Paul McCartney tone

chillbot75 · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:33 am Post subject: Paul McCartney tone

hey, there. hi.

I'm kinda new at playing the bass but thought I'd start doing some research on one of my favorite bass players, Paul McCartney.
Now, I know that he had a 63 Hofner way back in the day. but, later on I think he switches to a Rick??? Can you guess help me out to figure out what kind (model)? What was his set up like? Equiptment? Or how I can simulate that tone that he has?

Anything would be helpful.

thanks!!!

BassMan02 · Tiger Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 848

I love Paul McArtny but he isn't one of my favorites so I am not to sure. I think it was a left 4001. Look at Rickenbacker.com and you may be able to find some stuff out there.
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PorkChops · Kitten Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 137

Paul started using a 4001 about 1966. What he used for amplification I don't know, but he's using Mesa now.

bobyoung · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:09 pm Post subject:

I don't know if you're still around but McCartney used a 1964 4001 Ric bass with horseshoe and toaster pickups. He also used flatwound strings and used the mute in the tailpiece for most of his stuff. They have just reissued an exact replica of his bass, it's a little pricey but has great reviews. You can get his sound with just about any Ric bass though, either 4001 or 4003, just use flatwound strings and the mute. If you have a 70's 4001 try removing or bypassing the .0047 uf. cap that goes from the treble pot to the switch, it will sound bigger.

bobyoung · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 12:10 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah, he used Vox amps back then

drathbun · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 8:19 am Post subject:

Paul received his 4001S in 1965 but didn't use it in live performance or recording until 1966 while recording "Rubber Soul". The Ricky was used predominately on that album. At the start of recording for "Rubber Soul" Paul also received a new Fender Bassman amplifier although he also played through Vox AC100 amps.

From "Beatles Gear" by Andy Babiuk:

"McCartney used his new left-handed Rickenbacker 4001S bass almost exclusively on the "Rubber Soul" sessions. He has described it as being "a slightly different style" to his familiar Hofner bass. 'It stayed in tune better, that was the great thing, because that had been a major problem with the Hofner. I like everything about that, but it was embarrassing if you weren't quite in tune for something... Normally you were sort of buried in the mixes; it wasn't until [this period] that the bass and drums came up in the mix."

-Ryco · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:14 pm Post subject:

Also this from Babiuk:

"It's impossible to account accurately for all the instruments used on the Abbey Road sessions as there have been very few photographs published of the work in progress. The amps were the silver face Fender Twin Reverb and the Bassman, McCartney used his '63 Hofner and Rickenbacker 4001S bass".

Before that he was using a Vox SuperBeatle amp.
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Lefty Bass · Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:08 am Post subject:

I seriously doubt any Thomas Organ gear(Vox Super Beatle) was ever used in the studio.

Mkuk0 · Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:10 pm Post subject:

Care to elaborate?
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Lefty Bass · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:53 am Post subject:

It's simple. The Thomas Organ stuff was made in the USA, the "real" Vox gear was made in the UK, same country the studio's in.
Of course the main reason is, when The Beatles were given Thomas Organ Super Beatles to use on their last USA tour, they hated the sound.
They could use anything they wanted, why would they have gear they didn't like shipped over from America?