In what Beatles albums/songs did Paul use the Ric?

[anyonefortennis]

Any particular recording I should listen for the Ric w/flats sound?

[JimK]

Magical Mystery Tour...e.g. "I Am The Walrus".

[John C. Reilly]

somebody knows more accurately than me but i believe 66 and later has the possibility of being the rick i. Pepper and magical mystery tour almost certain.

[cowsgomoo]

Originally Posted by anyonefortennis

Any particular recording I should listen for the Ric w/flats sound?

the first one was Paperback Writer and it's B-side, Rain... very loud bass & startlingly different to any other Beatle bass up to that point

then Sgt Pepper & Magical Mystery tour all have that sound too

Penny Lane and With A Little Help From My Friends are good examples of the McCartney Rickenbacker sound from this period...

other ingredients to the sound are string mutes (use a bit of foam or use a pick and palm-mute it)... and I read in Mark Lewisohn's 'The complete Beatles recording sessions' that around this time they started mic'ing up his bass cabinet with a speaker as a microphone (!) the vibration of the speaker coil in the magnet acting just like a dynamic microphone:

engineer Geoff Emerick said "Paperback Writer was the first time the bass sound had been heard in all its excitement. For a start, Paul played a different bass, a Rickenbacker. Then we boosted it further by using a loudspeaker as a microphone. We positioned it directly in front of the bass speaker and the moving diaphragm of the second speaker made the electric current"

[Red Wonder]

That Ric just resonates throughout Penny Lane. I never cease to be amazed at the depth of Sir Paul's work.

[Blackbird]

Rubber Soul was the first album in which the Rickenbacker was used. You can tell that the opening tune "Drive my Car" was not played on a Hofner.

[iamthebassman]

Here's the Ric I play with my Beatles trib band.

[gottawalk]

Originally Posted by iamthebassman

Here's the Ric I play with my Beatles trib band.

Interesting...

Is it just me, or do you have it strung in reverse of most basses. I notice that (should you actually wear it left-handed like it's made), your E-string is on the bottom instead of the top. Personal preference?

[iamthebassman]

I learned on a borrowed right-handed bass, played upside-down, so when I got my own left-handed bass I was used to playing with the E-string on bottom so I restring and replace the nut on any lefty bass I buy.

[nysbob]

A lot of the white album is Ric as well. There's a website that lists what was used on each tune, someone will come along & link it shortly I'm sure.

I think Baby You're A Rich Man really showcases that ric w/ flats sound.

[gottawalk]

Originally Posted by iamthebassman

I learned on a borrowed right-handed bass, played upside-down, so when I got my own left-handed bass I was used to playing with the E-string on bottom so I restring and replace the nut on any lefty bass I buy.

Thanks. That's pretty cool. (and unique!)

[smperry]

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

the first one was Paperback Writer and it's B-side, Rain... very loud bass & startlingly different to any other Beatle bass up to that point
...

engineer Geoff Emerick said "Paperback Writer was the first time the bass sound had been heard in all its excitement. For a start, Paul played a different bass, a Rickenbacker. Then we boosted it further by using a loudspeaker as a microphone. We positioned it directly in front of the bass speaker and the moving diaphragm of the second speaker made the electric current"

Paperback Writer and Rain still get me excited. Love those sounds from Sir Paul.

Marshall

[The Golden Boy]

Paperback Writer and Rain are both the Hofner.

A lot of the White Album is the Jazz Bass.

Most of Sgt.Pepper and MMT are the Rick.

Most of Abbey Road and Let It Be are the Hofner.

Check out Andy Babiuk's "Beatles Gear"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/087...Fencoding=UTF8

[bigtexashonk]

I think Penny Lane is the textbook example of the Ric with flats.

I also thought Rain was the Hofner.

I've got one of each (both with flats), and while tonally similar, the Hofner gets a much more round cello-like tone.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

To me, this short lick is the ultimate showcase of McCartney's Ric tone (and terrific groove! ).

[gottawalk]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

To me, this short lick is the ultimate showcase of McCartney's Ric tone (and terrific groove! ).

Yeah, baby!

[Kink Rimson]

If you pan your stereo to the appropriate sides on Yer Blues and Helter Skelter you get a really great example of his Ric sound.
Heavy don't do it justice.

[Lazylion]

Sir Paul McCartney.. the most successful "failed guitarist" who ever lived!

All hail!!

[new_west]

I love his lines so much.. yes Hail Sir Paul!!!

[Blazer]

Paul in a recent issue of the German "Gitarre und Bass" magazine.

"I began using the rickenbacker as my main studio bass around the Rubbersoul sessions. It stayed in tune better than my Höfner and it enabled me to play some of the motown inspired bass lines high up the neck without sounding flat."

Also it's worth to note that in his wings days Paul used his Rick on "Band on the run" check out that powerfull tone he had on that track.

And an even less known fact, he had a second rickenbacker in the wings days.



Probably as a spare bass. Also visible is the Jazzbass Fender gave him when the Beatles got an endorsement deal with them (that's probably also where he got the telecaster he's seen playing in this shot from) which resulted in his fender Bassman 100 amps he used in the later Beatles years.