McCartney's 2 Rick basses

roadrunners · Post by **roadrunners** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:22 am

It is my personal beleif that mccartney had two 4001 rickenbacker basses dating back to at least 1970. I Can prove he had two in 1973

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:38 am

The 4001 behind Paul on the right is no earlier than late 1971-early 1972 due to the 'skunk stripe' in the middle of the neck.

roadrunners · Post by **roadrunners** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:20 am

Good Point

ken_swearingen · Post by **ken_swearingen** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 5:55 pm

it also has a dot neck??

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:35 am

Yes and it may be fretless too, although in that pic the bass looks like it has frets....I had heard the later bass was fretless...

byu · Post by **byu** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:58 am

I've seen that pic before and I believe the other bass is a fretless 4001 (bound body). May not be his though. It looks like he's in the studio so he may have borrowed it for a track or to experiment with. I'm not aware of any McCartney fretless work.

maplered · Post by **maplered** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:05 am

There is some fretless work on Back to the Egg. Winter Rose has some fretless bass on it. I think Love in Song on Venus and Mars has some fretless work on it too.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:01 am

I have Venus and Mars in my truck. I'll have to check it out on the way home. I always liked "Love in Song".

yfoiler · Post by **yfoiler** » Tue Sep 14, 2004 4:00 pm

Though this is a "Rick" post, its interesting to note the CBS Jazz Bass in the background too--- with it's large inlay...

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 2:14 am

That would be this one from '66.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 2:59 am

I thought it was a 1968 Jazz Bass? This was delivered at the same time as the Bass VI and the rosewood Tele from what I've read.

teeder · Post by **teeder** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 3:59 am

The '68 should be this right handed one George is playing about the Abbey Road time.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:10 am

Both left and right handed versions of the Jazz were delivered at the same time (1968). I haven't seen any '66 Jazz basses with the block inlays, only dot inlays. I could be wrong however.

maplered · Post by **maplered** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 6:45 am

Jeff, 66 jazz basses came with block inlays from mid 66 on. As a matter of fact I have a Sunburst jazz w/ an August 66 neck date.

George's jazz has the blocks, oval tuners, and gold logo. These features ran from mid 66 - mid 68.

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 6:59 am

Thanks Carmen! Like I said I've always read that both Jazz basses the Beatles took posession of happened in 1968. So needless to say I assumed they were both brand new off the production line models. I guess they could have been NOS. I know the Tele was a new prototype at the time.