Paul McCartneys 5 String Rickenbacker Bass

[Music Scholar]

McCartney's 5 String RIC.

[Immigrant]

That's freaky. It looks like a Ric5 thang.

[MEKer]

I'd dearly love to have that----in right-hand build of course.

[ggvicviper]

Drool. Anyone see him with it in action?

[Herrick]

That looks cool.

[Munjibunga]

I like the 7mm string spacing at the bridge.

[PaulBoyer]

Don't know if he still has it or not (depending on the source, PM has five or six Ricks), but that is a rare lefty 4003SPC Blackstar five string. I wanted to use that shot in the book, but the photog/agent wanted too much money for the privilege of free publicity.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by Immigrant

That's freaky. It looks like a Ric5 thang.

Thaanks for the compliment ... But I really copy what Rickenbacker did with the 4003s5 ... which essentially is put 5 strings on a 4 string neck. Except Rickenbacker has the resources of a complete factory and I have a one man shop in my basement which I operate as a part time hobby. My conversions have a better bridge spacing on the strings. The factory 5 string has a batter headstock.

That is a stock 4003s5 with black trim and it looks to have a painted fretboard as well.

[cfsporn]

Paul McCartney and a five string? I don't know, it just seems weird.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I like the 7mm string spacing at the bridge.

Actually it is 13mm ... that makes it hard to play fingerstyle. It ca be modified to have a 15mm spacing which is still tight. Which is why my 2 Rics are 4004s because I can get a 16mm spacing.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by cfsporn

Paul McCartney and a five string? I don't know, it just seems weird.

He also has a 5 string Wal.

[FrednBass]

Originally Posted by cfsporn

Paul McCartney and a five string? I don't know, it just seems weird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pic9N05FTQs


But i'm with you there, it does looks weird.
But he said the only time he ever used the B string was to produce a low C in "Free as a Bird", so he don't care much for 5'ers.

[millsbass5]

It's a damn shame they never built a proper 5-string.

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by FrednBass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pic9N05FTQs


But i'm with you there, it does looks weird.
But he said the only time he ever used the B string was to produce a low C in "Free as a Bird", so he don't care much for 5'ers.

I disagree. I think it looks awesome.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by millsbass5

It's a damn shame they never built a proper 5-string.

The 4004cii5 was a proper 5 string bass ... except for the pickups, and it was about 2" wide at the nut ...

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/04-4004cii5.htm

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by PaulBoyer

Don't know if he still has it or not (depending on the source, PM has five or six Ricks), but that is a rare lefty 4003SPC Blackstar five string. I wanted to use that shot in the book, but the photog/agent wanted too much money for the privilege of free publicity.

I know he has the 1964 4001s, and the 4003s5 pictured above. I think he also has 4004ci. I don't know what he has after that.

[nattiep]

Originally Posted by FrednBass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pic9N05FTQs


But i'm with you there, it does looks weird.
But he said the only time he ever used the B string was to produce a low C in "Free as a Bird", so he don't care much for 5'ers.

There are a bunch of low notes all over Figure Of Eight.

[kcole4001]

Originally Posted by Ric5

The 4004cii5 was a proper 5 string bass ... except for the pickups, and it was about 2" wide at the nut ...

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/04-4004cii5.htm

That's a real beauty Jeff!
The 4004 RIC should have made.

[iiipopes]

Are those Nordstram pickups on the 4004cii-5?

[FrednBass]

Originally Posted by nattiep

There are a bunch of low notes all over Figure Of Eight.

"I played the Wal, and what I liked was I played very, very
normal bass, really out of the way, because I didn't want to
'feature.' There are one or two moments where I break a little
bit loose, but mostly I try to anchor the track. There's one
lovely moment when it modulates to *C*, so I was able to use
the low *C* of the 5-string--and that's it, the only time I use
the low one, which I like, rather than just bassing out and
being low, low, low. I play normal bass, and then there's this
low *C* and the song takes off. It actually takes off anyway
because a lot of harmonies come in and stuff, but it's a real cool
moment that I'm proud of. That's my Wal moment."

Magazine: Bass Player
Issue: July/August 1995
Title: Paul McCartney - Meet The Beatle
Author: Tony Bacon