PAUL BREAKS A STRING - Weird Moments in Beatles History #3

[@KRW628]

I saw the Beatles in Chicago in August '65. Even if Paul broke a string, you wouldn't be able to tell. You couldn't hear anything other than the screams.

[@josephforest7605]

True but this was in Atlanta , it was their best sounding concert , due to a new sound system and Baker Audio of Atlanta .

[@Allie-w1l]

One of my older sisters saw them in Toronto, twice, and was unable to hear a word, both times. She said that she was the only one in the crowd yelling "Shut up! Stop screaming!! Shut up! I want to hear them!" And there I was, pissed off the audiences stood up through the ENTIRETY of Rush concerts and kept me from seeing the band. At least I could hear them.

[@josephforest7605]

Should have gone to Atlanta.

[@craigusselman546]

Your ears must have rang for days😂

[@KRW628]

About two days actually

[@irontail4264]

Well, I do know that "Pauls' broken a glass, broken a glass, Pauls' broken a glass"

[@freden9234]

😆

[@benniich6758]

That's right😅

[@CleberHarrisonGuitar]

"a glass is broken"

[@MannyFernandez-j4c]

😂

[@Rugmunchersauce3]

😂

[@jims5922]

I have never known of a bass string breaking but here's my story. My older cousin was a huge fan of the Beatles and played a Eko Italian violin bass while in high school in the 60s. He gave it to me in the mid 70s just before he got married. I played it in a punk band in the mid 80s. I switched to guitar as our guitar player was crap. I let him play my bass. One practice that I wasn't at the tail piece on the Eko broke while he was playing it. The tail piece and strings nearly ripped a good chunk of flesh off his face. He had over 80 stitches. He recovered but the band didn't. I didn't find a replacement tail piece for many years. It still plays and sounds great. I discovered your channel recently. It's great! Thank you.

[@FlipDahlenburg]

Not buying it! Picture of the scars?

[@oxfan9384]

Great video . No vlogging crap just straight to the point. wish more videos on you tube were like this

[@DRguitar918]

Your knowledge and production value never disappoints! Excellent work!

[@motorlibro]

I played flatwounds in the 60's and had one unravel from the ball end which quickly travelled over the bridge and left me with a string that seemed a foot longer and with white fibers down the middle.

[@PaulHere1953]

My Dad made the Vox 100 Amp Beatle Cabinets (that you can see in this video) in Church Road, Bexleyheath, Kent. That’s just a few miles from where the main Vox factory was, in Dartford. One of his good friends was Dick Denney, from Vox, who some of you may have heard of. My Dad personally made the “Guitar Strap”, that John is wearing in the video. It was actually in our house being shined up and assembled by myself, one of my sister and my Dad, who accidentally knocked a cup of tea over the leather strap and nearly died inside, as it was to be presented to John, by Vox, in the next day or so. I was only about 11 years old at that time and 10 years later met and then married my wife, who just so happened to be related to John, a second cousin or something like that. Funny, she always preferred Paul, because she though he was her relative, but was put right at her Dad’s funeral in 1997, by relatives from her family, who confirmed it was actually John. I still wonder where that guitar strap is? I’m really proud that my Dad made it, as there weren’t straps around like that in those days. Sorry if I bored everyone, but I enjoyed reminiscing. 🫠

[@MannyFernandez-j4c]

That is so cool

[@billmitchell9501]

Thanks for sharing that. That's really cool.

[@solarismoon3046]

I don't see how you could think that this is boring. It's what magazines pay people to tell their stories of such legendary things. It's not everyday that you actually know the people behind the scenes that help make it all happen. Thank you so very much for sharing your story with us.

[@daviddesmond2143]

After John wore that strap, it was very popular seller in music stores in the USA that sold Vox products. I had a Vox 100 bass amp in the 60's and hopefully your dad made part of it.

[@markgraham2312]

You are correct. The photo is of The Beatles as they ran out onto the field at the beginning of the concert. Thanks!

[@carlmontney7916]

I've been playing bass since 1969. I've only broken one string. My A string. On the first song of the 1st set on the 1st night in a new club that we'd always wanted to play at. I told the band to just keep on going. We finished the set and I put on a new string. Got a few compliments from some musicians who were in the audience about how great it was that we kept on playing.

