Paul McCartney has finally been reunited with his famed Höfner bass guitar, stolen over 50 years ago in 1972. Confirming the news on his website, the former Beatle expressed his gratitude for the return of his 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass guitar. Authenticated by Höfner, the guitar’s return marks the culmination of the Lost Bass project initiated in 2018. Despite doubts and setbacks, the project persisted until the iconic bass was back where it belonged. McCartney’s bass, still housed in its original case, requires repairs to become playable again.
The search led to the revelation that the bass was stolen from a van in London’s Notting Hill area in 1972 and allegedly sold to Ronald Guest, the landlord of the Admiral Blake pub. The project gained momentum with coverage in The Sunday Telegraph last September, eventually leading to a breakthrough. A resident of Hastings contacted McCartney’s company after recognizing the bass, resulting in its return.
Ruaidhri Guest, who inherited the bass, announced its return on social media, acknowledging the media attention his family received. The Guest family plans to share more details about the bass’s journey in the future. The left-handed Höfner bass holds significant sentimental value for McCartney, having been used on numerous Beatles hits, including “She Loves You.”
