Did Mcartney ever use a Fender

[Riley R]

Obviously he's known for his Hofner, and Rics, and even used a Wal but I don't think I've seen him with a fender neither P or jazz. Has anyone seen him with a fender?

[Riley R]

on his car?

[Rattman]

Definitely!. Paul "McCartney" has had his drivers license in the UK for many years now. His Bentleys, Mercedes, Rolls Royce etc. come with factory-equipped 'fenders' that cover the tires, as do most automobiles driving on public streets.

[pbass2]

He used a Jazz bass a bit on the White Album, and with Wings too. Never live though I don't think. He also used a sunburst Yamaha BB1200 in Wings a bit--basically a neck-through P-bass (a really great bass--I've had two and foolishly let 'em both go . . .).
Anyhow, there's songs on the White Album where I feel like you can really tell it's a Jazz with flats.

[Simball]

'66 Jazz bass on some beatles tunes.

[DavidRavenMoon]

Originally Posted by pbass2

Anyhow, there's songs on the White Album where I feel like you can really tell it's a Jazz with flats.

I think the Jazz had round wounds. Lennon played a Jazz Bass on Helter Skelter... so that's the tone you hear on the White Album when a Jazz was played. Very biting on the top. For Paul it was probably Glass Onion, While My Guitar..., Yer Blues.... all the stuff I thought was the Rickenbacker! The Jazz had the string mute on.

The Rick is probably the bass with the flats on the album, like on Dear Prudence. Think of songs such as Penny Lane, Baby You're A Rich Man. That's the Rick.

But who knows.... Paul played what ever bass someone gave him. Except for the Hofner he never bought any of them!

[gweimer]

There is a photo of him in the studio holding a Fender bass. It's probably about the time of The White Album - he's got headphones on, and has the beard thing going.

[McHaven]

Fender gave the Beatles 2 Jazz basses. The first one was a right-handed model, that George and John used on a few tunes. There was a left handed model, that is seen in a few studio pictures from the White Album, Abbey Road periods.

[Caca de Kick]

Yes, McHaven is right.
The two Jazzes Fender gave them in 1966, the left handed one was sunburst, and the right handed one was white.

[pbass2]

yeah---I love that Glass Onion tone! It's such an unusual clicky thuddy kinda thing. The Jazz with the mute on---makes sense. . . . .

[Sneckumhaw]

I don't think he ever played a p, but the jazz a lot.

[DavidRavenMoon]

Originally Posted by pbass2

yeah---I love that Glass Onion tone! It's such an unusual clicky thuddy kinda thing. The Jazz with the mute on---makes sense. . . . .

Great tone! You can get that tone from a Ric too with the mute. I thought it was a Ric for years, and I also thought it was Paul playing on Helter Skelter... So when I found out it was John I wondered what bass he used. George used a Fender Bass VI on things like Back in the USSR and Honey Pie. Then I read Fender gave them two Jazzes... so that was a Jazz on Helter Skelter, and it sounds like the tone from Glass Onion too.

I had a RAM song book back in the 70's and it had a photo of Paul with his Ric and he had a big piece of foam rubber under the strings by the bridge. Carol Kaye used to do that also. You can also hear that tone on The Missing Piece album by Gentle Giant. That was a popular thing to do back then. I used to do it all the time.. sounds good with a pick. Now people palm mute to get that tone, but it was foam rubber back then.

Unfortunately Paul has never said what kind of strings he uses. They asked him that in Bass Player and he said "I don't know, but they come in a little bag... seriously these things are just tools". Obviously he didn't want to do an endorsement! Sounds like flats most of the time on the Ric, but the Jazz sounded like rounds.. which is odd since back then they came with flats. My 74 Ric came with Maxima flats.

[Mojo-Man]

Originally Posted by pbass2

He used a Jazz bass a bit on the White Album, and with Wings too. Never live though I don't think. He also used a sunburst Yamaha BB1200 in Wings a bit--basically a neck-through P-bass (a really great bass--I've had two and foolishly let 'em both go . . .).
Anyhow, there's songs on the White Album where I feel like you can really tell it's a Jazz with flats.

+1
Jazz with flats on the White Album.

[iamthebassman]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Yes, McHaven is right.
The two Jazzes Fender gave them in 1966, the left handed one was sunburst, and the right handed one was white.

They were both sunburst.

[lpdeluxe]

cover the tires.

Not true. McCarthy's a Brit, which means that his autos have "mudguards" that cover the "tyres."

[grovest]

You bet...

He is credited as playing a Fender Rhodes on a couple albums.