Paul McCartney Gives 6-Figure Reward for Höfner Bass’s Return

One of the biggest bass mysteries was solved this year when Paul McCartney’s Höfner bass was returned 50 years after it was stolen. The bass, which was stolen from a gig in West London in 1972, was found by Cathy Guest of Hastings in her loft.

The bass had been stolen and sold to a pub landlord for “not much money plus a few free pints,” The Sun reports. It was then given to Guests late husband by his brother.

The tabloid has also reported that after some negotiations, McCartney gave Guest and her family a 6-figure sum as a thank you for returning the legendary bass, which is worth an estimated £10million.

“I can’t talk about the amount, but I won’t be moving or doing anything to change my life,” says Guest. “My lifestyle won’t be changing.”

McCartney used the bass during the band’s early days in Hamburg. He also recorded the first two Beatles LPs with it and used it all the way through the Let It Be sessions. The Lost Bass project was launched in 2023 by Höfner expert Nick Wass and two journalists. The publicity led to the bass’s eventual return.