• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Which Bass did McCartney use on these songs?

#3
From what I've read, the people at Rickenbacker gave him the ric when they played the Hollywood Bowl in '64. They told him it would record better. Again, from reading, the Hofner had intonation problems that worsened as he went up the neck. So I figure anything where he's doing the 16th note octaves like Paperback Writer, or just playing in positions up the neck like "Something" is the Ric. I could be completely wrong but that's what I think.
 
#5
I've actually spent way too much time thinking about these sort of things and have wondered about "Something". It was done in that period after "Let It Be" where he was back in love with his Hofner. It does sound like the Ric, but I'm not 100% sure. It's on my list of questions to ask him if I should ever meet him. Also: did he still have the black tapewound strings on the Hofner after "Let It Be"? I know that I've read that he used a Rick for "Come Together", but my Hofner with tapewounds sounds so much like that bass tone that it's ridiculous.

As heavily documented as "Let It Be" was (being a film and all), it can get frustrating trying to figure out what was going down on either side: the White album and Abbey Road.
 
#7
Kruton said:
I have searched but found conflicting answers, so I would like to know, once and for all which bass he used on:

Something
Taxman
Paperback Writer
When I'm Sixty-Four

Thanks.
Click to expand...

you'll always get conflicting answers... even Paul McCartney has been known to say different things.. i've come up with some good interview stuff on the other thread from Paul & Geoff Emerick on Paperback Writer and i'm convinced it's the Rickenbacker

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226821&highlight=paperback+writer

here's my best guesses on the others:

Something: Fender Jazz
Taxman: Rickenbacker
When I'm 64: Rickenbacker
 
#9
Bass Player magazine says that the Ric WAS used on "Something":

Invalid Link Removed

"Though he used his ’65 Rickenbacker 4001S on 'Something,' Paul attributes much of his style to the particular feel and sound of his ’63 Hofner 500/1 hollowbody bass. "
 
#13
The Hofner on Something? That can't be, it actually sounds good!

He had major intonation problems with his Hofner, and most of the bassline is played pretty high up on the neck.

On the subject of great Harrisongs with great Paul bass and tone, any thoughts on While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I can get pretty close with the mutes on my Ric, but I'm not too sure.

edit,

Oh the jazz on While my guitar...

That makes sense.

Most of the stuff on these lists makes sense (cool to see how much bass George played!), but I can't accept that it's the Hofner on Something. There really is a lot of conflicting information on that song.
 
#14
I don't have an answer for the OP (sorry... slap my hands...)

But I am finding that to get a McCartney-ish sound - one that really get the quality of what is associated with many McCartney basslines - especially ones like "Paperback Writer", "Rain", "Penny Lane", etc... the key is FLATWOUND STRINGS and playing near the neck - with and without a pick.

For "Penny Lane" I use a pick - for "Rain" I go finger-style...

I have a real beater of a bass that has P-style pups, painfully high action - a real junker... but with flats and a pick, it sounds so much like his sound on "Rain" and "Penny Lane" that I can't stop playing it!

I also strung my MIA Jazz V with flats, but they were so tense and pulled my action so high I had to abandon that mission. I think it may have had something to do with this bass being strung thru the body... Not sure.

Sorry for not answering the OP (slapping hands one more time for good measure) - but I love that McCartney sound and when I found a way to get it, I had to share.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Billyzoom
#15
Paperback writer was played on the Hofner 100%. I have recorded it myself in the style of recording that they used at the time, sounds the exact same. I also own a Rickie 4001S LH, I don't think it was used on paperback writer. Penny Lane was the Rickie, it's just kind of common facts that he wasn't using a hofner or fender jazz at that time. When I'm Sixty Four could be the Fender Jazz Bass, going through the same method I did with paperback writer I can get a relatively accurate answer, my uncle owns a 1980s Fender Jazz Bass so I used that for this experiment. Taxman is the rickie, going through the same method I figured out that answer. This is all subjective to the gear I used, I used a different microphone so I might be way off. If you need any more decetive work done on this, let me know here and I'll be happy to use my collection of basses and amps for this and share the results here.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back