What strings did Paul McCartney use on his Rickenbacker Bass?

[Pimpernel Smith]

I've always wondered if this instrument with these odd looking strings is what he was referring to - regarding piano stings on the bass. I believe it's a Rosetti Solid 7.

 

[marchone]

He's got three strings on that thing. Amazing.

 

[Root 5]

That they have a big core tells us little, apart from them being inflexible: depending on the diameters used, the tensions proper may have been perfectly within the capabilities of the neck.

Piano strings are much higher tension. Grab a piano string the same gauge as an electric bass guitar and try to bend it with your hands. Good luck.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Piano strings are much higher tension. Grab a piano string the same gauge as an electric bass guitar and try to bend it with your hands. Good luck.

Thank you. Now you grab a thinner one than you would use on bass for a given (open) pitch and you will probably still get more stiffness, but possibly the same tension, which will be OK for the neck - is what I was saying.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

He's got three strings on that thing. Amazing.

Strange, isn't it? I wonder if there will ever be an explanation?

 

[StereoPlayer]

Strange, isn't it? I wonder if there will ever be an explanation?

Times were tough. Bass strings weren’t cheap/available. Get the job done.

Paul only need three…

 

[marchone]

That looks like a 6-string guitar to me. I once read that in Harrison’s first session with Lennon and McCartney John’s guitar was also missing a string.

 

[StereoPlayer]

That looks like a 6-string guitar to me. I once read that in Harrison’s first session with Lennon and McCartney John’s guitar was also missing a string.

It was a six string. Converted to a bass.

 

[marchone]

Thanks for that. I should have read the text above. It’s a Rosetti 7.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I've seen a couple pictures of what appears to be the same guitar, in Paul's hands, only still wearing 6 skinny strings. This can probably explain the 3-string configuration (less of a hassle to go every other saddle, instead of modify the bridge for four, equidistant spots), which in turn, along with the 24.75" scale length, also explains why the neck didn't fold in half on the spot, even if the diameters of the piano strings were "normal": having three of them simply means a lot less tension than having four.