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Mccartney's sound

Again according to the "Beatles gear" book Paul preferred the Rickenbacker for recording because "It stayed in tune better" and because the intonation of his Hofner was a disaster (Something that he had the mandolin brothers take care of in the eighties, they replaced the entire fingerboard) the Rick enabled him to play some "Motown basslines" that would otherwise be hooribly out of key on his Hofner.

On "Let it be" and "Abbey Road" Paul Used three basses: his Hofner, the rick and a lefty Fender Jazz Bass which was shipped to him when the Beatles became Fender endorsers. The Jazz Bass is most evident on "something"

But John and George also played bass on those two records, using either a Fender Bass VI or a Righthanded Jazz bass, simlar to Paul's lefty.

So all in all there have been a spectacullar number of basses used on Beatles recordings.

1. Hofner President bass (Stu Suttcliff's bass)
2. Hofner 500/1 violin bass (the cavern model, with the pickups close together)
3. Hofner 500/1 Violin bass (the one which he still plays today.)
4. Rickenbacker 4001S
5. Burns Nu-sonic bass (used by George Harrison on "Taxman".)
6. Fender Bass VI (used by both John and George to provide the low end on songs like "let it be" and "the long and winding road")
7. Fender Lefty Jazz Bass
8. Fender Righty Jazz bass.
9. Wal five string. (Used on "Free as a bird" and "real love")
10. Bill Black's Double bass (Used on "real love")
 
tightbidness said:
Also I haven't come across Hey Bulldog.

That's because that isn't actually a promo video for Hey Bulldog. It's a bunch of footage of them recording that song that was used as the video for a 20/20 story, the Youtube guy added the song. Some of this was originally used in the Lady Madonna promo.
 
Sneckumhaw said:
That's because that isn't actually a promo video for Hey Bulldog. It's a bunch of footage of them recording that song that was used as the video for a 20/20 story, the Youtube guy added the song. Some of this was originally used in the Lady Madonna promo.

Really, I saw this promo on TV during a Beatles special. So I guess it should be authentic.

But then again "Paperback writer" and "Rain" also have matching promo videos.
 
Blazer said:
Again according to the "Beatles gear" book Paul preferred the Rickenbacker for recording because "It stayed in tune better" and because the intonation of his Hofner was a disaster (Something that he had the mandolin brothers take care of in the eighties, they replaced the entire fingerboard) the Rick enabled him to play some "Motown basslines" that would otherwise be hooribly out of key on his Hofner.

On "Let it be" and "Abbey Road" Paul Used three basses: his Hofner, the rick and a lefty Fender Jazz Bass which was shipped to him when the Beatles became Fender endorsers. The Jazz Bass is most evident on "something"

But John and George also played bass on those two records, using either a Fender Bass VI or a Righthanded Jazz bass, simlar to Paul's lefty.

So all in all there have been a spectacullar number of basses used on Beatles recordings.

1. Hofner President bass (Stu Suttcliff's bass)
2. Hofner 500/1 violin bass (the cavern model, with the pickups close together)
3. Hofner 500/1 Violin bass (the one which he still plays today.)
4. Rickenbacker 4001S
5. Burns Nu-sonic bass (used by George Harrison on "Taxman".)
6. Fender Bass VI (used by both John and George to provide the low end on songs like "let it be" and "the long and winding road")
7. Fender Lefty Jazz Bass
8. Fender Righty Jazz bass.
9. Wal five string. (Used on "Free as a bird" and "real love")
10. Bill Black's Double bass (Used on "real love")

So the bass on "Something" is a Jazz??
and, Macca didn't play bass on "Hey Jude" or "Taxman"??????
:eek:
 
According to the "Beatles Gear" book. Macca DID play on "Hey Jude" but the promo for "Hey Jude" shows George Miming on the Bass VI, only Macca's vocals on the Promo for that song were live.

But John's bassline on "the long and winding road" shows some SWEET playing.
 
When I listen to Paul's tone prior to the Rubber Soul recording, I hear a bass without much depth, and then when Geoff Emrick became the engineer at Abby Road, Paul's bass lines get more focused. Not that he didn't have great bass lines before Rubber Soul. I'm thinking about tunes such as Drive My Car and Your Bird Can Sing. The songs Rain and Baby You're A Rich Man, are other examples that comes to mind.
I wouldn't mind having Emrick set up my board. I'd love to pick his brain concerning basic Eq when it comes to recording the bass track.

GM