[@michaelmartinez6448]

I also have only broken one bass string while playing a club and it was the A string too. Of course it’s the string I play the most and I didn’t have a spare set. Who breaks a bass string?

[@carlmontney7916]

@@michaelmartinez6448 Yeah that one experience I had was enough for me luckily we were able to just continue through the rest of the set and I just didn't use an a string but after that it was new strings frequently and a visual inspection of my bridge saddles or any signs of sharp edges. Eventually I got where I purchased a second bass around for a backup JIC

[@JohnLennon99791]

The show must go on..

[@brenthooton3412]

I can vouch for the rarity of breaking a bass string. But on that tour, where they were struggling to get their Vox amps to produce a sound that could be heard over tens of thousand of screaming fans, it's plausible that he could've been using the pick particularly hard, and it put more pressure than usual on the strings.

[@thefonzkiss]

You’re not going to play the bass aggressively thinking it will be heard over tens of thousands of people that’s insane.

[@mr_bassman6685]

@@thefonzkiss More likely either getting overenthusiastic and digging in or just an old string that couldn't hold it together anymore, really.

[@thefonzkiss]

@404TVfr _Actually_

[@thefonzkiss]

@404TVfr whoosh

[@ARWest-bp4yb]

Great find Nick, keep them coming!👍👍 I've read that in the early days when Stu broke a bass string they'd replace it with one they cut out of a piano!

[@Squanderama]

I don't think that string is tarnished, I think previously he replaced the D string with a (Tape Wrap/Black Wrap) String. My "first" conclusion was- that is the string McCartney broke during the performance. But there is a Stage performance shot (1:09) where you can see the D string is a Tape Wrap. One thing for Certain - if one string breaks on yer axe, the others are one their way. I think the G string broke at during "I Wanna Be Your Man".

[@FlatDerrick]

You are correct, it's nylon black tapewound. Strings and their packaging went through a revolution in the mid to late 90s, prior to that steel strings had a much more limited shelf life than today. This meant most UK music stores (our climate doesn't help) didn't stock short or medium scale steel bass strings as they would most likely rust before sale, only replacement tapewounds that had a much longer shelf life. Then they'd put in an order for your steel string/s which could take a month or so!

[@gioelmermusic325]

There’s plenty of pictures of Paul’s E string circa ‘66 practically unwound down near the tailpiece. I think the most notable was during the rain/paperback writer videos. And then later during their US tour in 66 you can see the string is notably different than the remaining strings on the bass. It’s sort of looks like a piano string. (Obviously not)

[@Rog107]

I've been a bassist since 1960 and I would never play at a concert with only one bass. If something goes wrong, you simply grab the other bass and carry on.

[@Beatgeneration2010]

Some very interesting facts, well done, very impressed!!!

[@mattiboo]

Love these videos, keep it up!

[@sampopkin]

Doing the lord’s work here! Love this channel

[@ronanfitzgerald1507]

There he is

[@NickMartellaro]

Thanks Sam! Love your channel too.

[@chaffsalvo]

The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl pulled me in as a fan in 1979, so this just fascinates me. Saw Paul in 1989 Oct 7 in Germany, saw Ringo in 2014 and 2018 in St Louis. Long Live the Beatles!

[@BaccarWozat]

Paul was the first one in the band who knew how to tune a guitar. Previously, the Quarrymen had to go to this old guy who lived on a hill to get them tuned. When playing a right-handed guitar upside down, Paul sometimes took the time to restring the guitar so they were top to bottom and he could emulate a left-handed guitar, but then because the holes are different sizes the strings didn't exactly sound the same. However, when he auditioned in front of John he had to play it unrestrung. (Unrestringed?)

[@monovision566]

What does this have to do with the video?

[@Richard-mh5ll]

Ya Okay…..

[@tannwich5350]

@@monovision566 To anyone who's interested, it does

[@petert2098]

thanks Nick. Your videos are always interesting and well produced.

