Paul McCartney's Lost Bass Turns Up
A 50-year mystery solved
Maybe I write about the Beatles too much. I love them. I can’t help it. So I’ve made an effort to pull back. But when a bass that was stolen 50 years ago suddenly appears, I think it’s noteworthy.
But first, we staged a SOLD OUT reading of the play I wrote on Monday.
and Ryan Felton absolutely killed it. The District Theatre in Indianapolis was the perfect spot. I couldn’t be happier about the evening.
Anyway… I attended my sixth Paul McCartney concert in Paris two weeks ago. It was magical as always, especially since it was situated in my favorite city in the world. Hearing Paul do a rare song or two, coupled with his fractured French commentary, made the night feel special.
But I’ll admit. Yesterday’s Paul show in London must have been mind-blowing. First, any time Ringo shows up to join him on stage is something. But to bring out the lost bass? For true Beatle nerds, it’s the icing on the cake.
I’ll back up. Paul McCartney has played a lot of basses through the years. But none are as recognizable as his Hofner violin bass. It’s as much his signature look now as it was when he was in the Beatles.
But there have basically been two Hofner models that have been the most important for Paul. First, he buys a 1961 model before the Beatles make it big. He uses it when they recorded their first two records—including pop culture-shifting songs like Twist and Shout, I Saw Her Standing There, All My Loving, and She Loves You.
Then, he receives the 1963 model in the fall of that year. From then on, it seems the newer ‘63 is his go-to bass. At least, to my knowledge, it’s the only one with which he appears on stage while in the Beatles thereafter.
After the fab four, Paul doesn’t seem to use his ‘63 violin bass again until ‘89 or so, when Elvis Costello encourages him to do it as the two are writing Paul’s album, Flowers in the Dirt.
But what about the 1961 bass? The original? Well, it was stolen. And it was the great Beatle mystery.
Until recently, fans last spot Paul’s original 1961 bass at Twickenham Studios during the filming of Let it Be. Paul is seen playing it as the Beatles rehearse. It’s refinished, but there it is.
At this point among the fan community, it’s widely believed the bass disappeared during these sessions at Twickenham.
However, the bass can be briefly seen in Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary leaning against an amplifier at the group’s studio on Saville Row during the session after Twickenham. That rules out the theft occurring at the film studio.
After it’s disappearance, Paul doesn’t comment on it often. He expresses disappointment. He also jokes occasionally that he believes it’s probably in a secret room, hung above a mantle, in an old German castle somewhere.
Fast forward to a few years ago. Hofner launches the Lost Bass Project, and finally there’s a serious effort to track it down. And then one day, there it is: A picture on Twitter of a kid holding it. It’s in disrepair but unmistakably Paul’s.
It’s cool to see. But it feels like a bit of an unceremonious return. The Lost Bass project offers a light explanation of how it surfaced, including the specific piece of information that it actually wasn’t stolen until October of 1972, when it was taken from a van storing a load of Wings’ equipment.
A few Paul fans are left scratching their heads, wondering why that information hasn’t been made more public through the years. But still, the Lost Bass Project offers an explanation for where it’s been:
“On September 2nd 2023 we wrote an article for The Sunday Telegraph newspaper outlining the search and who was on the team… As a result of the publicity someone living in a terraced house in Hastings on the south coast of England contacted Paul McCartney’s company and then returned the bass to them.”
Once returned, the Lost Bass Project is able to trace the bass’s provenance through its missing years. I read somewhere that it was bought by a pub owner, passed on to his relatives, and then eventually returned to Paul by one of those relative’s widows.
Paul’s people issue a very brief statement, but no other celebration or pomp really took place.
Until last night.
During the closing night of Paul’s tour at the O2 in London on December 19, 2024, it happens. Paul tells the crowd, “It got knicked, to tell you the truth. And we been looking for it for 50 years. Well, uh, I got it back.”
Fans go wild.
“And here to make its first stage appearance in 50 years… is my original bass.” With those words, Paul swung his 1963 Hofner off his shoulder, and replaced it with the newly found original 1961.
Then, he invited Rolling Stones member Ron Wood to join him on stage for Get Back. I would have absolutely gone crazy.
I comment on a photo of Paul with the original ‘61 bass, and a woman responds. She tags me and says, “it was me that found and returned it. Just happy everyone has seen it be played by PM either in person or video. It sounded amazing.”
I know social media can be a land of fakers and catfishers, but I go to her page. I think it’s her. I thank her. I ask her what it feels like the first moment she realizes that the bass in her house might be Paul’s. I also asked her if she got to meet him after she returned it.
I hope she did. But she hasn’t answered me yet.
I’ve written about the element of mystery in this forum a good bit recently, especially the concept that not all mysteries have to be solved. Because let’s face it, there will always be more we don’t know in the world than we do.
But to bring closure to this bit of Beatle lore does feel good for fans. I have no idea if my readers here will find it interesting. But I hope you do.
May all your mysteries resolve someday sooner rather than later.
That’s a great read!
Fascinating tale.