A worldwide search is on to reunite Sir Paul McCartney with his much-missed “favourite” guitar that he played on Love Me Do, Twist and Shout and She Loves You.
Macca was an unknown teenager when he bought his first Hofner 500/1 electric bass for just £30 in a shop in Hamburg in 1961.
Experts say if found the guitar which disappeared at the end of the 1960s could now be worth more
than £10million.
Hofner has launched a quest to find the lost guitar after Sir Paul, 81, recently told the manufacturers how much he would like to be reunited with his beloved bass.
Nick Wass, a Hofner executive who is in contact with the legend’s office, said: “When I’ve met Paul we’ve talked about his first Hofner bass and where it could be. Paul said to me: ‘Hey, because you’re from Hofner, couldn’t you help find my bass?’
“That’s what sparked this great hunt. Seeing what the lost bass means to Paul, I was determined to solve the mystery.” Hundreds of people have got in touch after the search was launched with the hashtag #tracingthebass on social media. It invites anyone with information about its whereabouts to come forward.
Sir Paul used the guitar from 1961 to 1963, playing live and recording some of the band’s biggest hits in Hamburg and at Liverpool’s Cavern club before being put to one side.
The star picked it up again in January 1969, when The Beatles were in London recording the sessions for Let It Be. Then it seemed to disappear. Wass added: “For most people, they will remember it. It’s the bass that made the Beatles.”
Meanwhile, Sir Paul has revealed his wife’s bedtime viewing is often “too exciting” for him. He was asked by fans on his website what he did to relax while touring and Sir Paul, who rates Better Call Saul, replied: “Some of the things she’ll watch, the plot will keep you up all night! So I try to read biographies.”
