The Search for Paul McCartney’s Lost Bass

This was the bass that powered Beatlemania. He used it in Hamburg for several residencies, and he played it over 250 times at The Cavern Club. It was used to record The Beatles’ first two albums – Please Please Me and With The Beatles. It’s the bass you hear on Love Me Do, Twist and Shout, All My Loving, She Loves You and other hit singles.

Although it was relegated to backup bass in late 1963, it remained in use until The Beatles’ breakup in 1969. It stayed with Paul until one dark, cold night in October 1972 when tragedy struck. Someone stole it in the night from a van used to transport equipment. We thought we would never see it again. But we have!

Paul with the Lost Bass in 1969. Copyright Apple Films Ltd.

The search for Paul McCartney’s lost Höfner bass began in 2018 with a page on the Höfner website. The response was limited, but some useful leads were offered; in the end, none proved positive. However, following an article in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, in September 2023, the news that the search was on exploded worldwide. Newspapers and television stations carried the story across the world.

Within three weeks, the bass surfaced! It had lain in the loft of a house in Hastings in Sussex, England, for years. The homeowner, Cathy Guest, identified the bass online and realised it was the subject of a search. As she lived only a few miles from Paul McCartney’s home, she took it there to show them. Paul was away, but his staff soon altered MPL and the bass was picked up the following day.

It was authenticated by Nick Wass to confirm that it was indeed the Lost Bass, not a fake. Subsequently, it was taken for restoration and made playable again. Finally, Paul would once again play the bass live on stage at the O2 Arena in London on December 19th 2024.

Paul with the “Lost Bass” on Dec 19th in London.