McCartney DVD - not one Fender?

[jhundt]

I just watched a Paul McCartney DVD "Back in the US", 2+ hours of concert footage from his recent tour. But what struck me was - not a single Fender guitar or amp, anywhere! I guess he's sponsored by G--b--n and they wouldn't allow it. The guitars player used Gibson LPs and SGs and once in a while a Gretsch. The bass player (when Paul wasn't playing the Hofner) even used a Gibson bass. Who in the heck plays a Gibson bass?

I first noticed when I came running into the room to see the solo on "Let it Be", which of course has to be a Fender - but it wasn't... my wife and son got really annoyed at me for going on about it throughout the rest of the film, but come on! when did you last see a big name group with three guitar players - and not one single Fender guitar or amp the whole night long?

[Rufus]

Don't know about the 2 other players, but McCartney is obviously left handed. Fender didn't (and doesn't) exactly cater to the LH guitar/bass player by offering a wealth of choices. I've never seen a picture of him in the Beatles playing any Fender products. (John and George owned and played Strats and Teles on select songs.)
He chose the Hofner violin-shaped bass before he was famous because it was INEXPENSIVE compared to others - he didn't have much money before the Beatles hit it big. Later, he played a Rickenbacker bass. As for acoustics, I've seen pictures of him and it appears that based upon the pickguard being on top of the soundhole, he just flipped a righty over, restrung it and played it lefty (probably had the bridge readjusted for intonation.)

I'm going out on a limb and say that he could probably afford a LH Custom Shop model or one of the rare LH pre-CBS Fenders if he wanted one, but probably doesn't prefer their sound.
It is rather strange that there's no Fender amps anywhere to be seen, though.

[Oster]

I've only ever seen pictures of Paul playing a few Fenders: An Esquire during his Pepperland days and...I think that's about it!

Denny Laine had a P-Bass on occasion when Paul wanted to play his LP I think and Jimmy McCullogh had that really cool candy apple red strat.

[genelovesjez]

Originally Posted by Rufus

I've never seen a picture of him in the Beatles playing any Fender products.

[michael123]

silver face twins are all over 'let it be'

pauls acoustic epiphone texan (the one with the detroit redwing sticker) is a 'righty'. thats the guitar that became famous because of his song 'yesterday'

i think the martin that he used on blackbird is a lefty

[jhundt]

it's not so much about what Paul M plays himself. But both the other guys - hired guns - neither one packs a Strat or a Tele, not even for one song? That just seemed kind of odd, since you know on a tour of this size they could each have dozens of guitars available.

[Davey265]

When he was promoting "Run Devil Run" in 2001(?), I saw Macca play a couple of sets on TV when he had both Dave Gilmour and Mick Green on Fenders - Mick was playing one of his Tele Customs I think?

Dave

[Blazer]

According to the "Beatles Gear"book, when the Beatles became Fender endorsers in 1968 all of them got a lot of Fender branded instruments. Such as a complete Fender backline of Dual Showman, Deluxe reverb and Bassman100 amps, the Rhoads electric piano's used to good effect by Fifth beatle Billy Preston, the Solid State PA system (as used on the roof performance), George's Bass VI and Rosewood tele.

But Paul Also recieved two new Fenders, a lefty Jazz bass which he used during the "Abby Road" sessions and continued to use with the wings.

The second Fender he got was a lefty Tele which he also used with the Wings, it's not known if he used it with the Beatles but if he did it most certainly would have been used in the "Abby Road" sessions



In this picture you'll see the lefthanded fender bass in the back ground, you can tell it's a Jazz bass because it has block markers.

On a side note, you'll also see TWO lefty Rickenbacker basses, his Beatles Rick and a seventies maple-glo (identifyable by it's black washers on the machine heads) I never knew he had a second one.

[Core]

On "Back in the US", the bass player uses a Guild, not a Gibson... so that's the no-Fender theory gone :)

As for "Let it Be" solo, there are two versions - the single (with the Leslie effect solo) which was played on the rosewood Tele - and the far raunchier one, on the album (which McCartney 's band played) where George used his Les Paul

The Beatles used Strats from 1965 onwards - starting on "Rubber Soul", George's being painted up in 1967 (see Magical Mystery Tour). Plus.... as well as the silverface amps, McCartney and Harrison used Jazz Basses on certain tracks on "Abbey Road" - and George and John played a Fender Bass VI throughout the recording of Let it Be.

Who used a Gibson bass? Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, Jack Cassady, Rick Danko, etc etc

Oh...and I did. Thunderbird IV... fantastic beast:)

[jhundt]

lots of great old Gibson basses I was sort of forgetting about. I guess these days I'm just too Fender-visioned.

I spoke to a friend yesterday who is active in the touring business, and he explained to me how valuable this kind of thing would be to Gibson. In fact his heavy-metal band was formerly endorsed by them, and he is on his way to London soon to return 4 Gibbos that were fronted by Gibson for the band he's currently working with on a European tour.

I wish someone would sponsor me!

[Core]

... I would even accept an endorsement deal with Gibson!

:)

On the subject of Macca, conisdering he could/can have any bass he wanted, he sticks with the old Hofner.

I guess its more of an "iconic" thing now, but I just could never see the attraction of the Hofner Violin bass though.

That's going to sound a bit rich, coming from someone who has just defended Gibson Basses!! :)

[Core]

In this picture you'll see the lefthanded fender bass in the back ground, you can tell it's a Jazz bass because it has block markers.

On a side note, you'll also see TWO lefty Rickenbacker basses, his Beatles Rick and a seventies maple-glo (identifyable by it's black washers on the machine heads) I never knew he had a second one.

Me neither.... interesting photo, Blazer... any idea when it was taken?

[Blazer]

Originally Posted by Core

Me neither.... interesting photo, Blazer... any idea when it was taken?

I guess judging from the black washers on the machine heads of that second Ricky it's from the mid seventies (Ricky basses got black machinehead washers in 1974) so it's from his wings period.

[Bob Rogers]

Originally Posted by Core

On the subject of Macca, conisdering he could/can have any bass he wanted, he sticks with the old Hofner.

I guess its more of an "iconic" thing now, but I just could never see the attraction of the Hofner Violin bass though.

He's been quoted as saying that audiences "expect" him to play the Hofner. It's also very light and the short scale is easy to play. Given the expecations, I'm not surprised he chooses to use it on stage. With good amplification it does the job.

[Blazer]

Macca with the Fender Jazz bass he got through the Beatles' endorsement with Fender.

[Maggot]

He's the opposite of a gearhead - I read an interview with him where he said that the instruments we've seen him with are about all the instruments he owns. He probably doesn't care one way or the other whether anyone in his band is playing a Fender or not.

As far as basses go, it seems like he bought his Hofner because it was cheap, it was fine with him. Got a Rick for free & that was fine with him too, but the neck got finicky so he went back to the Hofner. He might also prefer a shorter scale.