[@pabloluchi3595]

Hey Nick! I can see behind you the record 'FOR YOU' of the Uruguayan band, The Shakers!! They were great too! had a big Beatles influence to compose music. I love The Beatles and The Shakers as well! Regards!

[@jaziferret1138]

Does meant that paul would have had to switch to the cavern bass for the remainder of the set?

[@alexarteaga-caseyjunior5098]

Yes. It was the cavern bass he used as a backup for the show.

[@vayabroder729]

Also heard he also had an Epiphone Rivoli as a backup and have seen photos of it with the rest of the instruments. Strange that it vanished from Paul’s lineup.

[@jaziferret1138]

@@vayabroder729 i only seen it in some get back photos. Would love to see more photos of it. Its a beautiful bass.

[@fliegeroh]

Great video Nick. You not only sing the old songs as good as the originals, you document interesting Beatle history.

[@bobpress1235]

Those crowds were so loud and out of control, nobody would have known if he broke one string or three of ‘em and they really didn’t care!

[@Luke-z5e]

Cool story Nick - loved it mate!

[@PaulMoody25]

Great stuff Nick, really interesting!

[@derianimp]

AMAZING photo

[@ralphh.2200]

Thanks Nick.I saw them at Cincinnati's now gone Crosley Field in 1966.A Friday night concert, it was rained out after we were seated but before it began. It was announced that the PA rig had grounded out or something.Next day we came back on the rain check. We picked up one someone had dropped on the way out and brought my date's little sister. btw,There is a video of a Blues guitarist breaking an E 1st while performing, then proceeds to change it after being handed a replacement, while he sang the next lines.Impressive...

[@MannyFernandez-j4c]

🫵🏻😵‍💫🎶 that is so cool you got to see the Beatles perform 1966. Thank you for sharing.

[@bazjaddley6369]

Stevie Ray Vaughans string break!

[@MannyFernandez-j4c]

@@bazjaddley6369 😎🎶👍🏻

[@mr_bassman6685]

That was B.B. King, wasn't it?

[@ralphh.2200]

@@mr_bassman6685 Sure was...

[@TonyBurke-nq5ib]

I play guitar and in my 60 years of playing I have never heard of anyone breaking a bass string I know a guy who boils his bass strings and re-uses them without breaking them.

[@unknown_norie]

Great video. Great channel ❤

[@jsamc]

Short and to the point. GREAT !

[@johnlemon1863]

Great work.

[@StratmanDarrell]

Yes its hard to break a bass string but remember, strings manufactured today are more resilient now than back then. John Entwhistle you know had powerful fingers. WHen they recorded My Generation, during the bass solo he broke a few bass strings. Mind you they were thinner at his request to get that twang out of them.

[@mr_bassman6685]

He went through 3 Danelectro basses because the thin strings weren't available separately, then he ended up buying a Jazz Bass and using it for the recording.

[@P0LGARIS]

The end image might be from 1964. George used the Country Gentleman mainly in 1964 and changed to the Tennessean in 1965, which he used for the majority of the year.

[@Wildmutationblu]

Such a great story. Congratulations, on tracking down the photographer of the supposed missing string picture.

[@Voxac100b]

The sound system is far more interesting about this concert than Paul breaking a bass string. Monitor speakers was claimed to be behind the two clusters of ALTEC A7 speakers..but I haven't seen any photos. Two 8mm cine films were taken of this concert but not yet seen online.

[@ZackyDog]

Nice work as always, Nick. I never knew that Paul broke a string in the middle of the concert. It's very interesting to me that George is using the Country Gentleman, in lieu of the Tennessean. Regards.

[@mcarp555]

I've broken bass strings live. It might be more common than you think.

[@TheHiwattScott]

I've broken quire a few myself.

[@slickrockcreek1]

Wow very thorough and cool details, I definitely subscribed. Curious - is that an ES 335 hanging on your wall?

[@Francyfabb]

Great Video! You should def do a video about when The Beatles played without John in Bedford, 1963.

[@peanutserver]

Love these videos, so great

[@37Dionysos]

Huge lifelong Beatles fan. I cannot remember Paul ever missing a single note or beat. This is special!

