Distorted Tone

Something

The Beatles

Bassrock1960s

Original Gear

BassHöfner 500/1 Violin Bass (aka 'Beatle Bass')

Amp1967 Fender Bassman (tube amp, likely silverface or transitional blackface/silverface)

PickupsDual single-coil pickups (neck and bridge, passive)

Amp Settings

gain5

bass6

mid6

treble6

presence5

compression3.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, Abbey Road Studios, 1969. Era: late Beatles. The distorted section is on the original studio track.

Tone Character(10)

gritty tube breakupwarm, saturated low endrounded attackgrowly midrangeslightly compressedwoody, hollow resonanceorganic analog drivenotably present in mixsinging sustainvintage tube overdrive

Difficulty

The bassline features melodic movement, syncopation, and expressive phrasing, requiring both technical control and musicality, especially to maintain clarity through the amp's natural overdrive.

Sources

Paul McCartney's Guitars, Basses, Pedalboard & Amps Paul McCartney current live bass tone How Can I achieve Paul Mccartney's bass sound without ...

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