Paul's tone

ElementFe · #1 02-08-2011, 10:11 AM

I get such a tickle out of the fact that Paul McCartney's tone is like a rubber band over a cigar box on a bunch of their records, and it's Great! It fits the band, it's playful, it works with Ringo to anchor the band....and the fans loved it.
He does everything "wrong"- playing mostly with his thumb, using the bass guitar as a big lead guitar: a lot of his bass lines are an expansion of his and John's harmony lines, and it's some of the most fun and memorable pop music ever.
It's an inspiration for me in my bluegrass playing: keeping the I-V going and using Paul lines for transitions.
I did notice, though, that on Come Together he gets big fat tone- from a Rickenbacker.
That silly Hofner is such an anomaly, honestly it sounds awful, and has brought such joy to so many people- life is strange!
Andy G.

Alex E · #2 02-08-2011, 01:53 PM

Well Andy, some here are going to tell you that bass tone on Come Together is that 'awful sounding' Hofner with black tape flats on it.

Others will agree with you and say it's the Ric.

You might even get a few who swear it is Paul's Jazz.

From what I have read, it is either the Hofner with Rotosound black tape nylons or his Ricky. I think it is the Hofner.

For the record, Paul plays mostly with a pick. After that, it's a toss-up between thumb or fingerstyle.

kenfxj · #3 02-08-2011, 02:12 PM

I once ran across a guy who was real interested in somehow proving that Paul never played a Jazz. Even to the point of suggesting that photos of Paul with a Jazz are faked.

I don't know why...

Alex E · #4 02-08-2011, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenfxj

I once ran across a guy who was real interested in somehow proving that Paul never played a Jazz. Even to the point of suggesting that photos of Paul with a Jazz are faked.

I don't know why...

A fair bit to a great chunk of 'The Beatles' is the Jazz bass and it simply goes to show Paulie sounds good, and sounds like himself, on anything. The Jazz he played in the late 60's is a pretty thing. That would be my color choice. Love the tone on 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'.

I always thought that was him playing the 4001.

BuffaloBass · #5 02-08-2011, 03:08 PM

All true!

Hey, the reason I picked up bass playing in 1970 was Come Together.

tangentmusic · #6 02-08-2011, 03:12 PM

Paul's tone changed greatly with the progression of both the Beatles music itself and their mastery of the recording studio's technology of the time.
My favorite tone of his was his early use of the Ric on the Paperback Writer / Rain single

Chrisk-K · #7 02-08-2011, 09:04 PM

According to Fender, Paul recorded 5 Beatles songs (e.g., Sun King) with a J. "Come Together" is not one of them. Paul's Hofner started to develop intonation problem around '65; the upper notes were out of tune. Paul recorded "Don't Let Me Down" with the Hofner and all the notes played past the 7th fret or so are clearly out of tune, especially on the G string. The bass on "Come Together" is not out of tune. It must be the Ric.

honeyiscool · #8 02-08-2011, 09:07 PM

I think bass guitar being a rather new instrument, it's a little off to say that his technique was wrong, it's just his technique is not one that became standard.

Anyway, I love Paul McCartney and think I take heavily after him. I play bass like I'm the chick bassist in a dude band (Kim Deal, Tina Weymouth, etc.), and in a way, Paul's kind of the girl in The Beatles, so it works out like that.

Skokiaan · #9 03-24-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenfxj

I once ran across a guy who was real interested in somehow proving that Paul never played a Jazz. Even to the point of suggesting that photos of Paul with a Jazz are faked.

I don't know why...

Show your friends the "faked" Polaroid photos of Paul playing a turned-over right handed Jazz on the "Band on the Run" sessions.

hennessybass · #10 03-24-2011, 12:52 PM

Paul died in a car crash in 1966, so I don't think that's him playing bass on any of those tracks.

**ShoeManiac** · #11 03-24-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenfxj

I once ran across a guy who was real interested in somehow proving that Paul never played a Jazz. Even to the point of suggesting that photos of Paul with a Jazz are faked.

I don't know why...

Oh, how I fondly recall that particular moment in LDLD history!

iamthebassman · #12 03-25-2011, 08:53 AM

"Come Together" is 4001S.
Hofner w/Rotosound Tru Bass strings is only "Let It Be" period.

Freez · #13 03-25-2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangentmusic

Paul's tone changed greatly with the progression of both the Beatles music itself and their mastery of the recording studio's technology of the time.
My favorite tone of his was his early use of the Ric on the Paperback Writer / Rain single

Rain is the Hofner. Not sure about Paperback Writer.

t-ray · #14 03-26-2011, 07:25 AM

I've seen Paul live and he does all those Beatle songs on the
Hofner somehow. I know Mandolin Bros in NYC has done some
work for him. Also the Mesa Boogie cabs (amps?). Don't know who his tech is but Paul himself has said he isnt much of a gearhead. If you've watched him play (and sing!) those walking lines on Penny Lane, well, try it sometime.

StereoPlayer · #15 03-26-2011, 07:44 AM

don't know ...don't care......still like. got a Hof, ric,and jazz.

darkhorse9 · #16 03-27-2011, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangentmusic

Paul's tone changed greatly with the progression of both the Beatles music itself and their mastery of the recording studio's technology of the time.
My favorite tone of his was his early use of the Ric on the Paperback Writer / Rain single

You can actually thank their engineer Geoff Emerick for that tone. On those songs he devised a crazy technique to turn an amp into a receiver and actually used the amp as a microphone for Paul amp.

It was the only time he was able to do that for the recording sessions. Check out the book "Here There and Everywhere" for the full story.

**ShoeManiac** · #17 03-27-2011, 03:34 PM

Geoff Emerick was an amazingly resouceful and creative engineer. From what I understand the Beatles records featured some of the earliest examples of bass being sent direct to the mixing desk, instead of mic'ing an amp.

Stick_Player · #18 03-27-2011, 03:49 PM

There are photos (that can be found on the ol' internet) of the Come Together session with Paul and his Ric. I was not there to verify this.

Stick_Player · #19 03-27-2011, 06:03 PM

Supposedly the Come Together session. Looks like George is wearing the same clothes as on the cover of Abbey Road.

iflemm · #20 04-08-2011, 04:54 PM

I've had a Hofner, a Ric 4001, and 4003, and a Jazz over the years, and I think a lot of Paul's sound is from Paul's hands.
Just my opinion. While I loved the sound of the Hofner, up the neck is a dangerous territory to go-- unless you have Mandolin Brothers to deal with that floating bridge, and also, unfortunately the floating intonation because of it.