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Paul Mccartney tone on Abbey Road

#4
I've always had a hard time believing that Paul used the Rickenbacker extensively on Abbey Road. White album is mostly Jazz bass, then he went back to the Hofner (with the black nylon strings) for Let It Be and was fairly enthusiastic about getting back to that bass (according to interviews form the period where he was reminded of how light it is) and we know he used the jazz on Abbey Road quite a bit. I think the other bass in the mix is the Hofner.
 
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#5
Well, I wasn't there.......but those who study these things from numerous sources generally agree that on Abbey Road, Paul's Jazz can be found on:
Oh Darling, Sun King, and Mean Mr. Mustard.

George plays either his Jazz bass or Bass VI on:
Maxwell, Golden Slumbers, Carry that Weight.

I think the Jazz is much easier to spot on the White Album than on Abbey Road.
All that said, sometimes one can be completely mistaken.

One example for me over the years, was Klaatu's Sub Rosa Subway. I always thought this was a Rick, but it turns out it is a Hofner with the Rick overdubbed/added in for the last 14 sec. or so to lengthen the tune a bit thru the fade. It fooled me, since I clearly heard the Rick in the closing seconds. A great Hofner tone on that tune.
 
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#8
mccartneyman said:
I believe that "What Bass Does Paul Use?" can be added to "Fingers or Pick?" , "Flats or Rounds" , "Lone Gunman/Conspiracy?" and "God, No God?" as one of those questions that man will debate to the end of time without a definitive answer.
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Negative.

"Law of the Excluded Middle." The ultimate truth or falsity of the statement is independent of your opinion or knowledge. The statement cannot be "true for some people and false for others."

There can only be a single answer for "what bass did Paul play on a particular track". All we need now is a reliable, authoritative, verifiable source.

Riis
 
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#12
From what I've heard, Paul uses the Rickenbacker on most of his bass tracks on Abbey Road. I've heard the Fender Jazz is used on "Sun King" and "Mean Mr. Mustard". The Hofner is used on "Something" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)". George plays the bass tracks on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Golden Slumbers", and "Carry That Weight".
 
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#13
damagebassist87 said:
From what I've heard, Paul uses the Rickenbacker on most of his bass tracks on Abbey Road. I've heard the Fender Jazz is used on "Sun King" and "Mean Mr. Mustard". The Hofner is used on "Something" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)". George plays the bass tracks on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Golden Slumbers", and "Carry That Weight".
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i would have said 'sun king' was the jazz or B VI, where as 'something' is widley reported to be the jazz and can the hofner hold a low D tuning? for 'she's so heavy? i would say jazz or ric for that, unless john or george played bass as some guitar sounds very like pauls work
 
#15
darthplagis said:
i would have said 'sun king' was the jazz or B VI, where as 'something' is widley reported to be the jazz and can the hofner hold a low D tuning? for 'she's so heavy? i would say jazz or ric for that, unless john or george played bass as some guitar sounds very like pauls work
Click to expand...

You'll get disagreement from many people about whether Paul tuned down for "Something." I don't think he did, despite what was written in a transcription in Bassplayer a few years back. And many people think "She's So Heavy" is a Hofner because the bass is out of tune.
 
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#16
darthplagis said:
i would have said 'sun king' was the jazz or B VI, where as 'something' is widley reported to be the jazz and can the hofner hold a low D tuning? for 'she's so heavy? i would say jazz or ric for that, unless john or george played bass as some guitar sounds very like pauls work
Click to expand...

You'll get disagreement from many people about whether Paul tuned down for "Something." I don't think he did, despite what was written in a transcription in Bassplayer a few years back. And many people think "She's So Heavy" is a Hofner because the bass is out of tune.

Someone who knows Paul needs to lock him in a room and refuse to let him out until he tells us, track by track, what bass he used for all the Beatles recordings. However, as illustrated in "The Beatles Anthology," he can't remember who played what, and George couldn't remember what album certain songs were on.
 
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#17
There used to be a great site listing all the Beatles gear here:
Invalid Link Removed
but it seems to have gone away.

You can still catch the cached data here:
http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=abbey+road+wanadoo&d=4998654776382592&mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&w=a2740aca,54663997

On Abbey Road, it lists the following:
Come Together - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Something - Paul Hofner 500/1
Maxwell's Silver Hammer - George Fender Bass VI
Oh! Darling - Paul Fender Jazz Bass
Octopus's Garden - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
I Want You (She's So Heavy) - Paul Hofner 500/1
Here Comes The Sun - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Because - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
You Never Give Me Your Money - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Sun King - Paul Fender Jazz Bass
Mean Mr Mustard - Paul Fender Jazz Bass
Polythene Pam - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Golden Slumbers - George Fender Jazz Bass
Carry That Weight - George Fender Jazz Bass
The End - Paul Rickenbacker 4001S
Her Majesty - NA
 
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#18
mccartneyman said:
Someone who knows Paul needs to lock him in a room and refuse to let him out until he tells us, track by track, what bass he used for all the Beatles recordings. However, as illustrated in "The Beatles Anthology," he can't remember who played what, and George couldn't remember what album certain songs were on.
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You are 100% correct on this...but I am developing a new theory....

It's hard to believe that not only Paul couldn't remember, but Ringo,the engeneers, tape ops, George Martin...even Yoko(!!!) don't remember either. It's possible that ALL of this information is written down in detail for future release at the most advantagous time. That information will make the Anthologies look like pennies by comparison.
 
#19
In interviews Paul has plainly stated that he doesn't pay all that much attention to his own gear. He's admitted that he doesn't know the particulars about his own strings. So I wouldn't expect to get a concrete answer from him about which instrument was played on any particular track.

Andy Babiuk's book Beatles Gear is a great insight about the entire band's gear. But even the author acknowledges that the book would have been so much more of an in depth exploration of the Beatles equipment if he had only been able to work in conjunction with Beatles roadie Mal Evans. Unfortunately though, Mal Evans was murdered in the 1970's.
 
#20
mccartneyman said:
You'll get disagreement from many people about whether Paul tuned down for "Something." I don't think he did, despite what was written in a transcription in Bassplayer a few years back. And many people think "She's So Heavy" is a Hofner because the bass is out of tune.
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i never said he tuned down for 'something':ninja:, i asked if the hofner could hold the dropped D for 'she's so heavy' and i think the 'out of tune' part is just the jam aspect of the song :D

but reading the link warnergt posted, the gear list makes sense, though im sure there are overdubs not listed on there, paul has a very distinctive style and tone on guitar and im sure he played more guitar than is listed.
 

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