The thief could have sold it, but not as Paul McCartney's bass, or would have been instantly caught. So, the bass has no value unless it's legally in McCartney's hands or unless McCartney decides to auction it off.
This video was so well done and the story so well told that the 10 minutes flew by like 2 minutes. Excellent work. And thank goodness they found the bass.
This is the best video I have seen to date regarding the recovery of Paul’s bass. Most others include stock photos of McCartney with both his original ‘61 along with pictures of his later ‘63 bass adding confusion to the story to anyone not knowledgeable about the differences of the two basses. Also most have some incorrect or misleading information, muddling the story. This video is done very well. Thank you for posting it!
Well, not HIS bass, though. If HIS bass was so well known, so would the unique rounded back. And Hofner certainly didn't want this (error? more expensive build feature?) known - they wanted (WANT) to sell Paul Model basses forever.
The statute of limitations applies to civil law, not to criminal law. In English law, anyway. I can’t comment on other jurisdictions, but the reasons for applying limits only to civil law and not to criminal would suggest it is likely to be the same in other jurisdictions.
It seems odd that only one item was stolen from the truck. Or at least only one was mentioned. Knowing Paul's proclivities, there could have been herbal material stolen as well. Or not.
Countless articles, news stories, and YT videos about the return of Paul's bass, and this relatively short vid was more informative and better presented than all of them combined! Subscribed.
Not just "the most identifiable instrument in the Beatles" - I would argue that Paul's Hofner bass is the single most recognisable instrument in the world.
Great video. You really know your stuff. Too many other videos posted by other youtubers end up showing the wrong bass instead of the 61. Excellent. Your content is always top notch. It would be great if the moment Macca got his original bass back was filmed. Would love to see THAT moment. Maybe there will be a documentary about this story? Cheers
The whole story is just so crazy. But I'm beyond happy for Paul. Can't imagine how it must have felt to finally have the bass back after all this time.
I believe the thief's WHOLE family knew , even his wife . Men who steal like to brag and I'm sure after a few glasses of beer he would spew off his mouth . When you steal a person's instrument , you are cursed the rest of your life or until you make it right .
Apparently the Bass was re strung right handed so it was probably played for some time. I doubt if those who played it, possibly in public would have been aware that it was such a famous Bass. That would have been risky. The dad was obviously a schmuck but his sons and possibly the dad himself may have been totally unaware of it’s origins. When the dad finally sold it to the bartender he apparently did not get much at all for it. Supposedly he used it to pay off a drinking debt.
The thief had to steal more than one item. If he was clearing out whole trucks, he and his pal might have a hundred or three hundred or maybe only 50 dust-collectorss. At some point, the thief might not even know what he has: "Can I get more money for this than that?" And a decade or three later, he's probably remember Paul's Bass as a big deal - which doesn't get any smalller - IN HIS MIND - if he's aware of the bass's owner. But maybe more frightened to confess. Leaving it in an attic is NOT the sign of an aware or smart collector, either. His need to brag about Paul's Posssion now being HIS possession might be great for his bar-buddies, but it might not herald his esteen to his family. He might find it very easy to SHUT UP and not confess he's a thief and possessor. So eventually, his family never knows.
the most bizarre part to me was that Paul didn't offer up the information of when and where it was stolen when he asked the question of where his original bass is. it took decades just to reach that point and surely he would've remembered that.
Actually, withholding this piece of information could be a way of authenticating any eventual finding! If some bass shows up with the famous history, then it would be a fake. The real one should in some way match the unknown version of the theft (which Paul would know for sure).
Paul still tours with his 1963 Hofner, which has appeared on more Beatles recordings than the 1961 has. The 1963 bass was also used during many iconic performances… Ed Sullivan, Shea Stadium, Hollywood Bowl, Candlestick Park, and the Apple rooftop. If he’s willing to take that bass on the road, I don’t see why he wouldn’t take the 1961 bass on the road.
If the bass feels as comfortable as his usual bass, he might play it at least a little bit. But then perhaps not if he’s already used to his usual touring bass and don’t want to be bothered making adjustments in EQ settings due to different pickups.
