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Paul McCartney and his Basses

#61
Herrick said:
Why did they do this?
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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).
 
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#62
4-string said:
Don't forget all the compression that was added to the bass tracks.
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When I recorded at Abbey Road, I was really amazed at he way the EMI modified Altec compressor made my bass sound like Macca immediacy. It was no joke; a magic box. We used the Beatles recording book (not the Mark Lewisohn sessions book, the Brian Kahew on their recording gear) to duplicate his recording chain using the same gear. I think we got pretty damn close to Paul's bass sound. Of course, we were lacking an actual Paul to play the part, but we made do. Go to my website and you'll hear it: www.corinashley.com
 
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#63
Here's a nifty story about the refurbishing of Paul's Ric when he wanted to take it out on the "Wings Over America" Tour in '76.

http://www.thecanteen.com/arnquist.html

Was done by Mark Arnquist, who now resides in Seattle. Was the in-store repair tech guy for American Music store in Seattle in the 80s.

from the site about McCartneys Guitars = http://www.thecanteen.com/mccartney1.html

Mark built a modded a '75 P bass for me in '80 adding Seymour Duncan QuarterPounders into a JPJ configuration in 1980. Still have it.

8265333451_95d14ec024.jpg
 
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#64
dougjwray said:
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).
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That's cool.
 
#65
This is a great thread and boris if you do a search of his bass tones or settings a bunch of stuff pops up but like with everything Beatles some people swore he did this and some people swore he did that this and the other thing for me it changes based on the song I'm playing I do it so automatically now I don't even check to see where the settings are.
 
#66
The left handed Les Paul that Paul plays was given to him by the guy in Cheap Trick.

Also there are other instruments that Paul has that don't seem to show up in concert. Supposedly the first 4004ci made was a lefty and it was given to Paul and also he was given a 4003s5 lefty.
 
#67
miles'tone said:
The Paperback writer bassline was played by George Harrison on a Burns bass according to Bass Guitar Magazine (UK) when the review for the Burns reissue ran. There was a pic within the article of George playing one at the session.
This news freaked me out as Paperback Writer is my fave Beatles bass tone and the reason I bought a 4001 many years ago!
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This was for an earlier take of the song. The version we all know and love features Paul playing his Ric.
 
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#71
miles'tone said:
The Paperback writer bassline was played by George Harrison on a Burns bass according to Bass Guitar Magazine (UK) when the review for the Burns reissue ran. There was a pic within the article of George playing one at the session.
This news freaked me out as Paperback Writer is my fave Beatles bass tone and the reason I bought a 4001 many years ago!
Click to expand...


indeed

used for both "Paperback Writer" and "Rain"

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beatlesrain.jpg
 
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#79
bassplayer8953 said:
If the cost of the Hofner listed above is correct (267dm) back in those days German marks were 4 to a dollar. That would mean Paul paid $66.75 for the Hofner! (No wonder he liked 'em!)
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Paul apparently remembers paying even less.

Magazine: Bass Player
Issue: July/August 1995
Title: Paul McCartney - Meet The Beatle
Author: Tony Bacon


Paul had to find a bass guitar of his own, so one day in 1961 he
went shopping in Hamburg. "Eventually I found a little shop in
the center of town, and I saw this violin-shaped bass guitar in
the window." This was the famous "violin bass," a Hofner
500/1, made in Germany and similar in shape to Gibson's early
Electric Bass model. McCartney recalls buying his first violin
bass for the equivalent of about $45, and he insists it was a
right-handed model that he turned upside down, although all
the photographic evidence of the band in those early years
shows him with a production left-hander. McCartney has had a
number of different versions of the Hofner 500/1 over the
years, but he stuck to the model as his sole Beatles live-
performance bass as well as the principal bass for the group's
recordings until late in the '60s.
 

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