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McCartney strings
- Thread starter patrickroberts
- Start date
Pyramids and RotoSound Tru bass 88s to my knowledge. Yes, the strings do look black in the "Get Back" video. Probably the 88s since they started recording the "Get Back" album and "Abbey Road" around the same time (as opposed to say, "Help!")
As for basses. He used:
1961 Höfner 500/1
This is the one with both pickups close to the neck, stolen during the filming of the "Let it Be" movie.
1963 Höfner 500/1
This is the one that had the super cool Bassman sticker briefly during the rooftop concert. He still plays it as of 2011.
1964 Rickenbacker 4001S
Originally Fireglo, received in 1965, he had it painted in a psychedelic finish. He then sanded it off and also sanded off alot of the upper horn in late 1968. Also his #1 bass with Wings during the '70s, a zero fret was also added. Began using it during the recording of Rubber Soul and used it for the rest of the Beatles' albums.
1966 Fender Jazz bass
Played on "Yer blues", "Glass onion", "While my guitar gently weeps", "Mean Mr. Mustard" & "Sun king".
He also didn't play bass on every Beatles song. A few I know he didn't play on were Helter Skelter (played by Lennon) and Back in the USSR (played by Harrison). As for the basses they may have played, they had a right handed Jazz bass, a Fender VI and a Burns Nu-Sonic bass?
As for when he played the basses, I know he played the Höfners live and played them on the albums until around Rubber Soul. He then began using the Rickenbacker in early 1966 (Paperback Writer, Rain, parts of Rubber Soul) and used it for everything else the Beatles did excluding the Jazz for five songs and the Höfners for "Let it Be".
And finally, the amps. Between 1963 and 1966, he used the following: Vox T-60 amp, Vox T-60 cabinet, Vox AC30 head, Vox AC100 amp, Vox 4120 amp prototype amp, Vox Super Bass Beatle amp and a Fender Bassman amp. I believe once he began using the Rickenbacker he also used DI to record the bass. However, I don't know if this is correct.
I also don't know what he used on the rooftop concert. But an educated guess would be either the Fender Bassman, Vox 4120 or a Vox Super Bass Beatle amp as those were the amps he used when the Beatles last toured during 1965 & 1966. Or maybe DI thru the microphone system? Check the videos of the rooftop concert and you might be able to see an amp.
All of this and playing like a "Bassman", and you should have a McCartney sound and look!
As for basses. He used:
1961 Höfner 500/1
This is the one with both pickups close to the neck, stolen during the filming of the "Let it Be" movie.
1963 Höfner 500/1
This is the one that had the super cool Bassman sticker briefly during the rooftop concert. He still plays it as of 2011.
1964 Rickenbacker 4001S
Originally Fireglo, received in 1965, he had it painted in a psychedelic finish. He then sanded it off and also sanded off alot of the upper horn in late 1968. Also his #1 bass with Wings during the '70s, a zero fret was also added. Began using it during the recording of Rubber Soul and used it for the rest of the Beatles' albums.
1966 Fender Jazz bass
Played on "Yer blues", "Glass onion", "While my guitar gently weeps", "Mean Mr. Mustard" & "Sun king".
He also didn't play bass on every Beatles song. A few I know he didn't play on were Helter Skelter (played by Lennon) and Back in the USSR (played by Harrison). As for the basses they may have played, they had a right handed Jazz bass, a Fender VI and a Burns Nu-Sonic bass?
As for when he played the basses, I know he played the Höfners live and played them on the albums until around Rubber Soul. He then began using the Rickenbacker in early 1966 (Paperback Writer, Rain, parts of Rubber Soul) and used it for everything else the Beatles did excluding the Jazz for five songs and the Höfners for "Let it Be".
And finally, the amps. Between 1963 and 1966, he used the following: Vox T-60 amp, Vox T-60 cabinet, Vox AC30 head, Vox AC100 amp, Vox 4120 amp prototype amp, Vox Super Bass Beatle amp and a Fender Bassman amp. I believe once he began using the Rickenbacker he also used DI to record the bass. However, I don't know if this is correct.
I also don't know what he used on the rooftop concert. But an educated guess would be either the Fender Bassman, Vox 4120 or a Vox Super Bass Beatle amp as those were the amps he used when the Beatles last toured during 1965 & 1966. Or maybe DI thru the microphone system? Check the videos of the rooftop concert and you might be able to see an amp.
All of this and playing like a "Bassman", and you should have a McCartney sound and look!
great info here, thanks
i remember hearing that supposedly a friend of a friend (or just a rumor?) that someone met him, and asked what strings he used, and his reply was "long shiny ones," and further into the conversation he confessed to honestly not knowing.
really anything flat that fits the short scale will be fine. with the VT to emulate some crusty tubes, itll be a fun time.
i used black strings on a violin bass made by london strings in1971 the were only one gauge the e string must had been 115 it pulled hard on neak so i binned them 40 t 100s would be better if there avalible bb
i usd some in 1970 but they were to heavy the e was 115 gauge