As pleased as I am that Paul McCartney's 1961 Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass Guitar has been returned to him, I hope that he continues to use his 1963 Höfner bass guitar as his main instrument, since it would have become his main Höfner bass guitar instead of the 1961 one for a reason. The 1963 one also looks better in my opinion. As it has that large violin/small cello/double bass look that I love. And now that he has his 1961 one back, he's probably going to start using it in live concerts again.
@@Mozart12201 I know. But since they are both Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass Guitars that sound almost if not the same, I think looks hold significance. Fortunately it looks like he's still going to use his 1963 Höfner bass guitar as his instrument, despite being reunited with his 1961 Höfner bass guitar for the first time in decades.
@@c.syde65 He has stated that he doesn;t really use the Hofner in the studio because it does not hold a tune accurately. It's OK live where minor issues aren't noticed, but the studio reveals all.
@@Mozart12201 Nah, he still uses it frequently in the studio as well. Or at least he did back in the 00's. He also used the Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass Guitar on The Beatles' most recent song 'Now and Then', according to what footage of the recording sessions show. I'm not sure how frequently he uses other bass guitars when he isn't recording album tracks. But according to the personnel of some of his more recent albums like _Chaos and Creation in the Backyard_ , it is his primary bass guitar. He went through a period of not using it on recordings after January 1969. But for the recording sessions of _Flowers in the Dirt_ , he was persuaded to bring the Höfner out of retirement. And has been regularly using it since.
I'm a lifelong fan of the Beatles since the early mid sixties. I've learnt more in the last ten minutes than in the past 35 years! Well done for being a Beatlemaniac!
The theft was reported in newspapers in 1972 but for some reason nobody remembered or checked that. Everybody assumed it was stolen in 1969 since it's featured in a handful of scenes in Let It Be, near the beggining of the sessions. Paul retrograded the bass as his number 2 since 1967 though and that's why it vanished.
The thing is that the newspaper stories back in 1972 didn't specify what instrument had been stolen, so I guess everyone thought it was just some old guitar that didn't matter that much since Paul had plenty of other guitars.
@@LapsangTe yes but not that often a theft involving Paul's instruments happened. So I think it would've been obvious and easily searcheable in libraries. Local newspapers would've been a safe bet in pinpointing certain details but I guess asking the people who took care of the instruments was way easier and better in every regard. They had no idea where it happened and when, kinda curious that Paul had a faint recollection of the event.
i’m just shocked paul hasn’t posted anything about it… i know he most likely 100% doesn’t run his social media account alone so you’d think the mccartney team would have made some kind of announcement
I studied the few photos of Sutcliffe holding his Bass for photo shoots and it looks like the heavier E and A strings are on THE BOTTOM in 2 of those pictures. The string ends around the tuning pegs are very long and sloppy too. Since the photos are not absolutely clear I might be incorrect in what I see but if so maybe Paul did get his way and did change or replace the strings to be left handed. That would have meant that the nut would have been cut to accommodate the change but that would not have made it impossible to re string the Bass back to being right handed. There is one photo where Paul has his new Hofner and Stu is holding his Hofner. It isn’t clear enough to see if Sutcliffe’s Bass is possibly re strung back to right handed in that photo.
Well done. I'm amazed that Paul didn't get a second bass guitar ---of any kind until 1963. Left-handed basses were VERY uncommon in the early 1960's. If his only (left-handed) bass had been lost or broken in , say, London or Stockholm, there might have been a chance of finding another left-handed bass in the hours before a gig. However, in some of the other places they played in those years, such as Aberdeen , Scotland, the chances of finding a substitute left-handed bass would been very slim indeed.
Thank you for the great story I have a question! One of Paul’s Hoffner’s he got From Stu Sutcliffe, When Stu won an award and the Beatles asked him to buy a bass is this the same bass or is it different bass?
I just hope that we get to see Paul playing the bass. I just want video of him holding it. Let alone playing it live or recording with it again! I'd also like to see his Rickenbacker, I feel like that one's been MIA for a bit.
