Paul Mccartney tone on Abbey Road

[Troph]

In the Paul McCartney Bassmaster series book by Bacon and Morgan, the authors include a track-by-track discography which includes the recording month, bass player, and instrument used. The compilation was supposedly pieced together from research (presumably photographs, session notes and personnel), and in a few cases author opinion.

Their conclusion is that Paul played all of the bass lines on Abbey Road himself, and that he used the Rickenbacker 4001S for all but three songs, on which he used his 2nd Hofner with the normal pickup spacing:
Oh! Darling
Octopus's Garden
I Want You (She's So Heavy)

If the Fender Bass VI was used anywhere on Abbey Road, it is a mystery where it was used. By contrast, everyone agrees that Lennon and Harrison used it on both the White Album and Let It Be whenever McCartney was busy with piano or guitar. IIRC, McCartney is not known to have ever recorded with it.

Furthermore, while there is a photograph of McCartney holding a left-handed Fender Jazz bass during the White Album sessions, it is likely just a pose with the new toy from the care package Fender had sent to them. There is no proof it was ever used for recording.

[DeanT]

I always love this question. It leads to pages if posts. But the answer can be easily found. There are three very good sources for what instruments the Beatles used on what record/song: "The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions" by Mark Lewisohn, "Recording the Beatles" and "Beatles Gear" by Andy Babiuk. The answers are in these books. So it really isn't much of a mystery.

[Caca de Kick]

Just curious really...it it that hard to ask Paul what he recorded with?

[FrednBass]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Just curious really...it it that hard to ask Paul what he recorded with?

Is already known that he doesn't remember.

[toddoutloud]

A better question is, why should anyone care what bass Macca used? Be your own bassist with your own style and sound.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by toddoutloud

A better question is, why should anyone care what bass Macca used?

There are a staggering number of people that do though. There is also widespread speculation about how tall they were, how big their feet were, what kind of drugs they did ( including their chosen method of delivering them to their systems) and every other bit of useless minutia that had anything to do with them directly or indirectly.

[prd004]

Originally Posted by toddoutloud

A better question is, why should anyone care what bass Macca used? Be your own bassist with your own style and sound.

Most people's style and sound is a blend of the style and sounds of their influences, that's why.

[Stick_Player]

Love all the speculation.

No one knows - not even the cited boneheads, that were also NOT there.

The Beatles don't even remember. And they WERE there.

Rotosound's claim is laughable!

[ddnidd1]

When trying to duplicate the sound of an older recorded bass line, people forget or aren't aware that the microphones, mixing console, channel strip, EQ, hardware processors, tape decks, the engineers, etc. all can, and normally do, significantly alter the bass sound. Its not just the bass/amp/strings.

[Basstreble]

Okay here is what I think:
Paul's hofner always came out of tune when he went high on the neck. So I believe in "I want you", he used the Rick because it sound much cleaner and articulated. "Something" is most likely the hofner. I say that because when he plays the low notes, they sound very hollow and muddy kind of. Maxwell's silver hammer is George on the on Fender VI. You can tell because the type of playing is very different from Paul's playing. It also sounds almost like an electric guitar riff. Paul's '66 Jazz Bass sounds scratchy because he was using a pick with roundwounds. (Like glass onion, while my guitar gently weeps, etc.)

[Peacefrog35]

Originally Posted by mjac28

I just play everything on my Hofner it sounds good to me.

Can't argue with that! Mjac you've got great taste buddy.

[mogpipe]

I have heard Paul say, in an interview, that he used coated strings on Abbey Road to create a 'time piece'.
I can say no more.....

[Floyd Eye]

Please, say no more.

[MEKer]

Originally Posted by warnergt

There used to be a great site listing all the Beatles gear here:
http://perso.wanadoo.es/sissu/aroad.htm
but it seems to have gone away.

You can still catch the cached data here:
http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=abb...40aca,54663997

On Abbey Road, it lists the following:
Come Together - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Something - Paul Hofner 500/1
Maxwell's Silver Hammer - George Fender Bass VI
Oh! Darling - Paul Fender Jazz Bass
Octopus's Garden - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
I Want You (She's So Heavy) - Paul Hofner 500/1
Here Comes The Sun - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Because - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
You Never Give Me Your Money - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Sun King - Paul Fender Jazz Bass
Mean Mr Mustard - Paul Fender Jazz Bass
Polythene Pam - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Golden Slumbers - George Fender Jazz Bass
Carry That Weight - George Fender Jazz Bass
The End - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Her Majesty - NA

Cool, I used to have a NA bass! That means I am cool too! I will admit the tone was always so...uh...transparent.

[FrednBass]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Please, say no more.

Not sure if trolling or quoting "Help".

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by FrednBass

Not sure if trolling or quoting "Help".

Well, I don't live under a bridge.

[mogpipe]

Originally Posted by FrednBass

Not sure if trolling or quoting "Help".

Lol, I got it first time.

[drTSTingray]

Wow I never knew the Beatles used a Jazz bass. Oh wait, no they virtually never did (did they ever). So it's still 99% Hofner and Rickenbacker just as us Brits thought. Well there's a thing.

As for McCartney forgetting what bass he used on what, I'm sure he was far more wrapped up with writing the music (along with the other issues mentioned already) to be bothered with that - and he recorded hundreds of tracks - why would he remember - I'm guessing the basses sound fairly similar anyway (as indeed, many basses do even now).

Interesting debate though!!

[Stick_Player]

Isolated Bass - Come Together

Isolated Bass - Something

Isolated Bass & Drums (split) - I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Isolated Bass - Here Comes the Sun

[drTSTingray]

These are great thanks for posting. It is interesting how some of his lines at this stage have Jamerson style in some of the phrases (Here Comes the Sun and Something).

In all of these four I can hear potentially a Hofner or a Rickenbacker but I couldn't tell you which!