[@schnutchie]

The vehicle that took them off the field was a Rambler made by American Motors 3:46

[@Les537]

My bass had the same strings for 20 years. Then one day, while it was just sitting there against the wall, one of them broke. I cried many tears and put a new set on. It's been about 3 years and now they are just getting worked in. On my guitars I like to change them ASAP and often.

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful day ❤😊

[@SalsBodybuildingArchives]

Great videos Nick and great detective work! I have a question that maybe you can help me with. I’ve seen a lot of photographs of the Beatles in concert, and in some of the photos that I’ve seen there is not a microphone in front of their guitar amplifiers. I was wondering if just the vocal mics were picking up their guitars, amplifiers cause it bled into their vocal mics or is there someway to come directly line-out of the amplifiers into a mixing board and that’s how they sent it to the PA system. If you even look at some of the photos that you uploaded in this video, I don’t see any microphones in front of their guitar amps. Thanks brother and keep doing a great job uploading these Beatles videos and your songs. Peace, Sal 💪🏻🎸

[@rickhenry8760]

As a long time Musician that own a few Hofner Bass Guitars. @ Timestamp 3:38, I can look directly at the headstock see that the "D" String (3rd string from the top) is missing. You can clearly see that the "E, A, & G" Strings are visible. There's your evidence Mate. All the Best !

[@hstdriver6616]

I think you may be incorrect. If you look at the zero fret and headstock on the A and E string you can clearly see the strings form a triangle as they run on to their respective pegs. You can also see the same on D and G string side except that from the G peg to the D peg, the D string isn't visible. But if you look at the tail piece and the bridge you can make out the D string but can't actually see the G string? And if you look between the two pick ups you can make out the E and D string but not the A or G string? I think it's all down to lighting and how new/old the strings were. I reckon the D string was old but the E, A and G newer. That's why the E, A and G stands out on the black headstock (shinier) but between the pick ups were it's very bright, the duller, dirtier D string stands out. Just my opinion, but I think there's plenty of evidence in the photo that all 4 strings are on the bass at that moment in time 🤔

[@woohoolabtheory]

You're right about photos. When I watch these old Beatles shows and you see myriad flash bulbs going off, I always think of those Beatles fans who are probably now in their 70's with photos and negatives in boxes on the top of the wardrobe with historic images.

[@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn]

Yes, my Dad has Super 8 film of them in Adelaide, South Australia. I must ask him where it is!

[@woohoolabtheory]

What a treasure that would be!!!@@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn

[@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn]

@@woohoolabtheory Yes, it was 1964. I've seen the footage, it's not great, but it's a moment in history, them arriving in Adelaide at the height of Beatlemania.

[@ronsbeerreviewstools4361]

Very good Beatles post, I saw the Beatles live in Boston ( suffolk downs) $5.00 yep. 1964. I Subscribed

[@fasteddie4145]

I've broken a few bass strings.....usually when they're old strings and I'm playing close to the bridge....

[@michaelbonanno7476]

Way to go Nick - and thanks to the photographer! :)

[@alparotti]

So cool! just subscribed!

[@tvs3497]

As a side note here, McCartney's lost/stolen bass guitar has been returned to him recently. I just wonder where it has been for 50 years and has anyone been charged with grand larceny?

[@agitatedmongoose]

It was in my closet. You think I'm kidding.

[@JoshMaxPower]

Unbelievable...thank you!

[@MV-es3sk]

Cool, thanks!

[@twoodfrd]

The Beatles were very frugal when it came to strings. They never changed a whole set, but only individually as they broke so it's possible that string had been on the Hofner since he acquired it several years and hundreds of gigs earlier.

[@DavidTurchickVEGAN]

Kudos for your good taste! The Shakers are a fantastic, top ten band! More on them!

[@moozartney]

Nice Twin Tower models!

[@rksmith18]

My band would have just jammed while the player restored his instrument.

[@bamacopeland4372]

The Beatles were never known to really jam except in the studio later in their career. But as I see from your logo jamming out while changing out instruments or strings is right in line with the Grateful Dead

[@martincvitkovich724]

I like flat wounds on my short scale bass. Did Paul use flatwounds?