EXCELLENT VIDEO! I would love to interview you one day if you’re amenable to that! Do you like the blues? Do you like jazz? Do you like Motown? Who are The Beatles to you? Keep being you! I will pray for America. Please pray for me. God Bless you.
After being stored in an attic presumably for years. It seems like the bass would need a complete restoration. Warped neck, fret sprout, delaminating wood, joints coming apart etc. It doesn’t take much neglect to ruin a hollow body guitar.
When I started playing in the early 80s, my first bass was a replica of Paul's because I was a lefty too, and didnt know any other lefty bass players. I was more of a Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden fan, but still, its Paul McCartney. Still have mine, but its probably worth about $5. 😅
When Paul went out on tour in 1989, he brought back the Hofner bass to use on the tour and compared it to Charlie Chaplin's cane, saying that you just expected to see it.
I agree the timeline is a bit odd regarding when it was returned and then given to Paul. Also, my understanding is it was the son of the person that had the bass that first stated (via x/twitter) several months after returning the bass that the bass had been returned, . Why didn't either Paul or his group report this info first?
I believe that is correct- the ‘61 was definitely filmed during the Twickenham portion of GB/LiB. Later the ‘63 was played on the roof and other times when they played at Apple.
That's crazy that it would be a total 1 off. But that makes sense. Especially if it's the first custom order. Now wonder Paul would want it to be 100% real deal, and then get it fixed up. Of course ya want to play it. Not sure what the biggest gear heist was but there's that time Sonic Youth had their entire sound truck on tour stolen. They have managed to get some back. But good luck with that. Their webpage has a decent archive all about it with photos and more info.
I'm confused. If it went missing in 69 but got stolen in 72, where was it those 3 years? Or did Paul actually still have it until 72, and why did everyone think it went missing in 69? I'm missing a piece here.
I agree; the Hofners were definitely out of the picture when he started Wings; same with the Vox AC30 amplifiers that were reportedly stolen along with the bass from the equipment truck.
Finally someone who asks what I’ve asked since this new bit of evidence (1972 theft of bass from a truck) came out about a year ago. This is what we know: 1. ‘61 was used early in Get Back/Let it Be project 2. ‘61 was stolen from a truck/van in 1972 3. Most every Beatles gear book/website has erroneously repeated that the ‘61 was stolen in 1969 from an Abbey Road storage closet. Why?? Who started this myth? This myth took hold so well that if what another commenter said is true that even Paul has stated the 1969 story. Did Paul repeat that just to save the reputations or his 1972 sound crew as this video suggests was the reason why Paul didn’t file a police report in the 70’s. I think as Mark Lewisohn has said sometimes the Beatles don’t even know or remember the true details of some of their stories.
One of the kids of the family was ‘given’ a three bedroom house in Brighton after the bass was returned. Whether it was given by PMcC or bought with any reward I don’t know. Apparently someone is making a film about the story of the bass and how it was returned.
Huh, I knew it was stolen from a van in 1972. Dunno why you guys thought otherwise. The story of John's acoustic stolen in the sixties and showing up in a San Diego pawn shop recently is a fascinating thing too.
Paul played his original Hofner bass at his 19 December 2024 concert at the O2 Arena - I was there!
me too!
Me too...great moment when he first played the lost bass
I was there too! What a night
The thief could never sell it, the bass was too well known. Crazy how it finally saw the light of day again. Amazing! 🤘😛🤘
I read somewhere that when the thief found out that it might be Paul's bass, he decided against selling it knowing it is a hot item.
Says right in this video that the thief SOLD it to the owner of the Pub.
@@bpabustan😊
The thief could have sold it, but not as Paul McCartney's bass, or would have been instantly caught. So, the bass has no value unless it's legally in McCartney's hands or unless McCartney decides to auction it off.
There have been so many junk AI videos in my feed lately covering this story. It's so nice to see you covering it in great detail.
agreed.
Agreed. Hate them. I hope to be able to block them someday.
This video was so well done and the story so well told that the 10 minutes flew by like 2 minutes. Excellent work. And thank goodness they found the bass.
