LARGE SCALE vs. SMALL SCALE BASSES

Scale, in this case, refers to the size of the neck of the instrument.   Most basses you see are considered "large scale" basses.   A point that is not so well known about Paul McCartney's early bass playing (1962-1965) is that he played on what might be referred to as a toy bass, his ever famous Hofner 500/1 violin bass.   At the time of its issue, it was really an inexpensive bass with a small neck.   If one is used to "regular" basses, picking up a Hofner will offer a surprise.   It is extremely light.  

When playing it, there is a tendency to play fast little lines and, unless you have Paul McCartney's bass in your hands - which I can guarantee none of us ever will have - it will also be "out of tune" as you play up the neck. 

Yet, even with that little bass guitar, Paul McCartney brought rock bass playing many a step forward.  He used a Hofner for every concert and recording right up until and through Rubber Soul.   There is some controversy as to which bass was used on various songs on that particular album.  It would be "safe" to claim that Drive My Car and Think For Yourself were done on his 1964 Rickenbacker model 4001S bass.

Geoff Emerick, the Beatles' engineer beginning with the Revolver sessions, made a claim that the sound achieved on McCartney's bass on the track Paperback Writer was due to it being the first time the Rickenbacker had been used.    This claim has led to no end of controversy.   I will not come out and say that Emerick is incorrect, but  will let it rest here that it would be difficult for McCartney to have achieved some of the bass sounds on Rubber Soul with his Hofner.   

For non bass-players, there is a world of difference between the two instruments. 

Interestingly enough, he was really only able to play up the neck efficiently when he switched to the Rickenbacker.   The Hofner's neck was not aligned until recently (by Mandolin Bros. in New York).   Until then, its intonation (best defined as its ability to remain in tune with itself) would decline after the third fret according to its owner.  The switch to the Rickenbacker "sat him down" but it also allowed him to move up the neck with a far steadier and more powerful style.   This can well be witnessed by his playing on Rain, Paperback Writer and the Anthology 2 version of And Your Bird Can Sing.  He could not have obtained the same sound or effect on his Hofner.

The interesting aspect of this whole subject of McCartney's bass playing is that he was (and is) not merely a bass player.  It is quite obvious that he hears and feels the entire range of the song as it is being developed.  He has definite ideas on what the guitars should sound like (frequently plays them), what the keyboard should sound like (frequently plays them) and what the drums should sound like (and frequently plays those as well).   Make no mistake: even with his "high trilling stuff", he remained a bass player.   His technique, while trilling, was still rhythmic and not like a lead guitar (as so many claim).   If you want an argument from me, all you have to do is say he played lead bass.  The only exception I can think of to this rule is during the end piece of I Want You (She's So Heavy) where he purposely went on great flights of bass playing fancy, and is another case of something that could not have been done on his small scale Hofner.

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