What you need to know:
The former Beatles’ official website confirms that the bass has already been returned and authenticated by Höfner and Paul McCartney himself.
Paul McCartney’s legendary Höfner bass (but the first one he ever owned) He had been missing since the early 1970s. Last year, a project was introduced that gave fans the task of finding it… mission accomplished.
Paul McCartney’s bass is in good condition… even with the original case
“Lost for 51 years, we are pleased to announce that Paul McCartney’s first Höfner bass has been found,” reads the statement from the website responsible for the discovery of the iconic instrument. The Lost Bass Project.
Despite all that time, Paul McCartney’s bass is said to be in good condition and was even found in its original case. So, Some minor repairs will be necessary to make it playable again. but certainly nothing the former Beatles’ team couldn’t solve.
It is now known that it was stolen under Höfner in 1972
The search for Paul McCartney’s legendary Höfner bass model 500/1 began in 2018 after the former Beatle himself noted in an interview that he didn’t know what the problem was with it. However, little information could be found about it. It was only last year that the search became international with the launch of the site The Lost Bass Project.
Those responsible for the successful project (Scott and Naomi Jones) point out that After the call to find the former Beatles’ bass became known worldwide, more than 100 reports were received about the instrument’s likely whereabouts. In addition, around 600 people volunteered to help with the search.
No information was given at this time (and presumably to exclude information) about the status of the investigation (i.e. not at “zero”). Therefore, it was easy to match the reports they received with what they knew about Paul McCartney’s likely whereabouts. And what was known? well then It had been stolen from a van in Notting Hill, London, on October 10, 1972.
Paul McCartney confirmed the return of his bass
After analyzing and cross-referencing the information (and a little more research), it was discovered that the Lower Hofner thief sold it to a person named Ronald Guest, a pub owner in London, who kept it in his family ever since.
According to The Lost Bass Project, there wasn’t even a need to look for the person who bought Paul McCartney’s bass… this one, After learning about Scott and Naomi Jones’ search, he found a way to bring them to the former Beatle and that was it. Happy end.
Paul McCartney’s official website confirms that the bass is already in the hands of its original owner, but not before it has been authenticated by Höfner and Macca themselves. “Following the release of last year’s Lost Bass project, Paul’s 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass, stolen in 1972, was returned”.