This is the best video I have seen to date regarding the recovery of Paul’s bass. Most others include stock photos of McCartney with both his original ‘61 along with pictures of his later ‘63 bass adding confusion to the story to anyone not knowledgeable about the differences of the two basses. Also most have some incorrect or misleading information, muddling the story. This video is done very well. Thank you for posting it!
great comment ! completely agree
Well, not HIS bass, though. If HIS bass was so well known, so would the unique rounded back. And Hofner certainly didn't want this (error? more expensive build feature?) known - they wanted (WANT) to sell Paul Model basses forever.
So nice of Paul to not put his name against the theft
The statute of limitations was probably long up.
@@kingofallwhites We don`t have that in England.
The statute of limitations applies to civil law, not to criminal law. In English law, anyway. I can’t comment on other jurisdictions, but the reasons for applying limits only to civil law and not to criminal would suggest it is likely to be the same in other jurisdictions.
It seems odd that only one item was stolen from the truck. Or at least only one was mentioned. Knowing Paul's proclivities, there could have been herbal material stolen as well. Or not.
Stu Suttcliffe's true calling was painting. His work is terrific and he was about to break out on the art scene in a big way but tragedy struck.
Countless articles, news stories, and YT videos about the return of Paul's bass, and this relatively short vid was more informative and better presented than all of them combined! Subscribed.
THIS! SO MUCH THIS!
Not just "the most identifiable instrument in the Beatles" - I would argue that Paul's Hofner bass is the single most recognisable instrument in the world.
I would say your right there.
Ringo's drum is way more recognisable
WOAH -YEAH!
@@multiversogeek142yeah no, anyone can recognize that shape of the bass, it’s familiar with everyone all around the world
It's fantastic that Paul finally got it back. 😮
Paul McCartney died in 1966. The bass got stolen after William had entered.
🤦
@@thegreatdonato478 Please stop. Your stupidity is painful.
@@thegreatdonato478Utter nonsense.
I’m so glad that Paul got his beloved bass back. That instrument is part of rock and roll history.
Just wait until the tax man comes for the taxes on the increase in value from 72 to 2024!
Great video. You really know your stuff. Too many other videos posted by other youtubers end up showing the wrong bass instead of the 61. Excellent. Your content is always top notch. It would be great if the moment Macca got his original bass back was filmed. Would love to see THAT moment. Maybe there will be a documentary about this story? Cheers
Paul will PR this at some point. And deservedly so.
betcha Paul brings his '61 Hofner out in the middle of a concert to surprise his audience
I love that people were so dedicated about thus
The whole story is just so crazy. But I'm beyond happy for Paul. Can't imagine how it must have felt to finally have the bass back after all this time.
I believe the thief's WHOLE family knew , even his wife . Men who steal like to brag and I'm sure after a few glasses of beer he would spew off his mouth . When you steal a person's instrument , you are cursed the rest of your life or until you make it right .
Apparently the Bass was re strung right handed so it was probably played for some time. I doubt if those who played it, possibly in public would have been aware that it was such a famous Bass. That would have been risky. The dad was obviously a schmuck but his sons and possibly the dad himself may have been totally unaware of it’s origins. When the dad finally sold it to the bartender he apparently did not get much at all for it. Supposedly he used it to pay off a drinking debt.
Well that just shows you don't know the family then 🤷🤷
Well they do live in Hastings….
Stop making assumptions. The best criminals ever are people you’ll never know existed. Generalizations are nonsense.
The thief had to steal more than one item. If he was clearing out whole trucks, he and his pal might have a hundred or three hundred or maybe only 50 dust-collectorss. At some point, the thief might not even know what he has: "Can I get more money for this than that?" And a decade or three later, he's probably remember Paul's Bass as a big deal - which doesn't get any smalller - IN HIS MIND - if he's aware of the bass's owner. But maybe more frightened to confess. Leaving it in an attic is NOT the sign of an aware or smart collector, either. His need to brag about Paul's Posssion now being HIS possession might be great for his bar-buddies, but it might not herald his esteen to his family. He might find it very easy to SHUT UP and not confess he's a thief and possessor. So eventually, his family never knows.
