Comments on: Think For Yourself

By: Beatlebass

Beatlebass — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 05:49:48 +0000

I remember the album liner notes saying “Hofner fuzz bass”. However, after George’s comments about the Rickenbacker, I’ve come to the conclusion that the lead fuzz bass is the Rickenbacker 4001, but the regular low bass lines are played on the Hofner 500/1.

By: Onder

Onder — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 20:50:07 +0000

It’s out of guitar’s range. Definitely a bass.

By: Onder

Onder — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 20:49:04 +0000

It’s out of guitar’s range. Definitely a bass.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 09 Dec 2017 15:16:07 +0000

Are you the same Mr Gil who was a substitute teacher at E Roosevelt High in Green belt, MD?

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 16:46:33 +0000

I like George’s double tracked voice in this song using the ADT (artificial double tracking).
it sounds great, panned hard left & hard right.
Now I experimenting with this technique on my home recordings.
Thanks for the Beatles songs/recordings… I found a lot of old recording methods on them which is very much effective today.

By: Anna Anima Mundi

Anna Anima Mundi — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 02:16:53 +0000

This is the first George Harrison song that, to me, really sounds like a George Harrison song — the sliding, gliding melody lines, and melody/lyric lines that are longer than most (the “rectify” line, for example). It’s a great song and the higher bass counterpoint (sorry, don’t know the more precise terms) really brings the vocals into focus.

By: Rhythm Droid

Rhythm Droid — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 16:34:02 +0000

Whichever type of guitar was used to lay down the “fuzz” melody – it is not a double of the bassline – it is it’s own melody. You can hear the bassline underneath playing different notes.

By: philmat

philmat — Sun, 04 May 2014 13:44:34 +0000

I read somewhere that Paul used the Ric extensively throughout RS, Revolver, Pepper, and the White Album. It is quite a different bass sound than what we were used to hearing in the previous albums. The Hofner has a woodier, more mellow sound, and being a short-scale bass, it has less sustain. The Ric, being a neck-through bass is much punchier and has that piano-like ring and sustain to it. The fuzz bass on this track could very well be the Ric on the bridge pick-up only, which is very trebly. Doesn’t sound like the Hofner at all.

By: Jean Erica Moniker

Jean Erica Moniker — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:41:08 +0000

It always sounded to me like he was singing: “the future’s still obscure(d); and you’ve got time to rectify all the things that you should”…

In a song that uses words like “opaque” and “rectify”, “obscure(d)” seemed to work just fine (even the off-rhyme seemed very Harrisonesque) – I actually find “still looks good” to be a bit of a let down…oh well…great song either way!

By: paulsbass

paulsbass — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:28:40 +0000

That’s both Paul.
Obviously he would play two different bass lines, one as the lead (fuzz), one as the tonal fundament.
They both have Paul’s typical rhythmic and melodic feel.

By: Tony

Tony — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 04:37:16 +0000

Kinda new sound with the 2 basses. I wouldnt doubt if George and Paul played bass on the same track because the styles are different. The fuzzy bass sounds like George’s techniches. I love to rip apart the tracks on this one. You know what they write and who played what, but half the time one of them wasnt there and they made due. One reason I think that they both played the bass is because George really did not like to play it, but this was after all a first when you look at it

By: eranzilberbass

eranzilberbass — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:30:04 +0000

The Ric was surely used on this ALBUM for the first time , not for all of the tracks. The best source for a 100% true answer is the book “The Beatles recording sessions”. In my opinion and experience , the Ric carries the “fuzz bass” sound much better than the Hofner. The Hofner is hollow , and tends to feedback when played through a fuzz pedal. The Ric dosen’t.

By: ryan

ryan — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 04:54:24 +0000

Was Paul using the Hofner or his new Rickenbacker? According to some RIC fan sites, this was the first song he recorded with his Rickenbacker. They quote George as saying so…but I can’t find a definitive answer.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:04:57 +0000

I agree Mr. Gil, that harmony on the word “time” (“and you’ve got TI-EM to rectify”) always got me, still does after 40 years. I think it was Paul, as he usually took the high harmonies. I love Rubber Soul so much because, as the album had to be recorded very quickly to meet the Christmas deadline, the Beatles had to crank out these recordings very fast. Many of the songs contain little imperfections in some of the vocal harmonies, such as this one. You can even hear an occasional cough and chatter here and there. I love hearing them, I think it adds something to the songs, perhaps character, that makes them even more endearing. There’s such brilliance and spontaneity captured in these songs.

By: vonbontee

vonbontee — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 09:59:21 +0000

Definitely. That little 7-note descending bit after “…Go where you’re going to” is too low to be guitar. (Unless it’s WAY detuned)

By: grego mac

grego mac — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:55:05 +0000

It is Paul on the fuzz bass. I don’t understand why there is any confusion. All of the evidence points to it being Paul. It SOUNDS like Paul doubling his original bass track.

By: MrBig

MrBig — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:15:43 +0000

Maybe the Organ with a special effect?

By: Deadman

Deadman — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:09:57 +0000

Naturally, with enhanced treble, the distorted bass sounds at times like a distorted guitar, but (1) the cover notes explicitly say that it’s fuzz bass–why lie?–, and (2) there are some notes too low for ordinary guitar (listen in particular to the last section of each chorus before and during the words, “Think for yourself”).

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:54:43 +0000

I think it might actually be a distorted guitar part rather than a bass. It’s certainly within a guitar’s range, and it’s all played higher than the bass line (but otherwise mirrors it). What do other people think?

By: Mr. Gil

Mr. Gil — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:32:52 +0000

In the right channel, on the phrase, “…and you’ve got time to rectify all the things that you should”, the high vocal harmony on the word “time” is slightly higher-pitched than on previous verses. It’s spine-tingling.