As of: February 26, 2024, 7:03 a.m
By: Katrin Woitsch
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Before the theft: Paul McCartney in 1969 with his Höfner bass.
© : Apple Films
Nick Wass has been a lifelong Beatles fan.
For the past five years he has had a special hobby: he searched for Paul McCartney's bass, which had been missing since 1972 - and found it.
An incredible story.
Baiersdorf/Franconia - The sensation bursts into the middle of a cozy evening watching TV.
Nick Wass is sitting with his wife on the sofa at home in Franconia when his cell phone rings.
The manager on the phone is none other than Paul McCartney.
Wass has known him for a long time - that evening he received a message from him that he had no longer dared to hope for: the bass is back.
“I was speechless,” says the 69-year-old.
Franke has been searching for Paul McCartney's missing bass for years
Wass has dedicated the past five years of his life to searching for this special musical instrument.
The English-born man used to work for the Höfner company in Baiersdorf, Franconia.
They once built the Höfner bass, model 500/1, which Paul McCartney bought in a Hamburg guitar shop in 1961.
It was pimped up a bit for the Beatles bassist, reports Thomas Jordan, sales manager at Höfner.
The bass was painted and given a different frame.
He then accompanied the Beatles through their most successful years.
He can be heard, for example, in the songs “Love me do”, “Twist and shout” and “She loves you”.
Until the Beatles split up, McCartney played this bass - over 250 times in the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool alone.
However, on October 10, 1972, the bass disappeared without a trace.
It was stolen from McCartney's trunk.
The thief was not caught.
Nick Wass searched for McCartney's bass for five years © Sat1 Bayern
(By the way: Our Bayern newsletter informs you daily about all the important stories from Bavaria.)
Beatles fan didn't give up: Chance was "probably ten percent"
Of course, a Beatles fan like Nick Wass can't let something like that go.
The question of what happened to the bass just doesn't leave him alone.
In 2018 he set up a website: thelostbass.com.
He hopes for clues, but knows: “The chance of finding the bass again is probably ten percent.” Over 100 people send possible clues or guesses, and 600 Beatles fans offer their help.
However, the search will not move forward until 2023. A couple has a tip about the theft that matches another tip that Wass and his team had already received.
Through painstaking detective work, they find out to whom the bass was resold.
The trail leads to a pub owner in London.
Wass gives many interviews in the hope of reaching the man's family.
And sure enough - a relative of the pub owner sees an interview on BBC News and contacts Paul Cartney's management.
He says he believes the missing bass is in his attic.
He is undoubtedly it.
What news for all Beatles fans in the world.
Nick Wass
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Now Nick Wass comes into play again.
As a guitar expert, he knows the instrument inside and out.
He also worked for Paul McCartney for a few years.
He's in LA right now - and almost can't believe that he's actually found his bass.
So he calls Wass in Franconia and asks him to fly to London and take a look at the instrument.
A few days later, the 69-year-old holds the Höfner bass, which was lost for 51 years, in his hands.
“It is undoubtedly him,” he says, still overwhelmed.
“What a message for all Beatles fans in the world.” The years in the attic have left their mark.
The bass is not playable.
But Nick Wass waves it off: “It’s child’s play to repair it.”
McCartney's bass is now worth ten million euros
Back in 1961 in Hamburg, the young musician paid 287 marks for the guitar.
Today the bass is worth ten million euros.
That's why it remains a secret who is allowed to repair it.
Undoubtedly it is him: Nick Wass watched McCartney Bass.
Some repair work is necessary.
© Nick Wass
In any case, the sensational news quickly reached Wass' former colleagues at the Höfner company.
“Even when Paul McCartney was on stage with our bass in the 60s, there were a lot of inquiries about this instrument,” says sales manager Jordan.
Now the model is in great demand again.
“But nowhere near like back then.”
Nick Wass has written this incredible story on his website - for everyone who helped with the search.
He has since received numerous inquiries from other people who have lost their favorite instruments.
But now the detective work is over, he says and laughs.
“That was a one-off project, now I'm dedicating myself to my retirement.” He hopes that he will soon be able to watch Paul McCartney stand on stage again with his Höfner bass.
He had the right song: With a litte help from my friends.
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