PLAY THE SQUIRE WAY

The classic Chris Squire bass tone is best described as ‘clanky’, ‘clacky’, ‘brittle’, ‘hollow’ and so on, but rather than deciphering endless adjectives it’s probably best to listen to ‘Roundabout’ and marvel at its prominent, treble-loaded tone, delivered with startling picking speed and agility. Squire referred to the bass part as “quintessential” with some humor, having been asked about it so many times over the years, but he was right—it perfectly sums up his approach to the bass.

Squire was best known for playing a 1964 Rickenbacker bass with the serial number DC127, often thought to be a regular 4001S model. It was actually an RM1999, in other words an import into the UK by Rose Morris, Rickenbacker’s official British importer at the time. Asked by Nick Beggs why he chose a Ricky, Squire explained: “Because when they originally came into England, Pete Quaife from the Kinks bought one, and John Entwistle bought one. I worked at [guitar shop] Boosey & Hawkes, who were the importers, and I got the third one. It’s