Great episode; I love when you delve into music history things.
the most bizarre part to me was that Paul didn't offer up the information of when and where it was stolen when he asked the question of where his original bass is. it took decades just to reach that point and surely he would've remembered that.
Paul probably didn't even realize when it first went missing
Actually, withholding this piece of information could be a way of authenticating any eventual finding! If some bass shows up with the famous history, then it would be a fake. The real one should in some way match the unknown version of the theft (which Paul would know for sure).
Saw the articles come out on this but decided to wait because I knew for sure that you would cover it!
Paul still tours with his 1963 Hofner, which has appeared on more Beatles recordings than the 1961 has. The 1963 bass was also used during many iconic performances… Ed Sullivan, Shea Stadium, Hollywood Bowl, Candlestick Park, and the Apple rooftop. If he’s willing to take that bass on the road, I don’t see why he wouldn’t take the 1961 bass on the road.
He may use it in studio for the emotional attachment, but in the road is really improbable he will use as you said
If the bass feels as comfortable as his usual bass, he might play it at least a little bit. But then perhaps not if he’s already used to his usual touring bass and don’t want to be bothered making adjustments in EQ settings due to different pickups.
Excellent job summing up the story. Clear and informative!
Can't wait to see Paul use this to fight Thanos in Avengers 6: Beatlemania
As pleased as I am that Paul McCartney's 1961 Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass Guitar has been returned to him, I hope that he continues to use his 1963 Höfner bass guitar as his main instrument, since it would have become his main Höfner bass guitar instead of the 1961 one for a reason.
The 1963 one also looks better in my opinion. As it has that large violin/small cello/double bass look that I love. And now that he has his 1961 one back, he's probably going to start using it in live concerts again.
The way a musical instrument "looks" is irrelevant.
@@Mozart12201 I know. But since they are both Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass Guitars that sound almost if not the same, I think looks hold significance. Fortunately it looks like he's still going to use his 1963 Höfner bass guitar as his instrument, despite being reunited with his 1961 Höfner bass guitar for the first time in decades.
@@c.syde65 He has stated that he doesn;t really use the Hofner in the studio because it does not hold a tune accurately. It's OK live where minor issues aren't noticed, but the studio reveals all.
@@Mozart12201 Nah, he still uses it frequently in the studio as well. Or at least he did back in the 00's. He also used the Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass Guitar on The Beatles' most recent song 'Now and Then', according to what footage of the recording sessions show.
I'm not sure how frequently he uses other bass guitars when he isn't recording album tracks. But according to the personnel of some of his more recent albums like _Chaos and Creation in the Backyard_ , it is his primary bass guitar.
He went through a period of not using it on recordings after January 1969. But for the recording sessions of _Flowers in the Dirt_ , he was persuaded to bring the Höfner out of retirement. And has been regularly using it since.
I'm a lifelong fan of the Beatles since the early mid sixties. I've learnt more in the last ten minutes than in the past 35 years! Well done for being a Beatlemaniac!
Really enjoy your coverage of the story, and your presentation and setup is GREAT!
Great Story, my man: essential and interesting update for any and all of (us) Beatles and Maca fans out here-Cheers!😊
*macca*
@@BA-vv4jy Apologies for the misspelling of the great man's nickname!
Mission accomplished! I'm very happy for Paul!
Now, that's said, let's find James Jamerson's Funk Machine!
@@thegreatdonato478🤦
"and here's a little clue for you all ... the Walrus was Paul ... "
Well done video. You said it all.
Fascinating, truly amazing story! ❤️
The theft was reported in newspapers in 1972 but for some reason nobody remembered or checked that. Everybody assumed it was stolen in 1969 since it's featured in a handful of scenes in Let It Be, near the beggining of the sessions. Paul retrograded the bass as his number 2 since 1967 though and that's why it vanished.
The thing is that the newspaper stories back in 1972 didn't specify what instrument had been stolen, so I guess everyone thought it was just some old guitar that didn't matter that much since Paul had plenty of other guitars.
