"The Biggest Mystery in Rock and Roll History"... A Campaign to Recover a Guitar Lost by Paul McCartney Over Half a Century Ago

A major campaign has been launched to find a musical "treasure" missing for more than half a century, represented by a bass guitar purchased by Paul McCartney in Hamburg, Germany in 1961. He played it on some of the Beatles' most successful songs. McCartney bought the instrument for 30 British pounds (equivalent to 38 dollars at current exchange rates) in Hamburg in 1961. Its sounds can be heard in famous songs like "Love Me Do," "She Loves You," and "Twist and Shout." McCartney also played it at concerts in Hamburg and Liverpool, as well as during early recordings at Abbey Road, the legendary studio in London. However, the guitar disappeared in January 1969 while the Beatles were in London recording the song "Get Back." Nick Wass, who works for Hofner, the brand that produces the bass guitar, along with journalists Scott and Naomi Jones, launched the project "The Lost Bass" in hopes of finding the instrument and solving what they call "the biggest mystery in rock and roll history."