Sgt Pepper and the Hofner

BulbousMoses · #1 07-19-2011, 07:12 AM

Anyone know if McCartney used the Hofner on any of the tracks from Sgt Pepper? My understanding was that he was using the Ric for most recording by that time..

iamthebassman · #2 07-19-2011, 08:10 AM

That is also my understanding.

prd004 · #3 07-19-2011, 08:13 AM

That's how I've heard it told. Sounds like the Ric too.
There's book "Beatles Gear" by Andy Babiuk that really breaks down the gear they used for each tour/album in great detail

darkhorse9 · #4 07-19-2011, 08:26 AM

he used the Ric pretty much exclusively at that time, although he did not play bass on every song. There's dispute on whether he played on Fixing A Hole. Judging by the rather pedestrian bass line on that song my guess is that he did not.

BulbousMoses · #5 07-22-2011, 08:49 PM

Anyone know if he broke out the Hofner on anything recorded after Pepper??

iamthebassman · #6 07-25-2011, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkhorse9

he used the Ric pretty much exclusively at that time, although he did not play bass on every song. There's dispute on whether he played on Fixing A Hole. Judging by the rather pedestrian bass line on that song my guess is that he did not.

Disagree. That bass part fits the feel of the song perfectly, no doubt it's McCartney.

iamthebassman · #7 07-25-2011, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BulbousMoses

Anyone know if he broke out the Hofner on anything recorded after Pepper??

Sure. He broke it out again for the "Let It Be" sessions, their plan for the album was to "get back" to their roots/early recording style, so he broke out his Hofner.

Used it on a couple tunes on "Abbey Road", but the bass on that abum was mostly the Rickenbacker and two Fender Jazz Basses.

BulbousMoses · #8 07-25-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamthebassman

Sure. He broke it out again for the "Let It Be" sessions, their plan for the album was to "get back" to their roots/early recording style, so he broke out his Hofner.

Used it on a couple tunes on "Abbey Road", but the bass on that abum was mostly the Rickenbacker and two Fender Jazz Basses.

And I recently saw that he is using the Hofner on the video for "Revolution" although I don't know if he actually used it on the recording.

iamthebassman · #9 07-25-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BulbousMoses

And I recently saw that he is using the Hofner on the video for "Revolution" although I don't know if he actually used it on the recording.

He often used the Hofner for "performing", even after he'd "retired" it from studio work, for example the videos for "Paperback Writer"/"Rain".
And of course the "Revolution" video was his 1st Hofner that he'd had refinished in a Fender-style sunburst, with new pickup mount installed. It was stolen soon after that video shoot, and never seen again.

teleharmonium · #10 07-25-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamthebassman

Disagree. That bass part fits the feel of the song perfectly, no doubt it's McCartney.

+1 I don't think any of the others could have played that part, it's one of those jaunty old time music hall feels which are Paul's specialty. Bass on a rock tune with a lot of slop (like Helter Skelter) is one thing, but it takes time in the bass chair to get that bouncing swing locked in perfectly with the drums.