Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Paging IAmThe Bassman- did Paul mostly play with his pickup selector on the bridge pickup? That seems to be what I always see in photos, but it's such a huge tone that it's hard to believe that. I always seem to lean towards the neck pickup no matter what bass I pick up. Maybe I'm missing something.

Welcome Corin!

There has been much speculation as to whether the wiring harness was installed upside down, making the selector switch work in reverse.

I would think that it was reversed, based on my ear alone (or that's how it was done when his bass was made as a lefty). Scanning some of the post-Beatle photos, there seem to be many with the toggle up, which might suggest that the harness was fitted properly after the Beatles. Or not, you know. The Beatles photos do suggest that down was the predominant setting, and given his sound, I lean heavily toward neck pickup, whether that was "reversed" at that period of time or not.

I bet that's it! Because he's a lefty, I bet it's reversed. It was really doing my head in, trying to reconcile photos with what I was hearing.

Speaking as someone who wasn't there, and thus can only waste everyone's time by guessing/speculating, I'd say he used the neck p/u most of the time.
As for a "huge tone" from the bridge p/u, I doubt his bridge p/u had the cap, thus a huge sound would be entirely possible/probable from the bridge p/u.
As for whether his bass' wiring was reversed, I do not know.

For fun, here's some pics from Saturday's show at the Austin Music Hall, sorry no Ric basses in view.

jps wrote:Welcome Corin!

There has been much speculation as to whether the wiring harness was installed upside down, making the selector switch work in reverse.

Another welcome, Corin!

I also agree with this theory. I also doubt that he could have got his tone with the HS alone, even if it wasn't capped.
IMO, early Rick 4001(S) basses are all about the Toaster with or without a little flavoring of HS or HG.

Yeah, I don't see how an uncapped HS could sound that full. Has to have the toaster in there.

There is some video filmed during the sesions for "Flowers In The Dirt" with Elvis Costello. Macca is messing around with a bass line for "My Brave Face" on his Ric. If I remember correctly, the toggle was in the bridge position, and it sounds like the bridge position. I will go looking for the video[you tube maybe]. Mark

That would have been after it went to the factory before the Wings Over America tour (1975 -1976?). They swapped the HS with a hi-gain and may have replaced the wiring too.

I'd like to know where that HS is now!

teeder wrote:I'd like to know where that HS is now!

I wish!