There’s Now An Update Regarding Paul McCartney’s Stolen Höfner Bass
via Seltaeb Eht / Youtube
In a recent development in the decades-long quest to recover Paul McCartney’s stolen Hofner bass guitar, a surprising revelation has come to light.
Ian Horne, a sound engineer who worked for Wings, claimed responsibility for the loss during a media campaign aimed at tracing the iconic instrument.
Horne recounts the incident, stating that in 1972, while preparing for Wings’ first UK and European tour and recording their second album, Red Rose Speedway, the band’s equipment, including McCartney’s bass, was stolen from a parked truck in Notting Hill.
Despite their efforts to recover the stolen gear, the bass, along with other instruments, remained elusive.
The mysterious disappearance of McCartney’s Hofner bass and the contradicting accounts
The missing Hofner bass has been the subject of a global search, considered one of the most iconic instruments in music history. McCartney acquired the instrument in 1961, using it in early Beatles performances and recording tracks like “Love Me Do”.
However, in 1969, the bass disappeared under mysterious circumstances, presumed stolen. Rumors and speculations about its whereabouts have persisted ever since.
Various stories surround the disappearance of the bass, including legends about it being taken to Ottawa, Canada, and McCartney’s own fantasy that it might be displayed in a German castle.
Conflicting information arose from different Beatles documentaries, with the last official sighting in Peter Jackson’s Get Back featuring footage dated January 24, 1969. McCartney himself has acknowledged the uncertainty, sharing his half-fantasy theory during a Wired Autocomplete interview.
Hofner has recently launched a public plea for the bass
When the company behind the iconic bass, Hofner, initiated a public plea for information through The Telegraph, they were inundated with 600 emails in the initial 40 hours. Among them, one email stood out, composed by Ian Horne.
Horne proved to be a valuable source, providing details on the instrument’s last known location, a revelation occurring three years beyond the band’s final live performance.
According to Mr. Horne, the bass was stolen sometime after 10 pm on October 10, 1972, from the Ladbroke Grove area in Notting Hill, West London.
The search team, consisting of Nick Wass, a Hofner executive and bass expert, along with investigators Scott and Naomi Jones, has been actively pursuing leads. Mr. Wass expressed the significance of Ian Horne’s message, acknowledging it as a pivotal breakthrough in their efforts.
Ian Horne’s guilt and the continuing mystery
Ian Horne’s admission of responsibility adds a new layer to the saga. Despite the theft occurring in 1972, three years after the last official sighting, the revelation raises questions about the timeline and the events leading to the disappearance.
“[Paul] told us not to worry, and we kept our jobs. He’s a good man, Paul. I worked for him for six years after the bass went missing. But I’ve carried the guilt all my life,” Horne shared.
Horne’s message succinctly conveyed his connection to Wings as a sound engineer during the bass’s theft from a rented truck. The importance of having someone like Horne, who was present at the time of the incident and continues to be deeply invested in the recovery of the bass, is crucial in finally putting the mystery to rest.
For now, the hunt goes on as contradictions surrounding the search for McCartney’s Hofner bass leave room for further exploration and potential developments in the future.
