Can you play Beatles without a Hofner?

[rickenhawk]

Our band has started playing some more Beatle tunes. It occurred to me that in all Beatle cover bands I have seen the bassist plays a Hofner. In rare occasions like The Analogues, the bassist has all the basses Sir Paul used with the band. They are as true as possible to using the same gear as the Beatles in the 60's.
We are talking about playing the Rooftop concert and I would rather play my Rick. I do not have a Hofner. I don't think our guitar player would be expected to play a Rosewood Telecaster but there seems to be an unwritten rule for bassists and Beatles; especially the Rooftop. Any thoughts?

 

[pfschim]

sure you can, it just depends on what your aim is.

If you want an absolute period correct visual aesthetic, you'll need the Hofner and the Fender Bassman (2x15 ?)

If you just want to play those period Beatles songs, you could use your Rick, or a Jazz, or even a P. Don't use too bright of a tone, and cop the McCartney parts as close as possible. If you have control over the amps, you can focus on using the Fender Bassman gear that Sir Paul used for the rooftop concert. That along with flats and a mute will get you in the ballpark.

 

[Marko 1]

Unless you're a hard-core tribute band, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

I seriously doubt most people who loves Beatles music would have a clue what instruments they were using,

and I doubt they'd care anyways so long as it sounded good.

 

[walterw]

We are talking about playing the Rooftop concert and I would rather play my Rick.

i mean, you kind of have the one other bass that would do the trick right?

that "all the way up at the neck" pickup seems to be key so go with that and it should sound sufficiently "beatles-y" to create the vibe

 

[bass12]

I think the only reason it would matter is for the visual aspect. So unless you're getting all dressed up with the wigs and whatnot I wouldn't be too concerned. Honestly, people get way too hung up on these kinds of details. Makes me think of this local Beatles tribute band where the bassist was right-handed but learned to play left-handed because that's how Paul played. Right, 'cause the right-handed bass playing is what would have given away the fact that we weren't actually watching Paul McCartney.

 

[J Wilson]

I've played Beatles tunes my whole life on 34" solid body basses, mostly five strings basses.

Hofners seem like little flimsy toy basses that are just something I'd never even fool around with. I'm a huge Beatles and Macca fan, but I'll leave Hofners to someone else.

 

[Wilmingtonian]

Sorry, the Hofner is required. Left handed.

 

[matt_s]

I play Beatles tunes on upright at one of my regular gigs. I’d say play what feels good. That being said, I love excuses to buy new gear as much as anyone

 

[biggredd]

Yes.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

I play Beatles tunes on upright at one of my regular gigs. I’d say play what feels good. That being said, I love excuses to buy new gear as much as anyone

I was just about to say I play Beatles songs on my upright bass. Always a crowd pleaser.

 

[Element Zero]

I’ve played about 10 Beatles tunes in a cover band back in the day. Wouldn’t be caught dead playing a Hofner style bass. HATE those things lol.

 

[dieggsy]

This reply is worth absolutely nothing because I'm a bedroom bassist that's never gigged, but sure, I play Beatles every week without a hofner...

Seriously though I think flats and a pick will get you a good chunk of the way there on a lot of basses, least as far as I can tell/have heard

 

[Marko 1]

'...cause the right-handed bass playing is what would have given away the fact that we weren't actually watching Paul McCartney.

 

[Grinderman]

Evidently.

Can you grow your hair like that?

 

[Marko 1]

Musicians, especially those who've been musicians since youth just don't get it that people don't see that stuff.

Before I got into playing which was pretty late in life, I'd see bands in bars, and I swear I never looked at the instruments being used, what speakers they were using, etc. I wouldn't know the difference between a Strat or a Tele or a Les Paul.

Sounds crazy to me now, but that's how it is for non-musicians.

 

[red_rhino]

Yes, much better than you can with a Hofner. Terrible basses, IMHO.

 

[Geepers]

Definitely not. Neither can you play Beatles without mop top hair, skinny black pants and a Liverpool accent. Good grief man, what were you even thinking?

 

[Killing Floor]

No. You have to have a Hofner. It’s all Billy Shears used.

 

[Topkat13]

Can you substitute a corncob for toilet paper? I think so.

 

[boggus]

Sound - Paul had Hofner-like tone on a bunch of Beatles albums where he actually used Rickenbacker, so in this regard Rickenbacker would work great I assume. Especially considering using 'neck' pickup only and flatwound strings, perhaps with the mutes engaged as well. Around the time of Rooftop concert and Get Back / Let It Be sessions he had black nylon tapewound strings on his Hofner and Rickenbacker (which he didn't use because it had some issue with the nut, as was seen in the recent Get Back mini series).

Feel - Hofner is kinda fun to play due to it being a short scale and has in general a different "feeling" than the other basses. However, some like it, some don't.

Looks - It is true that most people at the shows don't care about the instruments. However with the Beatles and Paul, the whole Hofner thing is indeed like Charlie Chaplin's cane now, it's just so iconic.

Just use your Rick. I'd say going for Hofner (or several other basses depending on the song like for example using Fender VI for Oh! Darling, even though that was played by George) is justified only in case if you are in the Beatles tribute/cover band that plays this stuff constantly and regularly, and that you're not the only one going for accuracy. Like you said, it's not like the guitarist(s) are going to use Epiphone Casino and/or Rosewood Telecaster anyway, so what's the point?

(Besides, Rick is better, even Paul said so himself, or at least, implied that it is, hehe)

but there seems to be an unwritten rule for bassists and Beatles

There's the other side to that - many Beatles bass covers on youtube are out there done on Hofner, even though the original bass part was played on Rickenbacker or Jazz bass. Which to me of course is "wrong", but again, I bet majority just doesn't care.