Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Say, I've read reference here and there to photographs of the recording session for 'Michelle', showing Paul with his 4001S. This would be the earliest photographic evidence of the 4001S in use, and yet I've never seen the photographs reproduced anywhere. Anyone have a link or an idea where to find the photos?

From what I've read, he started using it for the Rubber Soul recording sessions. Here are some:

http://www.thecanteen.com/mccartney6.html

This is really good site that covers all of the Beatles and their guitars. I recommend it. During the Beatles period, I've not seen any photos where Paul didn't have the pickup switch in the "down" (bridge) position.
You'll also be able to see photos in the various books about the Beatles recording sessions and equipment.

Oops, you are asking about that session only. Anyway, still a good site.

David,

There is a theory that the "down" position is actually the neck pick-up.
Since his bass was possibly the first (or close to it) lefty, there is a chance they used righty controls flipped around. Also, as has been pointed out by some guys on here that have '60's Ricks, there's no way he could have got that sound out of the horseshoe pu with a cap on it. Fun to think about!

Paul's known to have preferred the neck pickup on his Hofner, which had a real woofy, wooly, bassy sound, so it makes sense that his ears would have preferred the neck pickup on a Rick, too.

I hadn't thought of that, and yes, I've wondered how he could get the sound he did on Sgt. Peppers with the bridge pickup only. The Fender Bassman probably couldn't compensate *that* much. Very good point. I think I learned something today!

His amp on the "Pepper" sessions was a Vox AC100 bass amp. He began using the fender amps much later during the "Let it be" sessions. Because Beatles manager Brian Epstein had made a gentleman's endorsement with Vox that made it clear that the beatles would always use vox as long as Epstein managed them.

They did have that agreement with Vox, but it only applied to live things apparently as there is plenty of evidence of the Beatles using things other than Vox even before Pepper in the studio. Additionally, the Pepper bass amp could also have been the 4120 or 7120 solid state/tube hybrid amps which were in use at that time, and it could have been a DI also, which was beginning to be used.

Yeah I second the 4120/7120 theory. And there was a bassman around at the time of Sgt. Pepper too, so you never know.

I've read in "Beatles Gear" that he was using a Fender Bassman in the studio at least by "Revolver," so my assumption was for the remaining LP's as well. Could be wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time.
I too have heard that the VOX agreement only applied to live performances. I remember Geoff Emerick stating in his book that he'd help Paul "drag the amp" over to the right spot at night after the others left. Don't think he said which one in "Here, There, and Everywhere."

I don't know, his sound on Rubber Soul sounds like a good tube amp to me and it sounds smoother and deeper than a Fender Bassman, I would vote on the AC100 also. Tube Vox amps have a very smooth sound which Fenders don't have.
I have also read that they started using Fender around 1969 because Fender gave them a bunch of stuff including his 69 Jazz bass.

I thought Paul's lefty Jazz Bass was a '66, and the righty was a '69.

I would say that Rubber Soul is probably the Vox AC100 too, but things changed with Revolver and the singles around that time too. Since the Fender was there, and the solid state/tube hybrid amps were there, and the DI was beginning to be used, I think its harder to tell about what was used from Revolver on.

Correction to above, I meant to say the JB that George is playing should be a '68.

In those two pics, the Jazz basses could be 66 - 68. They have blocks, oval tuners, and transition logos. which were used through mid 68. They switched to the black logo and clover leaf tuners around mid 68.

Very true. I was going by info that I've read, but who knows where that came from.
FYI, my 1965 JB has original oval tuners.