Macca's Hofner

[TheGreek]

This guy could have any bass in the world – but he opts to play the ‘cheap’ one he has had since 1963. 

 

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/paul-mccartney-hofner-bass

[Grimalkin]

I remember an interview with McCartney years back where he remarked that he liked them because they were so light, and the ergonomics. That they "felt like part of you" IIRC.

 

Perhaps McCartney was the first round wound user, since he used to snip strings out of club pianos when he was short back in the day.

[iconic]

Interesting article, bought because it was cheap, the Harley Benton of its day. 

 

A very well regarded luthier friend of my fathers knew Mr Macca back in the day, first time I heard the words steam and pi** in the same sentence 😄. RIP Tony. 

 

I believe that adjusted for inflation, a Fender P in '63 (in UK, not Germany, lower taxes) would of been the equivalent of putting your hand in your pocket for 2.5k in todays folding😎

Edited January 15, 2022 by iconic

[ambient]

There was a photo of his Hofner bass in Bass player magazine a few years ago, with the set list for one of their gigs taped to it.

 

He had a Wal briefly, I remember reading him saying that it was like carrying a wardrobe around on stage.

Edited January 15, 2022 by ambient

[ambient]

http://webgrafikk.com/blog/uncategorized/the-hofner-setlist/

Edited January 15, 2022 by ambient

[Old Horse Murphy]

It's a very interesting article, thanks for sharing it. I've always been fascinated with any musician who finds their instrument of choice early on and stays with it (alas I can't say the same thing!) Even more remarkable when it's considered a cheapy. 

 

I don't like the writer's written style too much though. He comes across as a bit officious for my liking. Mind you, he'd probably say the same about me if he met me. 

[merello]

Brilliant stuff! I read an article where he said he went to Rickenbacker/Yamaha/Wal because of the intonation and ability for it to stay in tune. Years later he got it 'Trigger's Broomed' by a Luthier in New York and went back to it! (EDIT - hadn't realised there was an article above!)

Edited January 15, 2022 by merello

[ambient]

16 minutes ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

It's a very interesting article, thanks for sharing it. I've always been fascinated with any musician who finds their instrument of choice early on and stays with it (alas I can't say the same thing!) Even more remarkable when it's considered a cheapy. 

 

I don't like the writer's written style too much though. He comes across as a bit officious for my liking. Mind you, he'd probably say the same about me if he met me. 

 

That's only because he’s not a member on here.

[Delberthot]

I used to wind them up over on the Rickresource forum when they used to wax lyrical about McCartney's tone on the Rick by telling them that he got the same sounding thud regardless of what he was playing

[iconic]

5 hours ago, merello said:

Brilliant stuff! I read an article where he said he went to Rickenbacker/Yamaha/Wal.....

A few Fender Jazz too, bit of a sly gear slut😉

[Grahambythesea]

Having also briefly owned one, they are very easy to play especially with a pick and they really don’t feel like anything else I’ve ever tried including other Hofners.  It wasn’t a feel I liked so out it went but Sir P. obviously feels differently.

[tauzero]

I had a chance to buy one a few decades ago. What a horrible instrument. If it had been nicer to play, I could have had my pension fund.

[Alan Wilkes]

Done quite well out of it though, just goes to show you don't need flash gear to succeed.

[Hellzero]

There's a well known fact missing : Paul McCartney is a total cheapskate, hence buying the cheapest bass in the store.

 

The rest is (extraordinary) history, but this proves that you don't need the most expensive bass in the world to become one of the most acclaimed musician in the ... world.

 

That said, as a Beatles fan, I bought and sold almost immediately a 1967/68 Höfner 500/1 as it was a real pain in the *ss to play (the sound was as expected) with its permanent head diving, even if I tried the Macca strap attachment at the headstock.

[merello]

7 hours ago, Hellzero said:

There's a well known fact missing : Paul McCartney is a total cheapskate, hence buying the cheapest bass in the store.

 

The rest is (extraordinary) history, but this proves that you don't need the most expensive bass in the world to become one of the most acclaimed musician in the ... world.

 

That said, as a Beatles fan, I bought and sold almost immediately a 1967/68 Höfner 500/1 as it was a real pain in the *ss to play (the sound was as expected) with its permanent head diving, even if I tried the Macca strap attachment at the headstock.

That's a thought - is he the musician with the lowest 'price of gear" to "earnings" ratio in history?

[paul_5]

That would be Slash surely, since he pinched his ‘Appetite’ LP.

[Owen]

While we are discussing the Macca/Hofner interface, any opinions on a cheap and cheerful functioning copy of one of these? I just fancy one. I have played one but cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

[upside downer]

9 hours ago, Owen said:

While we are discussing the Macca/Hofner interface, any opinions on a cheap and cheerful functioning copy of one of these? I just fancy one. I have played one but cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

 

I used a Westfield copy in my rock/pop covers band for around three years and it did the job absolutely fine. It dealt with the heavier numbers really well and they're so light which is a bonus for those of us with back pain. Slight intonation issue up the dusty end at first but got that sorted. Staying in tune was never a problem.

 

 

 

 

[Silvia Bluejay]

11 hours ago, Owen said:

While we are discussing the Macca/Hofner interface, any opinions on a cheap and cheerful functioning copy of one of these? I just fancy one. I have played one but cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

I have a made-in-Indonesia Höfner Beatle Bass, which I bought new in 2014 for I think about £200, which looks and sounds the part. I don't play it much, mostly because I'm not keen on the sound and the ergonomics, but I like to have it in my arsenal all the same, a bit like my Steinberger Spirit.

 

[bertbass]

Harley Benton is well worth a look.  Very playable.

[ianrendall]

There’s an entire website dedicated to violin basses.

http://www.violinbasses.com/index1.htm

[Hellzero]

Thanks @ianrendall : I found that my Aria Diamond bought in the 80's was called the 1930.

 

I binned it in the 90's, but still have the tailpiece with the wooden insert and the mother of toilet seat diamond on it. 🤦‍♂️

[MacDaddy]

On 17/01/2022 at 22:38, ianrendall said:

There’s an entire website dedicated to violin basses.

http://www.violinbasses.com/index1.htm

 

no mention of the Gibson EB-1 (the bass Macca originally wanted, but was too expensive and heavy).

[uk_lefty]

On 15/01/2022 at 06:38, iconic said:

 

I believe that adjusted for inflation, a Fender P in '63 (in UK, not Germany, lower taxes) would of been the equivalent of putting your hand in your pocket for 2.5k in todays folding😎

Edited Saturday at 06:47 by iconic

I think it's in the Beatles Anthology he says he always considered Fender an expensive instrument "even though I could buy the whole company now" or words to that effect.

[Grahambythesea]

I don’t think the 500/1 was the cheapest model at the time, that would be the Senator. Single pickup, single cut away. Having said that he had his Rick stripped back to natural when I’m sure he could have bought another and plays a right handed Casino turned upside down. Perhaps we can call him frugal with his purchases.

According to a Selmer catalogue the 500/1 was 58gns and the Senator 38gns.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Grahambythesea
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