McCartney's Abbey Road bass tones

eddied · Post by **eddied** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 3:59 am

HI all. Wondering if some of you guys have any solid idea's on the Mcca bass tone on Mr. Mustard? It sounds like a fuzz/compression to me. It also seems to be his Rick with pick... Any other Abbey Road bass tones would be great to be hear your suggestions on. What are some of your ideas?

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:05 am

seems to be double tracked, one fuzzy, one not fuzzy, no? Or is it doubled with a piano (G. Martin stated he has done this at times).

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 6:02 am

A lot of people feel McCartney play a Fender Jazz on most of that album.

tim4003 · Post by **tim4003** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 2:21 pm

You guys'll love this site.
Just click on any album...

http://www.beatlesgear.tk/

ern · Post by **ern** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 2:52 pm

That site is full of errors!!!

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 6:54 am

As I recall, even the Beatles Gear book is a little unlcear on this issue. Has Paul ever commented publicly on which bass(es) he used on Abbey Road? Other than the Drive My Car/Think for Yourself issue, and parts of the White Album, it's usually pretty clear which bass he used for recording which albums.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 4:34 pm

I hear the Hofner on at least one song and The Ric on at least one song. It is very hard to tell a Jazz from a Ric when they have flatwounds on them and are played by the same player with the same technique. I don't think the Jazz was used as much on that album as some people do and I think 90% of the stuff you read is questionable, McCartney wasn't a big equipment head and probably doesn't even remember which bass he played on what song.

byu · Post by **byu** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 8:46 pm

I have to agree with Bob. He certainly liked the Ric or he wouldn't have used it all those years with Wings. I suspect much of the bass on Abbey Road was the Ric.

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:06 am

I've always assumed that it was all Rick, except for the Hofner on IWY (SSH) so it's hard for me to hear it as anything but.

Which songs to people hear as the Rick and which as the J*zz B*ss?

wolfgang · Post by **wolfgang** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:45 am

It was the Hofner on "I want you"?
BTW: have a look at the cover of the Rolling Stone
(with McCartney): BASS ON is the appropriate position for the Hofner...

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:35 am

My ears hear the Hofner on I Want You. It shares the same warm bass sound as the GB/LIB songs, and the recording of it commenced right after the GB/LIB sessions ended, so it seems likely to me that it's the Hofner. But I could be wrong.

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:44 am

Hofner's my guess. They're really easy to do all that sliding spooky sound type stuff.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:46 am

I've never thought it was the Hofner on IWY as he is doing all that high stuff on that song. Normally he wouldn't do the high stuff on the Hofner because it would be out of tune. My ears don't hear the Hofner there on that song either. I always thought it sounded like the RIC.
The only one on that album that sounds like the Hofner to me is Maxwell's Silver Hammer.
As far as a Jazz bass, its kind of hard to tell as Bob mentioned, but I think maybe Come Together may be the Jazz bass and maybe Oh Darling too.

byu · Post by **byu** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:48 am

I can't agree about the Hofner. See this site and the quotes below from it. While not gospel, the statements make sense.
http://www.alstrand.com/evolution/large_scale.htm

"Interestingly enough, he was really only able to play up the neck efficiently when he switched to the Rickenbacker. The Hofner's neck was not aligned until recently (by Mandolin Bros. in New York). Until then, its intonation (best defined as its ability to remain in tune with itself) would decline after the third fret according to its owner. The switch to the Rickenbacker "sat him down" but it also allowed him to move up the neck with a far steadier and more powerful style. This can well be witnessed by his playing on Rain, Paperback Writer and the Anthology 2 version of And Your Bird Can Sing. He could not have obtained the same sound or effect on his Hofner."

"...the end piece of I Want You (She's So Heavy) where he purposely went on great flights of bass playing fancy, and is another case of something that could not have been done on his small scale Hofner."

Cheers,
Bill

shamustwin · Post by **shamustwin** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:01 am

I don't doubt it could have been the Rick, though to me it sounds "Hofner out of tune". Through my own experience on my Hofner, I've have a lot of fun sliding around, taking more chances, and going very high because of the small neck.
BTW, I was listening to Rusty Anderson's CD (Mac's current guitarist) and on one track, Mac plays, and while it's the best bass playing on the CD, it sounds slightly out of tune. Most of my favorite records are slightly out of tune, I guess that sounds like real rock and roll to me.