McCartney's Cavern Bass On "Revolution"

karl_teten · Post by **karl_teten** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 1:36 pm

Greg Feo's #2 lefty Cavern Hofner is THE BEST HOFNER I have ever played!!

The neck, the feel, the sound..... :0

byu · Post by **byu** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 7:22 pm

Hey Brian,
Isn't that pic from a poster?

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:04 am

By the time Paul's bass came back to RIC for the horseshoe pick up repair before the WOA tour in 1976, it was in sad shape indeed.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:54 am

Bill,

It is from a poster. I love that picture. That bass just shows all the years of wear and tear. You can see the seat dripping off of it. It must smell real good too.

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:16 pm

Brian -- you mention that Paul's Hofner Bass was swiped from Twickenham -- but he used that same Bass on the Apple Rooftop concert, on Jan31st of 1969, per the Let It Be film. Are you positive about the timing of the theft ? I've got several books on the Beatles recording sessions and which instruments used for which songs and I don't remember the theft being mentioned. Just curious.
Regards -
Rich F.

blazer · Post by **blazer** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:01 pm

Nope, different Hofner.

The one from the rooftop concert was his 1963 Hofner with the wider pickup spacing. The one used in the "Revolution" video was a 1961 and had the pickups close together.

http://www.thecanteen.com/twobasses.jpg
Macca's two Hofners

http://www.thecanteen.com/61hof.jpg

blazer · Post by **blazer** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:03 pm

http://www.thecanteen.com/roofhof.jpg
Macca on the rooftop concert playing his 1963 Hofner, as you can see, a different shade of sunbust (the 1961 Hofner had a much brighter in-your-face sunburst re-finish) and the pickups further apart.

congerz83 · Post by **congerz83** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:05 pm

Who does that Strat belong to in the first pic??????

blazer · Post by **blazer** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:07 pm

Hey Randy, here's the account of the guys at Rickenbacker who fixed Macca's ricky up.

http://www.thecanteen.com/arnquist.html

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:48 pm

Thanks Blazer for the clarification of the two different Hofners used, wider pickup spacing, etc.(Rooftop and on Revolution). Regards Rich F.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:08 pm

Both Hofner's originally had the same finish, but Paul had the three tone Fender finish applied at the same time he had the mounting plates installed and did the other modifications. Glad you received your answer Rich. I didn't get back to the thread fast enough.

levykev · Post by **levykev** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 9:54 am

hey you Hofner experts... can someone explain (it's always irked me!) why the control panel on Paul's '63 Hofner was reversed? close inspection shows the writing (volume, bass, on/off) etc., is right side up. on mine and all other Hofners, it's upside down, so as you are playing it, you can read it.

did Mandolin Bros. place it that way by accident when they did the work on it in the 90's. please help.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 10:43 am

I had read that account before and I've talked with Mark Arnquist about it. I can't understand why he let that bass get that bad. But it's his bass not mine. It's just a tool for him like a hammer or screwdriver would be to a carpenter. To each his own though.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 11:01 am

"Who does that Strat belong to in the first pic??????"

I don't remember the specifics, but I've read that it belonged to someone in an opening band.

simer4001 · Post by **simer4001** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 3:23 pm

That would make sense Kevin. Because I've never seen it before. Nice catch Richard. I was only looking at the Hofner's.

John has a great site over there. I think it led the way for Andy's work on Beatles Gear. John was also very open to suggestions and corrections. He has done us all a good service.