Sir Paul McCartney has finally been reunited with his bass guitar which was stolen over 50 years ago - gathering dust in a collector's loft.
The appeal to track down the 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass guitar was launched last year in the hope of finally being able to find it after being stolen from the back of a van in Notting Hill in 1972.
McCartney bought the guitar for £30 in 1961 and had played it in the groups early days over 250 times at the Caven Club.
The guitar was also used to record the Beatles’ hit songs Love Me Do, Twist and She Loves You, with the guitar being a sole part of their music until they broke up in 1969.
After being missing for the last 50 years, McCartney has been lucky enough to have his irreplaceable guitar, still in its original case, returned to him.
The revelation came after the owner realised that they might have it in their possession following the global interest which sparked in the campaign last September.
McCartney's guitar was stolen over 50 years ago
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According to The Lost Bass Project, they were able to follow the journey of the guitar from its theft to the landlord of a pub where it was sold locally afterwards.
It explained: “As a result of the publicity someone living in a terraced house on the south coast of England remembered an old bass guitar that was in their attic.
“They got this out and realised just what they had. Within days it was back with Paul McCartney!” with the guitar needing some repair to make it playable again.
The loft in question belonged to film student Ruaidhri Guest who claimed that the instrument had been part of an inheritance, before safely returning it to McCartney.
The guitar was used to create some of their biggest hits
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He posted on his X account: “To my friends and family, I inherited this item which has been returned to Paul McCartney. Share the news.” (sic)
McCartney confirmed the return of his long lost possession and wrote a statement on his official website which read: “Following the launch of last year’s Lost Bass project, Paul’s 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass guitar, which was stolen in 1972, has been returned.
"The guitar has been authenticated by Höfner and Paul is incredibly grateful to all those involved.”
It has also been claimed that McCartney and his team are in touch with the family and are “likely to pay them a reward”, according to The Sun.
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Sir Paul McCartney's guitar was returned to him after 50 years
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They said: “Sir Paul is absolutely thrilled. It is an unbelievable turn of events and he is over the moon to be reunited with it.
“It was always close to his heart, and was known as his favourite instrument – so it is great that it has got back to where it once belonged!”
The insider praised those who returned it as showing “there are some great people in the world” as they resisted the lure of selling such a valuable item.
