What bass does Tom Petty play ?

[rs920]

His old band Mudcrutch is releasing new stuff, and Petty plays bass. The odd video i found shows an old Hofner and a Rick that seems to have a different nameplate. Anybody have any insight into what he uses
?

 

[Gorn]

Well the Hofner is a club. Maybe vintage. Maybe new.

And I can't see the name plate on the rick but it's probably a rick. I don't know them well. Maybe someone can see if it's a fake.

 

[_jojo_bass]

Here he's using an old EB0/EB3. Rarely does he use a new instrument, but I wouldn't be surprised if he had a new Hofner or Rickenbacker.

 

[rs920]

In a recent video, there are some good shots of the rick, i dont know enough about them to identify it, the song is "scare easy"

 

[mellowinman]

And I can't see the name plate on the rick but it's probably a rick. I don't know them well. Maybe someone can see if it's a fake.
View attachment 878540

That looks like a 4001 C64

 

[arbiterusa]

He started as a bassist, there's a VERY long documentary (almost four hours, that wasn't going to happen) on Netflix streaming at the moment, and there's pics of his old bass. Don't remember what it was, because I'm not a fan, but it's easy to find out.

 

[Mastermold]

I'd be surprised if Petty played a new guitar or bass, they're pretty open about only using "real" (vintage) gear.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Here he's using an old EB0/EB3.

-0. Two knobs. But with what appears to be a chrome hand rest - just not [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (can't make out the dog-ears): possibly a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] moved forward, or a Fender. Or maybe I'm just imagining things.

 

[bobyoung53]

That looks like a 4001 C64

I just watched a bunch of Mudcrutch videos and Petty played the Rickenbacker 4001C64S in most of them, saw him with the Hofner in one, saw him with a Fender in one also. I've also seen him with a Jetglo 4001 with The Dwight Twilley Band. I've mostly seen him with Ricks.

 

[Dave W]

IIRC he's using a Dano in one of The Traveling Willbury videos too.

I'd also be surprised if he wasn't using vintage stuff. The Heartbreakers have a huge gear collection with tons of rare and expensive instruments. Very cool!

 

[mikeswals]

IIRC he's using a Dano in one of The Traveling Willbury videos too.

And in Tom Petty's video of 'Wont Back Down', Jeff Lynne is playing an original Stack knob Jazz Bass. I wonder who that one belonged too? drool

 

[JimmyM]

He has a lot of basses. I wouldn't be surprised if he uses more than one

 

[Dave W]

Running Down A Dream is a superb documentary, probably the best of any on musicians/bands that I have seen.

It's great! I liked Tom before but after watching it my level of respect for the man went through the roof.

 

[Velofixer]

A picture in his recent biography shows him using an EB2/Epi Rivoli as a teenager. Mudcrutch video on Youtube (Lover of the Bayou, GREAT Byrds cover) he's playing a Rick 4000.

 

[mc900ftj]

I've seen him play a Lakland with Mudcrutch.

 

[Bodeanly]

He has a lot of basses. I wouldn't be surprised if he uses more than one

Tom Petty with GAS. I can just picture him trolling the TalkBass classifieds.

 

[Hevy T]

The Ric looks like a Paul McCartney sig. Thought I could be wrong. I thought wanted his hs upside down

 

[Micky]

The Rick is a 4001C64, probably from 2006. One of those rare ones with a lefties head.
Tom Petty is a big Rickenbacker fan with lots of Rick guitars. There´s even a Tom Petty model out.

 

[RedVee]

I had read that the Wilbury's was a Gretsch fest. I wondered if they had supplied a bass or two as well as tpguitars?

 

[Paul Boyer]

The Rick is indeed a Fireglo 4001C64. That model (and the similar 4001C64S) have "reversed" headstocks emulating the headstock on Paul McCartney's old lefty Rick from 1964. More on this and 30+ other Rick basses in the book.