News updates from the Lost Bass Project
18 November 2023 – The Search Continues
We’ve been very busy since we discovered that the Lost Bass was stolen from a 3-ton lorry on 10th October 1972. This was the breakthrough that we needed to begin following the trail of what happened next. And that is exactly what we have been doing, a lot of dedicated work to establish beyond any doubt where the bass went.
We search in public archives, looking for people who were around in 1972 and then try to establish where they are now and how to make contact. We have to be certain we are finding the correct people, so we cross reference as much as possible with dates, places, marriages, children and more. We certainly do not want to be going after the wrong people!
It is always essential that whoever we speak to remains anonymous and what they tell us remains confidential. When we talk to people, we make notes that we can use later to cross-check information to see if it ties up with other information we have already received. Remember, sometimes we seek what people remember from more than 50 years ago, which is often partial recollections from the hazy past.
Through our research and conversations with people, we know exactly who took the bass in the first place. We also now know what they did with it once they had it. It did not take long to establish what happened next, where the bass was, and with whom. We’ve cross-checked all the information more than once and are absolutely certain we are on the right path.
Naturally, you are eager to know who and what happened. But, because we have given confidentiality and anonymity to all concerned, we cannot tell you. For now, at least, please be patient and happy that we are nearly there. We know the bass still exists and hasn’t been destroyed; it’s out there, just waiting. The Lost Bass is almost within our grasp and we hope that before too long you’ll get some fantastic news. That will be one happy day for all of us who want Paul to regain his bass!
So, what will happen when we finally get the bass back? The first thing will be to authenticate it. To ascertain that it truly is Paul’s long-lost bass, the actual one. It’s no good finding the wrong bass, is it! For this, we have amassed numerous photographs and images from films that were shot in the 1960s. Using these, the bass will be thoroughly checked to ensure that it is authentic and that all of the components and the colours match up exactly with the images from the past.
Once the bass has been authenticated, an announcement will follow, no doubt setting the press and television alight with the good news. We will of course simultaneously announce it here on the Lost Bass website and send you the news by email.
What condition will the Lost Bass be in when we recover it? That we don’t know, of course. Some plans have already been made to give the bass an overhaul, though what this will entail depends upon its condition. It has been agreed that it will not be changed and left, as far as possible, in the condition as found, but made playable.
Once it has been overhauled, what would you like to see Paul do with it? Maybe it should go into a museum for public display? Perhaps you’d like to see Paul occasionally playing it once again at some of his shows? We don’t know yet, but whatever happens, it will be great that the Lost Bass isn’t lost anymore!
Thanks to all of you for your continued interest in this project and for all the tips we have received. We love you all!