Paul McCartney pays tribute to Höfner after they file for bankruptcy
Paul McCartney has paid tribute to Höfner, the famed instrument maker behind his iconic Violin Bass, after it was announced that the company filed for bankruptcy.
The company has filed for bankruptcy in Germany, according to a filing in the Fürth District Court in Bavaria. The filing also reveals that an insolvency administrator has been appointed to the case, who will proceed to attempt to rectify debts over the next three months.
The company, which was founded in 1886, is arguably most well-known for making the 500/1 bass guitar championed by the famous Beatle throughout his illustrious career with the Liverpudlian superstars.
Now, McCartney has expressed his sorrow at the recent news, posting a statement online that began, “It is very sad to see Höfner go out of business. They have been making instruments for over 100 years, and I bought my first Höfner bass in the sixties.”
McCartney continued, “I have loved it ever since. It’s a wonderful instrument to play: lightweight, and it encourages me to play quite freely. It also offers pleasing variations in tone that I enjoy.”
He finished off the touching post, “So, commiserations to everyone at Höfner, and thank you for all your help over the years.”
McCartney has previously shared what drew him to the instrument, admitting, “I remember going along [to Höfner], and there was this bass which was quite cheap. I couldn’t afford a Fender. Fenders even then seemed to be about £100. All I could really afford was about £30 . . . so for about £30, I found this Höfner violin bass.”
The appreciation for the brand ran across the entire group; John Lennon, George Harrison, and Stuart Sutcliffe had all played Höfners during the band’s time in Hamburg. McCartney even borrowed Sutcliffe’s 500/5 model for a short time when originally taking up the instrument.
Famously, it was sadly stolen around the time that the Fab Four recorded Let It Be. Decades after it disappeared, The Lost Bass Project launched a search for the missing Höfner 500/1 in 2023, and this ultimately led to student Ruaidhri Guest sharing a photograph of the elusive guitar on social media.
He had inherited the instrument, and upon discovering the history of the item, Guest returned it to its rightful owner.
See his post below.
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