Paul's Hof

[bottom4]

Which one of Paul's basses went missing? Was it the Let it Be one?

[deaconblues]

The '61 "Cavern" with the closely-spaced pickups:

Used during the Let it Be sessions (seen above), but I don't think it was in the movie.

[simer4001]

Yes Thats the one that went missing. I like the modifications he made to it. It looks cool with the Fender 3 tone Sunburst.

[Zurdo]

seems like there is something between both pickups and also in front of the bridge ? foam?

looks like the same bass used in the "Revolution" video performance.

[congerz83]

seems like there is something between both pickups and also in front of the bridge ? foam?

looks like the same bass used in the "Revolution" video performance.

It's just a different pickup surround. I wonder who did the repair? You'd think it wasn't Hofner.


P.S. This should be Hofner's next release

[nick_allen]

Actually, I think that is a foam or cloth mute in front of the bridge. You can see it quite clearly on the "Revolution" video. A technique of which Carol Kaye, for one, is a great proponent. Personally, I prefer to just use the heel of my hand against the bridge. Seems to be something Paul experimented with on that guitar - I don't recall photos of him with it on any other guitar.

[servant]

Referring to June 1964, when the Beatles toured with Jimmy Nicol on drums while Ringo was in the hospital, "Beatles Gear" (pages 132-133) has this to say:

McCartney had arranged for extensive work to be done on his original '61 Hofner bass while he was away on tour. The guitar was refinished with a polyurethane sunburst finish, similar in appearance to Fender's well known three-colour sunburst. His old Hofner was also fitted with a new mounting system for the two forward pickups, one of which had come loose and had been temporarily taped in place. Replacing the regular individual pickup surrounds, a new large black rectangular plate was made to hold the two Hofner pickups in place. The bass's pickguard was cut to accomodate the new mounting plate, and a new set of volume knobs replaced teh originals.

"Sound City has some very distinctive guitars on its walls at the moment," ran a contemporary news report, "including one of Paul McCartney's very first violin basses. Another is Harrison's first Gretsch and the third is Lennon's second Rickenbacker, but they are not for sale. 'The boys wouldn't part with any of them,' says [store manager Bob Adams], 'they're just in for overhauls.'"

Today, Adams recalls the work done to McCartney's bqass. "We worked on it at our shop in Shaftsbury Avenue and I had to send it out to have it resprayed. I had one of my staff do it. We needed to make a new mounting system for the pickups because they were falling out."

McCartney first used his newly refinished and refitted '61 Hofner bass on July 11th for a television performance on the British ABC programme Thank Your Lucky Stars. During this same day's shooting, McCartney talked to a journalist about the work done to his bass. "Sound City did a great job re-varnishing and re-wiring it," he said, "so that most people think it's a brand new model."

* * * * * * * * *
A story to share regarding the mute under the strings. For my son's first paying gig on bass, our opening number was Fortunate Son by CCR, with the driving, thumping bass line. Being his first gig, he knew he was going to be nervous and, during rehearsals, was having trouble mastering the palm muting because he plays exclusively with his fingers. I showed him the Revolution video and made him a mute out of foam rubber. He started the set with that under the strings and pulled it out after the first song. Worked like a charm.

[congerz83]

Actually, I think that is a foam or cloth mute in front of the bridge. You can see it quite clearly on the "Revolution" video. A technique of which Carol Kaye, for one, is a great proponent. Personally, I prefer to just use the heel of my hand against the bridge. Seems to be something Paul experimented with on that guitar - I don't recall photos of him with it on any other guitar.

Thanks Nick, if I had read the post better I would've been able to answer the question correctly. I guess you really can't fix stupid...

[rickaddict]

I read a very good article on that bass once. Not sure where I saw it and when...I think it was on the internet within the last 6 months, but I'm pretty sure that it discussed the foam rubber stuffed under the strings near the bridge.

[MaplegloMatt]

Actually, I think that is a foam or cloth mute in front of the bridge. You can see it quite clearly on the "Revolution" video. A technique of which Carol Kaye, for one, is a great proponent. Personally, I prefer to just use the heel of my hand against the bridge. Seems to be something Paul experimented with on that guitar - I don't recall photos of him with it on any other guitar.

I don't have a link to it but in the photos for the Ram sheet music book there are a few pic's of Paul playing his Rickenbacker with what looks like a cloth mute near the bridge.

[Zurdo]

I've experimented with a piece of foam rubber pressed between the body and under the strings in my 1966 Hofner 500/1 "Beatle" bass.

what it does: it mutes the natural "resonance" or "sustain" of each string making for a Standup or Acoustic bass sound, the notes sound very "short" when played. It is perfect for a "walking bass" sound as in "All my Loving", "Lovely Rita", and similar.

It still amazes me today how such a small bodied instrument like the Hofner Violin Bass has so much penetration acoustically-speaking. Of course it is not a Rickenbacker or a Fender Jazz bass, it is not trying to be.

[iiipopes]

I've experimented with a piece of foam rubber pressed between the body and under the strings in my 1966 Hofner 500/1 "Beatle" bass.
What it does: it mutes the natural "resonance" or "sustain" of each string making for a Standup or Acoustic bass sound, the notes sound very "short" when played. It is perfect for a "walking bass" sound as in "All my Loving", "Lovely Rita", and similar.
It still amazes me today how such a small bodied instrument like the Hofner Violin Bass has so much penetration acoustically-speaking. Of course it is not a Rickenbacker or a Fender Jazz bass, it is not trying to be.

Remember that Leo Fender's original designs also included a block of foam rubber attached under the bridge cover to do the same thing. My main gig right now is for a 9-piece dance/jazz band, and I've reverted to that very tecnique to get a little more "uprightish" sound out of my custom P-style bass with fanned frets, now sporting the new Fender flats in 45-60-80-105. I use two or three pieces so I can fine tune the decay of each string.

Oh, yes -- Sound City: I was lucky to be in London in January, 1980, right at the end of the era when all the great music shops were in Shaftesbury Avenue and Denmark Street. That was the first time I ever got to play a 320. I saw it through the window; it could have been Sound City, but after 30 years I'm not sure. I went in. I asked to play it. My hands were shaking; I almost dropped it! I then tentatively started a few chords. All of a sudden, the "lights" came on and every early Beatles song in a flash made perfect sense to me as to how to play them. I thought about buying that one then and there, but that would have been daft, getting it home would have ended up costing about double, with the marked up sale price, re-import duty, etc. So I went home and saved my $$ and my folks helped me order a JG320 brand new in 1981. I still have it. It still jangles.

[Zurdo]

yes, Gibson EB-2 basses had a Mute attachment on the tailpiece, the material used was Piano-Felt, same stuff as used to soften the strike on the key hammer. Somehow, foam rubber sounds better.

[ricmic]

I think the picture of the 4001 with foam by the bridge was from his first solo effort. Mark