In a remarkable turn of events, a Höfner bass guitar originally purchased by Paul McCartney for £30 in 1961, has finally been returned to the former Beatle after a prolonged global search to recover the stolen instrument.
Paul McCartney’s lost Hofner bass has been found… pic.twitter.com/HUgIRh5RvV
— Jude (@_PigginTeaBreak) February 14, 2024
This distinctive violin-shaped guitar, reportedly McCartney’s favourite and closely associated with his early career, was last seen during the recording sessions of the Beatles’ final album, “Let It Be.”
The Lost Bass Project, initiated last year, spearheaded efforts to locate the missing instrument. Recently, a student named Ruaidhri Guest shared a photo of the elusive guitar on social media, claiming inheritance before returning it to its rightful owner.
McCartney’s Höfner bass, potentially valued at £10 million today, holds immense sentimental and historical significance. It symbolises the musician’s formative years, purchased during the Beatles’ nightclub tours in Hamburg, Germany.
The guitar’s recovery marks a triumph for McCartney, with Höfner playing a pivotal role in orchestrating the search through the #tracingthebass campaign. Nick Wass, a Höfner executive, emphasised the instrument’s elevated status, likening it to a priceless work of art.
McCartney’s long-standing association with Höfner underscores the brand’s enduring success, with the musician owning four basses since 1961. The returned instrument holds a place of prominence in Beatles lore, having vanished just before the band’s historic rooftop performance.
The guitar’s reappearance echoes similar tales of lost treasures finding their way back to their rightful owners, exemplified by John Lennon’s guitar, which resurfaced over five decades later, fetching a staggering £1.9 million at auction.
