Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi:
Does anyone know whether McGuinn changed the positions of the strings (High octave first) for the single? It seems to be extra "Jangly"!!!!!

Karl

Karl,

I believe at the time 'MTM' was recorded, McGuinn's Rickenbacker 360/12 was stock. His sound had much to do with not only the guitar but the style in which he played it. I am reasonably certain McGuinn has never used reversed(conventional) stringing on a Rickenbacker....

...and as I have learned on this and the Byrds site, unlike a lot of pop stars of the day, Roger was quite a musician, and an experienced 12 stringer even before his Rick and the Byrds.

It's sounds to me that there is alot of "upstoke" picking. I hope that sounds right. I guess,in other words, he is picking the high octive strings first so it sounds like it strung backwards.

Cole

Roger recorded MTM using his Ricky into a stock Epiphone amplifier loaded with one 12" speaker. He also put two tube compressors in line between the guitar and amp.

The Epiphone amp happened to be what was in the studio where Crosby was owed some free recording time, and so they went with it.

This info, by the way, is straight from Roger.

Thanks Bill. It is always nice to get information from those that were present. Most interesting.

Just a note to MTM...McGuinn was the only one to play on the song. Hal Blaine, Jerry Cole and Larry Knechtel were the backup musicians..Crosby and both Clarks didn't play on it.

Right you are Stan. You couldn't just let just anyone sing and play in those days. How times have changed.

Well, I think David and Gene at least got to add a little bit of vocals....or at least I think so

Yes, which was really the point I was trying to make. A bit of tongue in cheek here. David and Gene were not too shabby all and all.

Nope, they weren't and they proved that as time went on...always like the tale that Crosby more or less laid a guilt trip on Clark saying he wasn't capable of playing ryhtym, forcing him to give it up. Either were equally up to the task however.

"This info, by the way, is straight from Roger."

FWIW, Roger is really good about answering your questions if you write him at his website.

6

Both Croz and Clark could play rhythm, but Gene has a different "feel" than David does; the Byrds would not have sounded as they did without Croz style of playing.Also, Croz was originally going to try to play bass, but quickly figured out that he wasn't suited for the job.
Everybody ended up doing what history has proved was the right thing, at least on record.

I think I heard he gave up the bass 'cause he couldn't sing and play. Don't know if that's true, just what I heard.
I read in an interview with Terry Melcher that there are two basses on MTM, a 4-string, and a 6-string. They both come in together on the slide, and the 6 plays quarter notes thru the whole song.

Ronn;
that Is what Croz said about it, something like"trying to rub your stomach and dial a phone at the same time".Actually, maybe a bad example; I think that is doable. Then again, if you're stoned as intensely and frequently as he was in those days, maybe the comment is right on....
He then commented,"All credit to McCartney on that;but I can't do it..."