Paul McCartney and his Basses

[ICM]

There is audio somewhere of a live Beatles concert where McCartney breaks a string and switches basses (hofners). No video though unfortunately.

You're wrong. Paul almost always used both pickups full-on.

Check the Wings concert "Rockshow." On more than one occasion you can see Paul turn down ALL the knobs on his Rick when he is about to switch instruments. When he picks it back up, he turns ALL the controls all the way up, with the pickup switch in the center position.

BTW...the original Rockshow concert (not the f'd up new reissue with horrible audio) has some of the best bass playing as well as one of the best recorded bass tones ANYWHERE. Paul never played the same since. Nor does he care to.

Should have been more clear. I was referring to the timeframe of the beatles. Good info though, about that video, glad I found that out.

 

[ggoat!!!]

Many of his other basses were certainly gifts, including the Rick, the Yamaha, his 'replacement' "Cavern" bass, the Jubilee Hofner (with the Union flag on it) and the Bill Black upright (Linda bought it for him).

Don't forget the Wal...it was a gift from Linda as well.

 

[mcarp555]

I left out the basses I didn't have any info about, such as the Wal, the Kay, etc.

 

[Troels Schmidt]

Because they all contributed ideas, and if, say, Paul had the best idea for a lead guitar hook or solo, he'd simply play it rather than take the time to teach it to George Harrison. I like the story about "Obladi, Oblada"-- I'd always assumed that Paul played the piano part, but it was John. Apparently, the arrangement was lifeless until John walked in, heard a bit, then sat right down at the piano and played the intro. John also played bass on "The Long and Winding Road", George played bass on "Old Brown Shoe", and Paul played drums on "Dear Prudence", "The Ballad of John and Yoko", and a few others. Ringo even played Hammond organ on a song on "Rubber Soul" (I can't remember which at the moment).

Ringo played Hammond on "I'm looking through you" He also hold a piano chord in the end "A day in the life" - as did Paul and John - all at once. And George didn't play much guitar at all on Sgt. Pepper. In fact John, Paul, George and Ringo played many differernt instruments. "The Ballad of John and Yoko" was John and Paul all alone. No Ringo and no George involved at all.

 

[mcarp555]

While the album sleeve credits Ringo with playing hammond organ on "I'm Looking Through You", there is in fact no organ track on the finished recording. Nor is it detailed on the tape box at the time.

As for George, he played quite a bit on "Pepper", certainly on "Fixing A Hole", both versions of the title song, "Lucy", "Getting Better", and "With a Little Help" at least.

 

[JimmyM]

So what's that organ doing in there right after Paul sings, "You're not the same"?

 

[Harper]

What Jimmy said....

 

[mcarp555]

It may not be a hammond (the RT-3), or it may not be Ringo playing it. There was a harmonium also present during the 'Rubber Soul' sessions.

 

[JimmyM]

That's an organ for sure. Harmoniums have a little more string quality to them.

 

[Back to Bassics]

I've never heard the 4005 story. Ricenbacker CEO John Hall never mentioned sending Paul a 4005 in his Beatle stories (he used to post frequently years ago on another board), so if it was a gift it didn't come from Ric.

Entwistle also had a 4005 Lightshow in Fireglo. You can see it here: Invalid Link Removed

(Server problems prevent me from posting pics today)

I think the Lightshow guitars and basses are commonly referred to as "LS" models ...

John Hall may not have mentioned it ... maybe it was his father? Maybe it was Rose Morris. The only reason I kind of believe it is that I heard it from two independent sources. One of them has been dead for more than 20 years and I haven't seen the other for about as long.

I do owe you an apology though ... messing around a few days ago and realised that I do use about 1/4 of the heel of my hand as well as my little finger to damp the strings on a 4000/4001. Trouble is, that got me thinking and trying ... and I don't see how anyone can damp strings with a standard Ric bridge/tailpiece and then play with their fingers or a plectrum if the stupid pickup cover is in place. Your hand is pretty much anchored in place because of the tiny gap, and you'd need either giant hands or tiny toy ones to get anywhere near the strings either side of the cover.

 

[Skokiaan]

I think the Lightshow guitars and basses are commonly referred to as "LS" models ...

