Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Does anyone here know what bass PM used on Sun King? It sounds like heaven on my '74.

It's the genreal consensus that he used his Fender Jazz on that track. Fuzzed, or overdrived.

Ah Thanks, I was curious and didn't see it in other discussions.

T.A.R. wrote:Ah Thanks, I was curious and didn't see it in other discussions.

It's been discussed before, but you're not going to get much mileage out of this thread. Many of the RRF Members with time vested on this board, hate these type of questions. It gets tedious after awhile. I however love talking about this kinda stuff. Put your next question on The Beatles section.

I think it's the 4001. The Jazz had a clankier tone - it was strung up with roundwounds. The bass here is really mellow. Also, the "fuzz" you speak of just sounds to me like the bass was recorded a little hot and doesn't seem intentional.

Thanks again for the advice and I shall. I did think it was the 4001, but figured there are more knowledgeable people here than I

congerz83 wrote:It's the genreal consensus that he used his Fender Jazz on that track

This is what is generally said

Listen to this mp3 I have quickly recorded for you. My Fender Jazz Bass RE62 strung with TI flats (through a 60s Vox Amplifier) dubbing the original lines. With a decent headphone you may hear the oringinal notes on one side and my bass on the other
http://www.gospel.bo.it/albums/userpics ... SK%7E0.mp3

According to Walter Everett in The Beatles as Musicians (Volume 1), the Jazz Bass is played on five tracks: "Yer Blues," "Glass Onion," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Sun King" and "Mean Mr. Mustard." McCartney's kept most of his instruments, and this probably is no exception.

You'll find, upon deeper inspection, that Everett, along with about a dozen other sources of this type of information, is hampered by inconsistencies and/or uncertainty. But barring other evidence, it would appear that McCartney played the Jazz on both Sun King and Mean Mr. Mustard, which were apparently recorded as one track. You know, maybe.

Best source I have found thus far...
Andy Babiuk and his book on the Beatles' Gear

Andy is a great musician who I have bought most of my Rickenbackers from over the years.

sloop_john_b wrote:I think it's the 4001. The Jazz had a clankier tone - it was strung up with roundwounds. The bass here is really mellow. Also, the "fuzz" you speak of just sounds to me like the bass was recorded a little hot and doesn't seem intentional.

The Jazz had flatwounds.

maplered wrote: The Jazz had flatwounds.

On a few of the isolated bass tracks that recently came out, there is quite noticeable string squeak, which would unmistakably be from a roundwound string. I figured it had to be the Jazz.

While I agree these discussions are interesting and worthwhile, I still always laugh. I can't remember what guitar/bass I used on recordings less than a year ago, and am probably much more vested and less distracted in such knowledge and interests.

Fenders came standard with flatwounds back then like most basses did until at least the late 70's early 80's, most bassplayers including me didn't care what was on their bass back in the 60's and round wounds were not very common, I never even heard of them until 1972-73. The fuzz bass in Mean Mr Mustard is great

Such great knowledge here. Thanks for the clip Francesco!