McCartney... why Hofner?

[Gbass75]

Of all the instruments to choose from, he chose what we now think of as the "Beatle Bass."

Now, I'm a huge fan... I often joke that McCartney was my first bass "teacher;" because I was listening closely to his lines from a very young age, and really keying in on him (without really knowing what it was I was hearing at 3 or 4 years old). So, that said, I know A LOT about The Beatles.

I know that he used the Ric and Jazz on later albums (largely because they were given to him for free)... but, who here thinks they know the REAL STORY about why he chose not only Hofner, but that particular STYLE of Hofner?

I have chosen to play the basses of my heroes...



...but, I just can't get comfortable with the Hofner bass... I feel like I'm going to crush it in my hands; it seems so fragile!

Hofner bassists... Explain yourselves! Tell me why you love 'em!

Cheers!

 

[hennessybass]

I have always heard that he chose it because it was cheep,,, and also because he was a guitar player first. He like the Hof because it was small (like a guitar), and he could play it like a guitar (pic, the way he holds it, etc).

 

[theduke1]

When Sir Paul was poor left handed basses were rare and vey expensive, so the Hofner violin bass allowed Sir Paul to tip it over, and restring it left handed maintaing a somewhat nornal look as aposed to doing it to other models.
Now I have heard this story of many years and I to play bass because of Sir Paul as I was a teen when the the Beatles arrived, so I don't know if this is true or myth, but it does make sense. if you check out very early pictures you can make out that his bass is upside down by the switch plate.
That is all I know.

 

[Bassbubble11]

I have always heard that he chose it because it was cheep,,, and also because he was a guitar player first. He like the Hof because it was small (like a guitar), and he could play it like a guitar (pic, the way he holds it, etc).

This...

 

[iamthebassman]

He was cheap(and poor), it was cheap, they were in Germany. The End.

 

[Bassamatic]

When Sir Paul was poor left handed basses were rare and very expensive, so the Hofner violin bass allowed Sir Paul to tip it over, and restring it left handed maintaing a somewhat normal look as opposed to doing it to other models.

This - it was symmetrical and didn't look weird when it was flipped over.

 

[pjmuck]

I've also heard Sir Paul mention that he liked it because it was symmetrical, which kinda wouldn't matter if he was able to get a lefty anyway, unless his first taste of the Hofner was an upside down righty.

 

[Aussie Player]

The Biggest Mac of all once said Fender basses were too expensive and he couldn't afford them when they were in Germany. The price difference was more than 100 quid which back then was more than $200 so he got the Hofner and got used to it.
If you watch him play other instruments and liaten to his songs, I get the impression that he does not swoon over instruments like single instrument players do.
He will simply play anything that is around.

 

[iamthebassman]

This - it was symmetrical and didn't look weird when it was flipped over.

Show me just one photo of him playing a flipped righty Hofner violin bass and I'll believe this story. Just one.
Everyone know McCartney rewrites Beatle history on a regular basis in interviews. The false story of him choosing a violin bass because it wouldn't look weird flipped came from an interview in Bass Player several years ago. It didn't happen.
While playing in Hamburg, Stu announced he'd be quitting, McCartney being without a working guitar was elected his replacement on bass. McCartney ordered a special left-handed bass from the local music store. Being as they were in Germany it arrived quickly, before Stu had even left the band. See pic:

 

[DrSteve]

He liked the price And the fact that it was symmetrical. And Hofners were very popular in Europe at the time, and being in Germany, very available. Plus he couldn't afford a fender. I don't think he cares much about gear, as said earlier, playing whatever was available (and free).

My opinion: these bass are very comfortable and easy to play, sound great, and look good too. Guess he could have gone with a Hofner Club, had a lefty been available.

And I agree with the earlier post, he never had a converted righty. At least I never saw a picture of him with one.

 

[ICM]

My theory is that he saw a righty one, played it, liked the symmetry and then ordered a lefty.
He had too, been playing Stu's bass and was familiar with the brand.
Also, the hofner is light, small, and extremely easy to haul around on stage.
And it was rather inexpensive as well, McCartney was very frugal with his instruments.

