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In what Beatles albums/songs did Paul use the Ric?
- Thread starter anyonefortennis
- Start date
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.
anyonefortennis said:
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"
That Ric just resonates throughout Penny Lane. I never cease to be amazed at the depth of Sir Paul's work.
- Feb 24, 2004
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iamthebassman said: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?
- Feb 24, 2004
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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.
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.
I think Baby You're A Rich Man really showcases that ric w/ flats sound.
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/08...f=pd_bbs_2/002-6920367-8492048?_encoding=UTF8
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/08...f=pd_bbs_2/002-6920367-8492048?_encoding=UTF8
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
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.
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.
TalkBass' resident Bongo + cowbell player
Alvaro Martín Gómez A. said:To me, Link Removed is the ultimate showcase of McCartney's Ric tone (and terrific groove!).
Yeah, baby!
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.
Heavy don't do it justice.
Sir Paul McCartney.. the most successful "failed guitarist" who ever lived!
All hail!!
All hail!!
- Nov 27, 2003
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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.
"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.
