5 *MORE* THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT PAUL McCARTNEY'S BEATLE BASSES + Hofner Tone Demo [4K]
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- PART 1: • 5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KN...
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I was not expecting the first part of this video to get so much attention, and I'm so pleased that others find this topic as interesting as I do! Please enjoy part 2.
0:00 Intro
0:18 Pickguard Removal (#1)
1:36 No Fret Markers (#2)
2:54 One Setting, One Tone (#3)
4:52 Reverse Headstock (#4)
5:38 The True Beatle Bass? (#5)
7:31 Tone Demo
Fun fact: Beatle fans may notice in the tone demo, I played one song from 1963 and another from 1965, but I skipped 1964. Why? Well, when I first uploaded this, I had filmed a 30-second segment of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (complete with the "bass chords"). Unfortunately, I could not get this video to pass UA-cam's copyright checks without being blocked - so I had no choice but to remove it. Sigh...
DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only. All images and video footage falls under fair use laws. TONE DEMO: Absolutely no audio from the original recording has been used in this video. This demonstration is for educational purposes ONLY under fair use. No copyright infringement is intended. My videos are provided as INSTRUCTION to help you learn how to play and sing these songs yourself. For this reason, many of my videos feature footage of a song's construction (both instrumentally and vocally) to aid you in this learning process. All audio tracks are intentionally mixed with louder instrument levels and further channel separation than the original recordings to help isolate sections when learning. They should NOT be sold, duplicated, or distributed without the original copyright holder's permission. If you enjoy this music, support the original artists and BUY the officially released versions.
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August 12, 1966. I was at THAT show..
One month later Paul would be gone
The reason there are no fret marks is because Hofner began as violin maker company and violins don’t have fret markers!
Paul knew their songs inside and out, backwards and forwards. When they were doing shows in Germany in the early years, they played 8 hours a day, and even more hours on Saturdays. His muscle memory was well developed. Like a pro cellist, his hands know where to go automatically.
I really love this "Things you didn't know" series, great job Nick! Funny thing about the reverse headstock is that you can easily spot when someones reverses a picture/video pretending to be a lefty 😅
I turned my control panel over so my volume knob for neck pickup is closer to the front of the bass. Hofner uses the same electronics for left and right basses. Usually on a left handed bass the volume knob for the neck pickup is at the rear of the bass. Flipping the control panel over puts the volume knob in the same position as right handed basses.
For sure my favorite Beatles bass line is Something
Great videos (both part 1 & 2). 01:36 - I have three 500/1 basses, and on my 1964 vintage reissue there is white binding with fret landmarks on the side of the neck. For that very reason it is the Höfner that gets the most use, and it is so far the only 500/1 I bring on stage. Need those dots...
The real reason why the control panel was flipped around is so it's easier for Paul to use the volume knob that corresponds with the pickup.
Initially the one on a tighty would be bass, then treble. But, on his the one on the first spot was treble and the one on the right was bass. So, he had it switched many years later.
I think you might have misunderstood Greg, though. He probably meant that one of the teacup knobs was recently replaced with a new one. The one that is less shiny is the newer one.
And as for the reason for having the strap button on the bottom on the newer reissues (and post-1964) models is that so an average person doesn't have to use the Hofner strap and is able to use any strap they want. I believe the reissues come with a second button that you can install at the neck heel.
I believe side dots were included on basses shortly after Paul's '63 was made, too. Hofner also added neck binding, too at a later date. Plus, the Hofner was originally a student model and they probably did anything to cut down costs, too.
I don't remember where I did read this, but I remember reading that one of the reasons McCartneys bass lines improved when he got the Rick was because compared to the Hofner the Rick had a lot more clarity and cut through a mix way better so after a couple of years playing bass he could play bass lines and actually "be heard" better (basically "lead bass lines") his playstyle of course improved but when you play different instruments even with the same playstyle your playing will be different (specially Paul which at the time he only had played one lefty bass model until the Rick), something similar happend when the Beatles recorded the White Album and Paul used a Jazz Bass
I also understand that Paul wanted a heavier sound on his bass, as was heard on Motown records. The tape engineer rewired the speakers to give it that deeper sound. Thanks for 2 great videos on the McCartney bass. BTW, for a time, later on he played a Wahl bass.
