of Cheap Trick, (who is also a lefty and collects vintage guitars), a 1961 Fender Stratocaster in Candy Apple Red. - Elliot Easton

D.R. quote taken from The May 1985 issue of Modern Drummer Magazine: "I can tell you what I used on the Heartbeat City tour: my same Slingerland chrome set that I’ve had for years, with a Ludwig snare drum and a lot of Ludwig parts, including stands."