John Hall may not have mentioned it ... maybe it was his father? Maybe it was Rose Morris. The only reason I kind of believe it is that I heard it from two independent sources. One of them has been dead for more than 20 years and I haven't seen the other for about as long.

I do owe you an apology though ... messing around a few days ago and realised that I do use about 1/4 of the heel of my hand as well as my little finger to damp the strings on a 4000/4001. Trouble is, that got me thinking and trying ... and I don't see how anyone can damp strings with a standard Ric bridge/tailpiece and then play with their fingers or a plectrum if the stupid pickup cover is in place. Your hand is pretty much anchored in place because of the tiny gap, and you'd need either giant hands or tiny toy ones to get anywhere near the strings either side of the cover.

The pickup cover is a pain, even after it's removed leaving gaps around the bridge pickup. Plus the neck pickup has such a low profile that it doesn't provide enough of a thumb rest. I didn't keep my 4003 long.

My brother loved his 4001, but he played mainly with a pick and used the pickup cover as a wrist rest.

I did have an early 4004C that was more comfortable to play, but I've moved on to other basses.

 

[Blazer]

Great thread this.

Here's Macca with his Fender in the eighties.

And here he is playing the Union Jack Custom Hofner.

To Macca's own account, he began using his Ricky as his main studio bass during the "Rubber soul" sessions because of it "staying in tune better" but I'm also pretty sure that the improved intonation was a big factor here, Hofners aren't known for their perfect intonation.

Say did any of you guys noted that Paul's Ricky had the action of a longbow?

 

[ICM]

Great thread this.

Here's Macca with his Fender in the eighties.

And here he is playing the Union Jack Custom Hofner.

To Macca's own account, he began using his Ricky as his main studio bass during the "Rubber soul" sessions because of it "staying in tune better" but I'm also pretty sure that the improved intonation was a big factor here, Hofners aren't known for their perfect intonation.

Say did any of you guys noted that Paul's Ricky had the action of a longbow?

Great photo! That's pretty crazy that his action was that high. The thing is that when it gradually changes a little bit every day, you don't even notice until you play a different bass.

 

[AngryPig1]

Yeah i think the action was noted earlier in this thread. was it in the interview with Rick guys who fixed it up? unfortuntely my memory isnt all that but i do remember someone saying they could fit a finger between the string and the top fret of the fingerboard.

 

[Blazer]

Yeah i think the action was noted earlier in this thread. was it in the interview with Rick guys who fixed it up? unfortuntely my memory isnt all that but i do remember someone saying they could fit a finger between the string and the top fret of the fingerboard.

When 10CC opened for Wings, Graham Gouldman got the opportunity to play Macca's Rickie and he asked Macca himself how on earth he managed to play it with an action that high.

There's a reason why Gouldman owns a Rickie himself...

 

[iamthebassman]

Was just thinking of GG's great "Ric tone.

 

[Skokiaan]

And here he is playing the Union Jack Custom Hofner.

It's actually not a custom. There was a production run of 60 of these basses.

 

[mcarp555]

Actually, Paul's Jubilee bass is a one-off. Later, Hofner did a run of 60 using the Contemporary bass (all right-handed), then later still, 120 using the German-made 500/1s (60 for the US, 60 for the UK/Europe). These 2nd gen. Jubes did include a few left-handed models (I believe six?). The CT basses have a blue back & sides, the German ones the white maple like Paul's.

 

[Troels Schmidt]

While the album sleeve credits Ringo with playing hammond organ on "I'm Looking Through You", there is in fact no organ track on the finished recording. Nor is it detailed on the tape box at the time.

As for George, he played quite a bit on "Pepper", certainly on "Fixing A Hole", both versions of the title song, "Lucy", "Getting Better", and "With a Little Help" at least.

Oh yes... Ringo clearly plays a Hammond on "I'm looking through you" - and it's even easy to hear: The two Ab-chords (lasting each a quarternote) introducing the four times repeatet riff between verses is the Hammond. The two organ chords says "doot-doot" - and Georges guitar finishes the riff line - the whole figure (organ and guitar) is played four times between all verses. (It's a first fret capo recording).

Georges has told himself, that he didn't play much on Pepper. He should know... I wasn't there

 

[mcarp555]

Yes, I was mistaken about the Hammond.

As for George, it's probably all subjective. He was clearly involved with some tracks, and didn't play at all on others.