@@LapsangTe yes but not that often a theft involving Paul's instruments happened. So I think it would've been obvious and easily searcheable in libraries. Local newspapers would've been a safe bet in pinpointing certain details but I guess asking the people who took care of the instruments was way easier and better in every regard. They had no idea where it happened and when, kinda curious that Paul had a faint recollection of the event.
i’m just shocked paul hasn’t posted anything about it… i know he most likely 100% doesn’t run his social media account alone so you’d think the mccartney team would have made some kind of announcement
Very nice! Well done! Thank you.
Your film set is one of the best I've seen on all of YT. Bonus points for them Sansui's bro
Great video.
I hope it gets played on the new album. Also, seeing him play it would be equally awesome.
All stuff I didn't know about! Very interesting video!
Thank you. It's nice to see a credible "bow" put on this story. Well done sir.
Awesome episode
Still can't believe that this channel doesn't have a million subs 🤷
Me neither 😢
I studied the few photos of Sutcliffe holding his Bass for photo shoots and it looks like the heavier E and A strings are on THE BOTTOM in 2 of those pictures. The string ends around the tuning pegs are very long and sloppy too. Since the photos are not absolutely clear I might be incorrect in what I see but if so maybe Paul did get his way and did change or replace the strings to be left handed. That would have meant that the nut would have been cut to accommodate the change but that would not have made it impossible to re string the Bass back to being right handed. There is one photo where Paul has his new Hofner and Stu is holding his Hofner. It isn’t clear enough to see if Sutcliffe’s Bass is possibly re strung back to right handed in that photo.
Great video.
Fantastic video!
And the bass appeared yesterday in public
This reminds me of the story with Randy Bachman's Gretsch
Well done. I'm amazed that Paul didn't get a second bass guitar ---of any kind until 1963. Left-handed basses were VERY uncommon in the early 1960's. If his only (left-handed) bass had been lost or broken in , say, London or Stockholm, there might have been a chance of finding another left-handed bass in the hours before a gig. However, in some of the other places they played in those years, such as Aberdeen , Scotland, the chances of finding a substitute left-handed bass would been very slim indeed.
They weren't exact;y made of money pre 63.
Paul, "That's my bass" when he saw the photos of the recovered bass. He is the ultimate expert!
Love your collection on the back wall of oversized US Beatles LPs. Where did you score them?
What a fantastic video have a wonderful day ❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊
Now I’m all caught up! Thanks.
I sure hope the lady who returned it got a big hug and a kiss from Paul.
so awesome! glad they found it!
Thank you for the great story I have a question! One of Paul’s Hoffner’s he got From Stu Sutcliffe, When Stu won an award and the Beatles asked him to buy a bass is this the same bass or is it different bass?
Different one; Stu’s was a Hofner President Model.
Good work.
YAyyyyyy!!!! I always wanted it to be found. Surprised I just found this out.
The funniest part is that Paul's bass was in the attic of a college student who makes Doctor Who fan films
Amazing research! Great job!!
Never put the instrument above the musician. Paul can play any bass and it will sound great!
I just hope that we get to see Paul playing the bass. I just want video of him holding it. Let alone playing it live or recording with it again!
I'd also like to see his Rickenbacker, I feel like that one's been MIA for a bit.
EXCELLENT VIDEO!
I would love to interview you one day if you’re amenable to that!
Do you like the blues?
Do you like jazz?
Do you like Motown?
Who are The Beatles to you?
Keep being you!
I will pray for America.
Please pray for me.
God Bless you.
I can't believe they finally found it
After being stored in an attic presumably for years. It seems like the bass would need a complete restoration. Warped neck, fret sprout, delaminating wood, joints coming apart etc. It doesn’t take much neglect to ruin a hollow body guitar.
I'm sooo happy for Paul that he's finally reunited with his bass. It's a great story though.
Sure wish my 1954 Stratocaster with a Jazzmaster neck would get "found" ... I've only been waiting for it since July of 1965.
Nice to see the late Chas Newby get a shout out.
you have the best set in the game
When I started playing in the early 80s, my first bass was a replica of Paul's because I was a lefty too, and didnt know any other lefty bass players. I was more of a Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden fan, but still, its Paul McCartney.
