We all have our tools- whether it’s the soccer ball to kick, the shoes to run, or the pencil to draw. But in Paul Mccartney’s case, it’s a bass guitar.
The Beatles rose to fame in England in 1962 and 1963 with hits like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Please Please Me.” More and more groundbreaking songs were released, making the band flourish across the United States as well. Soon enough, the band was touring and releasing albums for all of the world to listen to. Inspired by their influencers such as Chuck Berry and Elvis Presely, the quartet became known as one of the greatest bands of all time.
But in the midst of their fame, McCartney’s tool for success was one of the key instruments in the band. The story of his bass guitar goes back to 1961, where McCartney walked into a music store in Germany empty handed, only to come back out later with a bass guitar in hand. He ended up buying a Violin Bass called the Höfner, 500/1 bass. Little did he know, this bass would be present in major hits such as “Twist and Shout” and “Love Me Do.” And McCartney loved it.
But in 1969, the guitar disappeared without a trace. Was it stolen? Was it left behind? Nobody knew, but suspicions had included that the bass was left at Abbey Road Studios or Apple Corps Recording Studio. Several people even believed that it left England and traveled across oceans. Wherever the bass was, it was clear that the tragic vanishing of the guitar left a hole in the band’s morale. Decades went by, and the music changing bass was still missing from society.
During the uproar, over six hundred people contacted the newly formed Lost Bass Project. The responses led to clues, which led to discoveries. The project learned that the bass was stolen “from the back of a 3 ton van during the night of 10th October 1972, in the Notting Hill area of London.” The thief had sold the bass to a family-owned pub in London, only to be traced back in the past year. This family discovered an old bass in their attic in September 2023, raising the theory that this bass could possibly have belonged to McCartney.
After debates, research, and more information, it was learned that that bass was, in fact, belonging to Paul. The guitar needed repairs, but for being missing for so long, it was in decent shape.
According to McCartney’s official website, “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. The guitar has been authenticated by Höfner and Paul is incredibly grateful to all those involved.”
And so one of the many tools that people use, just like the soccer balls, tennis shoes, and #2 pencils, one of the most important missing instruments of our world today, was found.
