Hofner Launches Search for McCartney's 1st Bass

[Canard]

Hofner has launched an official search for Paul McCarney's first Hofner violin bass which was probably stolen in the mid sixties,

Paul loved it. Hofner is looking for it.

Search launched for Paul McCartney’s first Höfner bass guitar

German manufacturer’s The Lost Bass Project hunts for Beatle star’s ‘favourite’ instrument

www.theguardian.com

 

[walrus]

Wow! Good luck! I'm surprised he himself never tried to find it...

walrus

 

[GGJaguar]

Looks like this.

 

[RBSinTo]

If it helps, I don't have it.
RBSinTo

 

[Canard]

Someone had it. It has returned home.

Long-lost bass guitar returned to Paul McCartney after more than 50 years

Violin-shaped Höfner vanished around the time the Beatles split up but has now resurfaced after a global appeal

www.theguardian.com

 

[walrus]

That's a cool story! I hope he gave the returner an autograph at least!

 

[Canard]

More details here--click blue MSN link:

MSN

An announcement was made by film enthusiast Ruaidhri Guest, who posted an image of the guitar on X, formerly Twitter, indicating the item’s return to McCartney. The family is believed to have discovered the instrument in their attic while clearing out a house, unaware of its incredible value or history.​

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....​

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McCartney and his representatives have been in contact with the family who found the bass and are grateful to those involved in its restoration to its rightful owner.​

 

[GAD]

Grateful? Autograph?

Sir Paul should be a lot more grateful than an autograph IMO.

 

[Midnight Toker]

Grateful? Autograph?

Sir Paul should be a lot more grateful than an autograph IMO.

No doubt. If anything, it should be an autograph on the bottom right of a check w/ 5 zeros on it!!

 

[chazmo]

I'm sure the guy will be rewarded if it turns out that his family had nothing to do with the theft in the first place. Honestly, if I were in his place, and I knew somehow that the guitar was known to be stolen by the guy returning it (I'm not saying that's the case here), I'd withhold a big check and give the guy a black eye before a kiss on the cheek.

 

[Midnight Toker]

True, but if the guy knew, he likely would have never fessed up to having it.

What would be truly honorable, Paul giving the guy one of his other 4 that he acquired much later. It would still be a very valuable instrument, but not “the” one.

There have been numerous long lost instruments reunited w/ their rightful owners in the last 10 years. Notably Jimmy Page’s Black Beauty (he even placed a reward ad in the back of Rolling Stone magazine for it in 1971) One of my fav stories is Peter Frampton’s famous 3 pup Les Paul. Thought to be gone forever, It was found by a diver in the Caribbean inside of a small plane that crashed in the late 70’s. Somehow the instrument survived and was restored and returned to him.

 

[GGJaguar]

Good info here: https://www.debassist.nl/muzieknieuws/artikel/2-29077/paul-mccartneys-first-hfner-is-back

 

[Canard]

Good info here: https://www.debassist.nl/muzieknieuws/artikel/2-29077/paul-mccartneys-first-hfner-is-back

Nice find!

 

[GAD]

Good info here: https://www.debassist.nl/muzieknieuws/artikel/2-29077/paul-mccartneys-first-hfner-is-back

So many words. Anyone have a TL;DR?

 

[davismanLV]

One of my fav stories is Peter Frampton’s famous 3 pup Les Paul. Thought to be gone forever, It was found by a diver in the Caribbean inside of a small plane that crashed in the late 70’s. Somehow the instrument survived and was restored and returned to him.

So I guess it's well humidified, at least.

 

[HeyMikey]

Great story!

 

[GGJaguar]

The bass was actually returned to Sir Paul back in September. He's had little to say. So far, anyway.

Paul McCartney | News | Statement on Höfner Bass

Following the launch of last year's Lost Bass project, Paul’s 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass guitar, which was stolen in 1972, has been returned.

www.paulmccartney.com

 

[walrus]

That's a cool story! I hope he gave the returner an autograph at least!

I'm quoting myself to say this was sarcasm! I should have added this - . Or something...

Surprisingly, nowhere does it say Paul offered a reward when the "search" first started. Maybe that's why he's rich and I'm not.

 

[tonepoet]

May a curse descend upon all instrument thieves!!!

 

[Neal]

So I guess it's well humidified, at least.

i happened to be in Milwaukee the third night he played the old LP again on stage. The first set was the complete Frampton Comes Alive, in order.