[@vayabroder729]

Yes; to this day.

[@Joak-z3e]

Great piece on Paulie !

[@Mooseboy08]

So amazing to think about this… heck, I'm just a working guitarist, and I never do a gig without at least one backup guitar. Or two or three, depending on the size of the stage and how much I'm making that night ;)

[@anthonylakich1727]

well have had a left handed Hofner Bass for 20 years and never broke a sing cause i change them ever 3 to 6 months .BUT have broke a E string on a P-Bass while recording a song the string popped at the end of the song on my last note so we left it in.

[@Goomer]

You are young, in 1965 not everybody had a camera, I don't think the popular "Kodak Instamatic" was even out yet. Concerts like this were also not a thing. We lived in the moment.

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

At the concerts I went to as a kid, most people brought binoculars rather than cameras. Some concerts wouldn't allow cameras.

[@c.r.parish5908]

He was talking about seeing flash bulbs going off, and wondering about the photos taken. Instamatic cameras where in existence from the late 50's at least.

[@fernandoperdomomusic]

did paul change the string or switch basses to end the show?

[@brenthooton3412]

I'm curious to know too. But my guess is he wouldn't have had a spare of either handy in those days especially considering how rare it is to break a bass string. I'm guessing he would've unstrung the broken one and done the best he could in the remaining numbers. And hopefully it was the G string -- that would've been the easiest one to overcome.

[@slimkickens]

​@@brenthooton3412he had the 61 "Cavern" bass with him

[@maxime1776]

That’s so cool, I love rare Beatles stuff

[@leonardpoindexter5289]

What amazes me is that they apparently didn't have guitar or bass techs or a backup bass in case of a broken string.

[@vayabroder729]

Mal Evans was the “tech” basically handing them the instruments and taking them back.

[@leonardpoindexter5289]

@@vayabroder729 thanks for the info

[@simonortiz9622]

Wow thats amazing i didint hear never this audio. Thanks a lot . By the way i can see a shakers LP . What di You think about them, were the most great band thats we had in america.im from Argentina

[@williamknell864]

It's possible that he picked harder than someone playing in a modern sound reinforcement situation would have to, trying hear himself over crowd noise. That's a good way to break a string, I guess. Ages ago, my high school had a cover band from the US Navy play in the gym one afternoon. The bass player broke a string. So it is possible. We were not a loud audience.

[@rickharper3940]

i've been waiting a long time for this. i have the boot as well and was hoping he switched to his rickenbacker which i believe he was using as a spare. the boot isn't in the proper sequence if 'i'm down' was the last song. regards.

[@bigbear450]

LOVE YOUR SITE

[@krod2162]

If you Zoom in on the headstock where the tuning is done, you could see there's a string missing. It's the D string the smallest one.

[@moondogaudiojones1146]

Good luck in your venture in finding a pic of the "broken string incident". i believe you're right tho, somewhere there must be a pic and that person, or persons, don't know what they have in their archived photos.

[@imajica3954]

I saw Tim Bogart break an e-string when he was playing with Jeff Beck.

[@stephenfwadsworth9565]

There is a statistic online from Iron Maiden and used to be on one of their covers for their Live after Death Tour. The numbers of broken strings for the guitarist are large, drums sticks and pads, the list goes on. I do not recall a separate one for Steve Harris the bassist though. Usually you can get away with it even on a six string. That is why off to the side are at least six copies of each players favourite guitar, just in case these days and their favourite tool an auto winder. Used to be done the old way for a long long time as batteries were not able to be made so small. Guitar Techs are hugely valuable. :) Thank you for sharing this hugely unique historical artifact. Has anyone approached Paul for comment? Would be interesting to hear what he thought, how he reacted, any little tricks he has used to avoid this? By the way from N.Z. Yes this is how we spell favorite (favourite) (British English). Ibanez even sell a self-string tightening and tuning guitar.

[@OrlandoGutierrez-d7n]

national stadium

[@dorfsteen]

What's with the giant digital clock? or is it one of those analog clocks with the flip cards? Because they didn't have digital anything back then

[@gordonteats298]

CAN'T BUY FREE LOVE by APOLOGETIX a great Beatles parody

[@stevekap8]

I’ve never broken a bass string, but I knew someone that would almost every gig. He hit them hard.