Paul now has another 1962 Hofner. It was gifted to him recently by music producer Andrew Watt, and when asked about why he bothered (since he already has one), he told Paul to flip a switch installed on it. Out came "the loudest, most wicked fuzz bass you ever heard in your life". He was so excited about it that he used the bass on his Rolling Stones guest spot. You can hear it during the solo on "Bite My Head Off".
The early Hofner HCT 500/1 basses that came out without neck binding, didn't have fret markers. The control panel on Paul's bass has a screw in each corner so its quite possible that, whoever did the work when they put the control panel back on the bass put it the other way round. without thinking.
Great videos!
As for the Rickenbacker being used in most of the recordings the reason is simple. The Rick had the right tone Paul was looking for in recordings and the Hofner was used in live performances because the tone did not matter as much plus, it was so much lighter. Paul more then likely sat while recording so the weight of the Rick was not an issue. I watched Beatles perform in the US on Ed Sullivan when I was a boy and was hooked from that moment on. The memory is so clear just like the first moon landing. Great program Nick. I really love to hear you play.
I got a German Hofner because I wanted the Kevin Parker rubber 60s tone 😎
Good job!
I had an original ‘64 or ‘65 years ago. No dots drove me nuts. I took it to friend and professional pin striper Ed Roth who put some dots on for me. It made it much easier to play. Recently I learned it was not uncommon back in the day for players to use nail polish to make the dots. Regrettably I sold the bass in 1999. I never got over selling it, so a few years ago I bought a German made vintage 1964 reissue. It is awesome and true to the originals EXCEPT Hofner now puts the dots on them!
I thought that the control panel was reversed at the same time as the scratch plate was removed. I reckon both got damaged in a fan scuffle. Mal Evans had to reattach the panel. If you look closely it's upside down but attached by 4 screws instead of the previous 2 screw fixing. Maybe because the screw holes got damaged in that incident.
The reason why the base lines sent out the most with the Rickenbacker was the beginning of the Beatles when Paul started using the bass and playing the bass. His base lines were extremely simple and we’re not all that impressive…. But then he got turned on to a great bass player, who I won’t mention in this particular comment, and because of that bass player album he started creating more interesting based lines, and that coincide with when he got his Rickenbacker…
Very cool rendition of the Who's " my generation".. As you say, the Ricky is a much heavier sounding guitar as well as the weight so it would be better used in the studio.. I love my hof lefty but it does feel in some ways like a toy it's so light. No idea how Paul's didn't get busted up as it's so fragile. He loved his Ricky but you can even hear Paul I think talking to Mal complaining about the nut as it was a right handed one on his lefty making his finger slide the bass string off the fret. I believe the Ricky also has a right handed neck which is different.
With regard to the headstock not being mirrored on the left handed Höfner, This is also to do with trademark.
As can be seen in 06:11 Rickenbacker lefties are the same
Rickenbacker lefties now have mirrored proper lefty headstocks since 1989 or so.
It's not really but it is only for the Rickenbacker 4003s (Some models) and the Rickenbacker 4001c64 because Rickenbacker is a big company now as in in the US.
Aw yeah. Nick is back, Baby !
Time to listen to one of your original songs again.
( "I believe in love" cool beans! )
A fine sequel but how did y'manage to get your hands on one?! 😂
will you do one on the the 'ol Rick? please?
In relation to Pauls original Hofner bass guitar that went " missing " in 1969. In 1969 American band The Aerovons ( Beatles fanatics ) were recording at Abbey road and somehow got access to The Beatles gear storage room where they took photos one guy holding Johns 360 Rickenbacker other pics of The Beatles drum head, Ringos drums, guitar case stacks, Amps, even an open guitar case containing Georges Les Paul. These pictures are in the Andy Babiuk book " Beatles Gear " pages 248 & 249 and are easily googled. It begs the question of how on earth were these guys even allowed access to The Beatles gear . Might even be an interesting exercise to research pictures of The Aerovons ( Bassist ? ) after their visit to Abbey Road. I can see a Hofner stock head in one of their pics and a Fender precision stock head in another ( earlier ? ). Mmmmmm. Also interestingly Johns 360 12 string Rickenbacker and Georges Gretch Tennessean also went missing
They'd surely have been found out long ago if that was the case.