Still have mine, but its probably worth about $5. 😅
Como todo acontecimiento que rodea a la historia de the Beatles, fascinante y misteriosa ✨
Great story!
He pulled it out last night at London's 02 arena! Dec. 19, 2024
VERY hopeful he uses it again
Trevor Jones from the Buggles used to work for sir paul mcartney? amazing !
I have it, on the BEST Authority, that paul McCartney's bass was found, Gently Weeping. Keep up the good investigative reporting!🙂.
I had no idea his bass was even stolen 😂
Happy for Paul. I know he said he would like to know where it had gone.
Paul said in an interview,...He Had "a couple of em (Bass's) Nicked," during the filming of "Let it Be."
Imagine having a priceless bass and just toss it in your humid/cold attic
When Paul went out on tour in 1989, he brought back the Hofner bass to use on the tour and compared it to Charlie Chaplin's cane, saying that you just expected to see it.
That guitar may be one of the highest priced collectable ever in the future
cool video
I agree the timeline is a bit odd regarding when it was returned and then given to Paul. Also, my understanding is it was the son of the person that had the bass that first stated (via x/twitter) several months after returning the bass that the bass had been returned, . Why didn't either Paul or his group report this info first?
This is crazy ❤
Glad it got back to where it once belonged!!😁
I'm a bit confused. Was this the bass featured in the Get Back session where Paul is writing the song "Get Back" right in front of our eyes?
I believe that is correct- the ‘61 was definitely filmed during the Twickenham portion of GB/LiB. Later the ‘63 was played on the roof and other times when they played at Apple.
That's crazy that it would be a total 1 off. But that makes sense. Especially if it's the first custom order. Now wonder Paul would want it to be 100% real deal, and then get it fixed up. Of course ya want to play it.
Not sure what the biggest gear heist was but there's that time Sonic Youth had their entire sound truck on tour stolen. They have managed to get some back. But good luck with that. Their webpage has a decent archive all about it with photos and more info.
I'm confused. If it went missing in 69 but got stolen in 72, where was it those 3 years? Or did Paul actually still have it until 72, and why did everyone think it went missing in 69? I'm missing a piece here.
I agree; the Hofners were definitely out of the picture when he started Wings; same with the Vox AC30 amplifiers that were reportedly stolen along with the bass from the equipment truck.
Finally someone who asks what I’ve asked since this new bit of evidence (1972 theft of bass from a truck) came out about a year ago.
This is what we know:
1. ‘61 was used early in Get Back/Let it Be project
2. ‘61 was stolen from a truck/van in 1972
3. Most every Beatles gear book/website has erroneously repeated that the ‘61 was stolen in 1969 from an Abbey Road storage closet. Why??
Who started this myth? This myth took hold so well that if what another commenter said is true that even Paul has stated the 1969 story. Did Paul repeat that just to save the reputations or his 1972 sound crew as this video suggests was the reason why Paul didn’t file a police report in the 70’s.
I think as Mark Lewisohn has said sometimes the Beatles don’t even know or remember the true details of some of their stories.
I just found out “yesterday”
He already used it on the get back tour
can we get a update for buddy holleys electric guitar?
Wow, a cutom, 1961, left handed, carved back protoype Hofner bass, I bet it's worth a fortune.
This was some great news!
Is this the bass on early recordings like I SAW HER STANDING THERE and I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND and SHE LOVES YOU ?
I love that jacket.
Merci
I'm just glad to see him get it back. being ripped off blows, no matter who you are or how much you have.
Some articles saying it was stolen in 1963, others 1972. Which is correct?
Great story
That's great news :)
One of the kids of the family was ‘given’ a three bedroom house in Brighton after the bass was returned. Whether it was given by PMcC or bought with any reward I don’t know. Apparently someone is making a film about the story of the bass and how it was returned.
Paul got a violin shaped bass just like Little Richard's bassist. It was no accident.
A ton of his tracks were actually recorded with his rickenbacker
nice classic decor though
Huh, I knew it was stolen from a van in 1972. Dunno why you guys thought otherwise.
The story of John's acoustic stolen in the sixties and showing up in a San Diego pawn shop recently is a fascinating thing too.