A worldwide search has been launched to locate Sir Paul McCartney’s missing Hofner 500/1 electric bass guitar, purchased for a mere £30 and now estimated to be worth over £10 million. This iconic instrument, described as having “powered Beatlemania and shaped the sound of the modern world,” has gone missing, sparking the Lost Bass project’s mission to recover it.
The historic bass guitar was acquired by Beatles legend McCartney in 1961 from a music store in Hamburg. McCartney’s affinity for the instrument was evident as he played it at renowned venues like the Top Ten Club in Hamburg and Liverpool’s Cavern Club. Additionally, the bass guitar featured prominently in the Beatles’ early recordings at the legendary Abbey Road studios and was heard on hits like “Love Me Do,” “She Loves You,” and “Twist And Shout.”
After a period of relative inactivity, McCartney once again picked up the bass guitar in early 1969 during the recording of the Get Back/Let It Be sessions in London. This instrument was also prominently featured in the Peter Jackson documentary “Get Back,” released in 2021.
However, it was during these sessions in January 1969 that the bass guitar mysteriously disappeared, a year before the Beatles disbanded. Despite several rumors regarding its disappearance, the exact fate of this legendary instrument remains one of the greatest mysteries in the history of rock and roll.
The Lost Bass project, consisting of dedicated individuals passionate about reuniting McCartney with his beloved bass guitar, has launched an extensive global search to find what they consider “the most important bass in history.” The instrument’s unique features, including custom-made modifications, make it highly distinctive, setting it apart from other Hofner 500/1 bass guitars.
Nick Wass, a bass expert and Hofner executive involved in the search, believes that the bass guitar’s storied history and its association with iconic venues like Hamburg, The Cavern Club, and Abbey Road are compelling reasons to bring it back to McCartney. He stated that McCartney would be thrilled if the bass guitar could be recovered and returned to him.
If successfully located, Sir Paul McCartney’s missing bass guitar could potentially become one of the most valuable musical instruments ever found, with an estimated worth exceeding £10 million. For reference, the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction was Kurt Cobain’s Martin D-18B, which fetched $6 million (£4.77 million) in Los Angeles in 2020.