 

[pjmuck]

And it was rather inexpensive as well, McCartney was very frugal with his instruments.

And thanks to Macca, we have the privilege of playing that iconic "cheap" instrument for the low retail price of just around $2800, more than double the price of an MIA Fender P or J.

 

[Gbass75]

And thanks to Macca, we have the privilege of playing that iconic "cheap" instrument for the low retail price of just around $2800, more than double the price of an MIA Fender P or J.

Yeah... that always seemed kinda nuts to me...

 

[Pet Sounds]

I'm a Macca fan who also favors Fenders, but there's something so ... Beatle-ish about the tone of a Hofner with flats. Also, try playing "I Saw Her Standing There" at full speed on a Hofner vs. a Fender.

 

[ShoeManiac]

I think most of the posts in the thread have nailed it at this point. The Hofner was readily available because The Beatles were working in Germany at the time. It was probably significantly less expensive than other lefty basses. That, and because Paul was self-conscious about being a lefty the symmetrical look of the 500/1 helped to get around that.

Beyond that, I think that once The Beatles hit, people started to associate that particular bass with The Beatles. So much so, that we now know the Hofner 500/1 as "The Beatle Bass". Clearly, Hofner owes a lot of their success to the fact that Paul McCartney played their basses.

It's funny though, I remember reading an interview with McCartney about his choice of bass. And he got to talking about the Fender Precision bass. He went on about how it had that word "Precision" in it's name, and that it instilled this notion that it was a professional's bass and was too good for a player like him. Frankly, I don't know if he was having a go at the interviewer, having a moment of selective memory, or perhaps it was that engrained English class struggle coming out in that statement.

But I do think that Macca is a little more cagey than people realize. I think he recognizes just how many people associate him with the Hofner bass, and that's a big part of why he continues to use it. He even continued to use it live with The Beatles up until their last tour date at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, even after he had gotten his Rickenbacker 4001s. And FWIW, that tour date was weeks after Revolver had been released. There's been some debate on TB about which was the first album that McCartney started using the Rickenbacker on, but most agree that it started to see it's most significant use on the sessions for Revolver. For McCartney to continue using the Hofner live despite the Rick taking over as the primary bass in the studio? It makes me think that for him the Hofner was part of The Beatles image.

 

[Gbass75]

I think most of the posts in the thread have nailed it at this point. The Hofner was readily available because The Beatles were working in Germany at the time. It was probably significantly less expensive than other lefty basses. That, and because Paul was self-conscious about being a lefty the symmetrical look of the 500/1 helped to get around that.



Beyond that, I think that once The Beatles hit, people started to associate that particular bass with The Beatles. So much so, that we now know the Hofner 500/1 as "The Beatle Bass". Clearly, Hofner owes a lot of their success to the fact that Paul McCartney played their basses.



It's funny though, I remember reading an interview with McCartney about his choice of bass. And he got to talking about the Fender Precision bass. He went on about how it had that word "Precision" in it's name, and that it instilled this notion that it was a professional's bass and was too good for a player like him. Frankly, I don't know if he was having a go at the interviewer, having a moment of selective memory, or perhaps it was that engrained English class struggle coming out in that statement.

I agree that the main point has been made by several posts found above.

That said, I love the conversation that has started up...

Like the story about the "Precision" bass being too professional for a young Paul to use... I've seen that interview, and love it!

 

[Gbass75]

Like the story about the "Precision" bass being too professional for a young Paul to use... I've seen that interview, and love it!

...which means I already had part of the answer; if I'd just stopped and thought about it for a moment.

Oh, well... any excuse to talk Beatles...

 

[aquamentus]

I actually remember him saying that he chose it because he could play it left handed "and not look daft".

 

[Lesfunk]

I think it was because they were all out of Ritters

 

[pjmuck]

But I do think that Macca is a little more cagey than people realize.

You're spot on about that. He's well-aware of his legacy and knows fully well that the Hofner is his iconic instrument most commonly associated with him. He had stopped using it for a while, but he also attributes Elvis Costello with convincing him to start using it again.