[@memphramagog]

If you look at the top of the bass guitar you'll see that the tuning peg or tuner which is the one on the upper left that does not have a bass string wrapping the peg. The A string is definitely missing from this bass. The 'tarnished string you see' is the only the shadow of the low E string.

[@patricksommer3971]

Look a little lower, at the nut which is where the fretboard starts. You can clearly count all four strings there

[@StratmanDarrell]

YOu can extend the life of your strings by taking them off, coil them up, boil a pot of water with some dish soap and boil them for a few minutes. The soap will remove the grime between the grooves of the strings, which makes them go dead.

[@resurrectionsunday]

The Atlanta concert was the only concert with a real PA system that the band could actually hear themselves

[@nouveau53]

Hey?? What about guitar strings? They break at almost a constant rate. Any information about that?

[@gordonteats298]

COME TO FATHER by APOLOGETIX a great Beatles parody

[@jmasno5]

OK here is my Beatles Geek question. Once he broke the string, which is his backup bass? His older Hofner '61 bass or the Rickenbacker 4001? In 1965 he owned both. There is a photo of Mal Evans with both the later (and primary) 1963 Hofner and the Rick on tour but I don't know if it was taken in 1965 or 1966. I've never seen a photo of the Beatles live in concert with Paul playing the Rick. However, I have see a photo of John playing a Strat during a Beatles concert. Let the discussion begin fellow geeks...

[@c.r.parish5908]

John and George both had Sonic Blue 1961 Fender Stratocasters. George hand painted his and named it Rocky, eventually setting it up for slide use, was one his favorite and most used guitars. John didn't play his that much, Yoko still has it.

[@juanp9061]

I saw the "Shakers for you " cover❤

[@deanallen927]

Cool story, thanks.

[@Matthew_Eitzman]

I’ve had a few break, always where the string goes over the bridge.

[@joegarrison2344]

Saw Simon & Garfunkel in San Diego (with Lovin' Spoonful). Paul Simon broke a string and Art had to riff while Paul put on a new string. He was stunned - "That's never happened!"

[@jimdep6542]

I'd say the peak of Beatle Mania was 1964, although they were obviously still extremely popular in 1965. I used to own a lefty 65 Hofner bass and at that time that I owned it , was using a pick. The only way I think you could break a string, was if the string was really old, or defective.....most likely where it hooks behind the bridge. I sold the bass back in the 70's and sure wish I'd kept it.

[@SISSYPUSS]

There is a missing string clearly seen, look up at the headstock. @ 3:39

[@stevep1941]

Yes, clearly no D string on Paul's bass in that shot. Only three strings as can be seen on the headstock, neck and bridge.

[@RichardCowdrey]

I lovve the passion!

[@frankdardano3182]

I saw the Beatles in 1965 in Portland Oregon . At first I thought it was a record of thiers through a record player. I went to look at The sound system and it was them. It sounded note for note like the record meet the Beatles. Exactly I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE.

[@ralphh.2200]

In John Sebastian's 'How Have You Been?' there is an intriguing verse about a single broken (I presume) guitar string. Not Paul's...

[@jamess7626]

Is that a vintage Stella guitar on your wall?

[@NickMartellaro]

No, it's a Gretsch Jim Dandy, the best $150 guitar I've ever bought!

[@eddupont6327]

What about any pictures showing him playing the Cavern backup. Do they exist?

[@fladification]

I've been playing bass for over 30 years and have broken a handful of strings over the years. Usually while pop/slapping or using to thick of a pick. Bass strings don't "break" like un wound guitar strings can, the inner core will break and the winding will still hold it together. So unless you pull on the string and unwind a good bit of it, it should pretty much stay in place and look fairly normal. I doubt, even if you can prove a picture was taken just after the break you'd even be able to tell the bass has a broken string.

[@Kieop]

Super cool.

[@RothkoFridgeMagnet]

Is that a Gretsch Jim Dandy on the wall?

[@garyn234]

excellent