Paul's Yamaha bass
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Ymaginatif:
I wonder how it compares: how many Beatles songs were recorded on Hoffner and how many on Rickenbacker? I'm sure the best ones were on Rickenbacker
"Revolver", "Magical Mystery Tour", and "Sgt. Pepper" got a good taste of the Rickenbacker. And almost all of my favorite Beatles songs are on those albums! (The rest being on "Abbey Road" and "Help").
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RMartinez:
Ymaginatif:
I wonder how it compares: how many Beatles songs were recorded on Hoffner and how many on Rickenbacker? I'm sure the best ones were on Rickenbacker
Not sure how many songs. but the Hofner is the one he used the most. 1963 - 1966 Hofner 1967 Rickenbacker 1968 Fender Jazz bass 1969 Hofner/Rickenbacker
Not too sure, but it seems like the Hofner took a back seat for a while between Revolver up until some point during the Get Back sessions that led to the Let It Be album...So I'd guess a lot of their post Beatlemania classic stuff was done with the Ric (that is when Paul was called on to play bass, which not all, but definitely most of these songs)
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LetMeRollIt89:
Ammar:
I love the hofner, but I believe he gets more creative bass player with WAL and other bass guitars in studio and even on stage.
Yeah, I love watching him work the Rickenbacker in Rockshow during Wings Over America. He does some brilliant, intricate work. A lot of that work gets watered down these days on the Hofner. I love the Hofner as much as any Beatle/Macca fan, but the Ric is my favorite, and the Yamaha has an awesome sound too. Even if it doesn't get live exposure anymore, I'd enjoy seeing him in-studio on one of the other basses.
Yes, the Rickenbacker and Yamaha both have a great sound, more than Hofner IMHO. Paul uses Ricky every now and then (1 song in "Driving Rain" and 1 song in "NEW"). You can find some info about Paul's basses in my book "Paul McCartney. Recording Sessions (1969-2013)".
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rich n:
RMartinez:
Ymaginatif:
I wonder how it compares: how many Beatles songs were recorded on Hoffner and how many on Rickenbacker? I'm sure the best ones were on Rickenbacker
Not sure how many songs. but the Hofner is the one he used the most. 1963 - 1966 Hofner 1967 Rickenbacker 1968 Fender Jazz bass 1969 Hofner/Rickenbacker
Not too sure, but it seems like the Hofner took a back seat for a while between Revolver up until some point during the Get Back sessions that led to the Let It Be album...So I'd guess a lot of their post Beatlemania classic stuff was done with the Ric (that is when Paul was called on to play bass, which not all, but definitely most of these songs)
Yeah, McCartney used the Rick for the Beatles' "psychedelic" phase, but not on the White Album (Fender Jazz bass). Even ABBEY ROAD is believed to be the Hofner, Rick, and a Fender bass, depending on the song. As far as which bass sounds better, the truth be told, the tone is in the player's fingers. McCartney sounds like McCartney whatever bass he plays, meaning it sounds good. I am not convinced the Rick sounds better than the Hofner, just different (one is a solid body, one is a hollow body). One reason people mistakenly think the Hofner sounds inferior is because bass was recorded in an inferior way on the early Beatles records. Had Paul used a Rick or Fender in 63 or 64, guess what? They would sound like crap too. The British recording industry limited the amount of bass out put that was aloud on a vinyl LP. The Beatles started pushing those limits around 66, right when Paul was given the Rickenbacker. He only played it because it was given to him, not because he sat down and compared it with his Hofner.
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Yeah, they thought too much bass would make the needle jump off the record!
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LetMeRollIt89:
Ammar:
I love the hofner, but I believe he gets more creative bass player with WAL and other bass guitars in studio and even on stage.
Yeah, I love watching him work the Rickenbacker in Rockshow during Wings Over America. He does some brilliant, intricate work. A lot of that work gets watered down these days on the Hofner. I love the Hofner as much as any Beatle/Macca fan, but the Ric is my favorite, and the Yamaha has an awesome sound too. Even if it doesn't get live exposure anymore, I'd enjoy seeing him in-studio on one of the other basses.
It's interesting you say this, because Paul has said in the past that it's the Hofner that inspires him to play in a more intricate manner, due to it being nice and light. He said that when he plays it he is more inclined to play up the neck. Can't remember where I first read that.
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stuartshire:
LetMeRollIt89:
Ammar:
I love the hofner, but I believe he gets more creative bass player with WAL and other bass guitars in studio and even on stage.
Yeah, I love watching him work the Rickenbacker in Rockshow during Wings Over America. He does some brilliant, intricate work. A lot of that work gets watered down these days on the Hofner. I love the Hofner as much as any Beatle/Macca fan, but the Ric is my favorite, and the Yamaha has an awesome sound too. Even if it doesn't get live exposure anymore, I'd enjoy seeing him in-studio on one of the other basses.
It's interesting you say this, because Paul has said in the past that it's the Hofner that inspires him to play in a more intricate manner, due to it being nice and light. He said that when he plays it he is more inclined to play up the neck. Can't remember where I first read that.
I read that quote in BassPlayer magazine. The lightness of the bass inspired him to play more delicate, melodic bass lines.
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I wonder if this is a bass Paul still plays around with in-studio or if he even has it anymore. I haven't seen a trace of it since the Wings rehearsals in 1980. I've seen the Rickenbacker in-studio, most recently in the "Queenie Eye" video...but no sign of this bass. The main reason I got a Yamaha:
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He plays it in "Old Siam Sir", one of my favorite Wings rockers with a great thumping bass line. I love to blast this one in my car, along with another hit from that era, "Getting Closer" (Rickenbacker). Hey Paul, why we no hear Egg anymore! Getting Closer would be so killer live!
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bunwhisper:
He plays it in "Old Siam Sir", one of my favorite Wings rockers with a great thumping bass line. I love to blast this one in my car, along with another hit from that era, "Getting Closer" (Rickenbacker). Hey Paul, why we no hear Egg anymore! Getting Closer would be so killer live!