@@mr_bassman6685 Paul's bass was found and it wasn't them but the others are still missing.
In my opinion, the best Hofner bassline McCartney produced had to be "I Want You (She So Heavy)"
I can't blame him for removing it. I intentionally got a Les Paul without the pickguard because they just scream, "Training wheels."
dig it
What, you can't tell us exactly, down to the minute, when Paul took off his pick guard? I thought you were a Beatles fan. 🤣
I'm truly ashamed. Looks like I need to do more detective work!
@@NickMartellaroyes you should!
Was the zero fret universal on this model? I could swear I've seen one without somehwere. Or maybe it was a dream?
Usually the icon/ignition doesn't have a zero fret. If you've seen a a German without it is still possible it could have been removed
okay sure everyone of paul’s famous riffs were on the rick but he was still trying to imitate the hofner tone on it, it’s just rick’s are better at staying in tune, sustain is better, and the action is easier to play more complex riffs on but the tone of the beatles is generally speaking still the hofner
Okay just a bit curious, what VOX amp did you use?
You should make a video about George Harrison’s Gretsch guitars
It's next. I'm going to do the Tenny first, then the Country Gentleman(s). I'm actually borrowing a real '64 Gent for that one, made 1 year away from George's 😉
You should also use the Gent in your future covers
Wasn't Abbey Road(something) recorded on a Fender Jazz Bass?
Did he ever replace it ? May be it was to distinguish footage and images between one gig and another one, for some contractual reason or other.
Is it possible to put the pickgaurd back on after removing it?
No. Once you remove the pickguard, it is physically impossible to put back on. Only a superior being from a higher plane could accomplish such a feat. In fact, something in the celluloid construction causes the guard to immediately vanish before your very eyes upon detachment. Even today, scientists have yet to explain the mysteries of the Höfner pickguard.
Nah, you just screw it back on.
yep... really easy
"Super easy. Barely an inconvenience."
And on the "Hofner v Rickenbacker", yes, but also no. Most of The Beatles albums were recorded with the Hofner. Doesn't matter that his "best lines" or his "most liked lines" are on the R.
I'd say it's around 50/50 if we're going by the core album catalogue (excluding the White Album, I'm convinced the Jazz Bass is actually on more of the album than I'd originally thought)
You saying those chosen songs were all on the Rickenbacker isn’t true. I know this may be pedantic to some, but some are a jazz bass, and a couple are very contested. Especially Abbey Road and the White Album.
With regard to the switches: If I was his guitar tech, I would just wire the neck pickup directly through it's volume pot seeing as the switches are knackered and Paul doesn't ever change the switch positions anyway.
The switch positions would be meaningless after that.
You're probably right, but it could also be that some guitarists just want "everything to work." Doesn't matter if the thing is beat to hell and you never use that pickup - as long as it *all* works. Maybe after ~60 years, Paul still wants to keep his options open. 😉
the pick gards after the 60"S are toxic and mess with metal parts in a case ,,mine has a pot code of 393 sep 63 ;-)
Wrong, mate, Something was played on a Hofner bass a lot of people mistakes it for a Jazz or a Rickenbacker.
I used to think so too, but the isolated bass tracks with the Hofner in 1969 (Get Back, Don't Let Me Down, I Want You...), the tone is quite different from Something. Paul didn't use palm or foam muting on the (2nd) Hofner, but the bass on Something sounds like the strings are muted despite the heavy compression - and Paul was definitely using the Ric's foam mute assembly by this point.
"Merz zee" ?
You mean Mersey.
It's after the river Mersey that divides Liverpool from the Wirral peninsula.
U think Dear Prudence might have been the Jazz bass?
That would be a good one. Songs with the Jazz bass. I know Happiness and Here Comes the Sun right?
I'd say Jazz Bass on the first two, but it's definitely the Ric on Here Comes the Sun.
I don't care how many years he worked with him, but i bet all my money that each time Paul throws his bass at him, he goes to the back and changes his underwear.
Now play death metal on this!
I think dear prudence was recorded on the jazz bass he got in 68
You’d be right according to most people.
Regardless, it certainly wasn't the Hofner, that's for sure...