Paul Mccartney tone on Abbey Road

[metron]

Lol at the oh darling bass track. Classic stuff

 

[MrDOS]

I'm always surprised, when I hear these isolated tracks, how much dirt these guys played with.

I tend to think of the Beatles as a pretty "clean" sounding band, but there's a lot of overdrive in some of these songs. They were hitting those tubes hard.

Jamerson is another one. Sounds like he's got a RAT pedal in there somewhere.

If I am correct, the lads were using solid state amps by this point.

 

[MrDOS]

When I originally posted that "Oh Darling" was "unmistakably" John on the Bass VI, I forgot to mention something really important - the very first note. Go back to the isolated bass track and listen.

It's a high E, the same note that would typically be the 21st fret on the G string.

Ricks and Jazz Basses have 20 frets. The Hofner has 22 but that 21st ain't easy to reach, and we already know it probably wasn't Paul on the bass. Only the Bass VI could have hit that note.

I hear that as a harmonic, which would be available on a one-string, zero-fret bass

 

[JimmyM]

If I am correct, the lads were using solid state amps by this point.

Not quite, but the tube-powered board at Abbey Road was replaced with a solid state board by the time of the Abbey Road album so you're not entirely incorrect.

 

[Stick_Player]

If I am correct, the lads were using solid state amps by this point.

Here's a great site for this information:

www.beatlesgear.com

 

[chuck norriss]

There used to be a great site listing all the Beatles gear here:
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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

Sticky.
"Something," "Come Together," are my favorites. So pretty. Good job, Paul.

 

[MrDOS]

You are correct sir - I got my wires crossed .
I thought they were still using the Vox amps, but it seems none were used on Abbey Road.

 

[qervo]

Great info Chuck Norris . Mystery solved , Oh Darling = Paul + fender Jazz VI

 

[Pet Sounds]

One thing's for sure: Lennon could be a real hack on bass. Exhibit A: The Long and Winding Road. Awful.

 

[ggvicviper]

One thing's for sure: Lennon could be a real hack on bass. Exhibit A: The Long and Winding Road. Awful.

Exhibit B: Let it Be (from the movie)


Not a Lennon basher, but he ain't no bass player.

 

[Pet Sounds]

I loved Lennon. But he sucked as a bass player. I think he felt it was beneath him, so he didn't even try.

 

[JimmyM]

I know he was never crazy about playing bass according to Paul, but I thought he did OK.

 

[jbiscuti]

John DID play on Helter Skelter, and that's a pretty bitchin' part. He was capable.

 

[ggvicviper]

John DID play on Helter Skelter, and that's a pretty bitchin' part. He was capable.

I disagree, but to each his own.

On another note, I played (and sang) Oh! Darling last night in my apartment on my Guild Pilot. I really like that bassline - it's fun hitting the 5th/barre chord on the second verse. Hell, that's a fun song to play in every regard. If only I could sing a smidgen better

 

[RickenBoogie]

Capable, but obviously not "into it" all that much. And I've loved John from the start.

 

[qervo]

I know he was never crazy about playing bass according to Paul, but I thought he did OK.

That's why he chose Hofner basses in the beginning, he said it was so light and compact that it felt like playing a guitar, and it was easy to play.

 

[qervo]

Best part about the super bowl . This guy got on a street car in New Orleans and started singing Beatles songs .yes it's Paul.

 

[Stick_Player]

View attachment 315906
Best part about the super bowl . This guy got on a street car in New Orleans and started singing Beatles songs .yes it's Paul.

Are you sure he wasn't lip-synching?

 

[JimmyM]

That's why he chose Hofner basses in the beginning, he said it was so light and compact that it felt like playing a guitar, and it was easy to play.

I was actually referring to John, not Paul It comes from a quote from Paul about when Stu quit, saying that George had a hot new guitar amp and you couldn't ask him to play bass, and John wouldn't hear of it, so Paul was elected.

 

[mccartneyman]

Just to put an end to this argument, I'll reveal that Paul let me play all the bass lines on Abbey Road because I had Polaroids of Paul & John in bed together. I'm not proud of it, but I was young and impetuous ...