The Guardian reported on the 15th that Paul McCartney, a member of the legendary British band ‘The Beatles’, recovered his bass guitar that was stolen in October 1972 after about 51 years. McCartney’s spokesperson announced on McCartney’s official website that day, “His ‘1961 Höfner 500/1 bass guitar’, which was stolen in 1972, has been returned.”
McCartney purchased this German-made instrument with a unique symmetrical shape for 30 pounds (about 53,000 won) while playing at a nightclub in Hamburg, Germany in 1961, when he was unknown. He said in a past interview, “It was cheap enough for me to buy it,” and “I fell in love with it as soon as I bought it.” He was praised for having a rich tone.”
After forming the Beatles, he used it to perform hit songs such as ‘Twist and Shout’ and ‘Love Me Do’. However, in 1972, this bass guitar was stolen after being left in the back seat of a van parked in the Redbroke Grove area of London.
McCartney, who had long inquired about the whereabouts of the guitar, asked manufacturer Höfner last year to help find it. Höfner started the ‘Lost Bass’ project through his website and social media. In September of the same year, a report was received from a resident of Hastings, southern England, saying, “There is an old bass guitar in the attic of the house,” and it was confirmed that it was McCartney’s instrument.
Hoepfner disclosed that the thief of the instrument sold it to a nearby tavern owner for pennies and free beer. He explained that he was later moved to Hastings and has been in the informant’s attic ever since. He continued, “The instrument was stored in almost intact condition. “It needs some repairs, but it can be played,” he said.
Some predict that when this instrument is put up for auction, it will be sold more expensively than the guitar used by Kurt Cobain, singer of the American band ‘Nirvana’, which was sold for 4.9 million pounds (about 8.2 billion won) in 2020. Another former member of the Beatles, John Lennon, also had his guitar stolen in 1963, but it was recovered decades later. The guitar was sold at an auction in 2015 for 1.9 million pounds (about 3.2 billion won).
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.