Paul McCartney's Hoffner 500/1 basses

[Deleted member 394181]

I think he must have some extra "non famous" Violin basses when he plays live. At the end of the show I saw in 2002 I believe, he threw one bass across the stage to his tech. Who caught it, everyone gasped. I don't think it was the "set list" one.

 

[jimi55lp]

Stu was bass player who left the early Beatles in Germany to attend art school lending his Hofner Club righthand bass to Paul.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

^^^
Stu used Hofner President.

 

[jimi55lp]

Your rite, I just remembered it was righthand and not symmetrical/flappable. President!^^^
Stu used Hofner President.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

I have a Chinese made copy. I can't load a photo.

 

[jimi55lp]

The President model looks so large!

 

[Deleted member 394181]

Heres the closest ill get.

 

[jimi55lp]

LOL, thanks.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

These may be of interest.

 

[jimi55lp]

Stuart certainly chose poorly!

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Stuart bought his Hofner bass in Liverpool with money that he earned from his artwork. He won an artwork competition and the others pointed out that it was enough to buy that Hofner bass, and to be in the band.

 

[jimi55lp]

I wasn't saying anything about why or how Stuart bought his President bass or why he quit the band, but I still say he chose poorly when quitting the band considering the outcome? I'm sure his health wouldn't have fared any differently even if he'd stayed with the band. It didn't read like he had very much talent at actually playing bass and I'm thinking he'd have been replaced soon anyway, or the band wouldn't have blossomed the way they did with Paul taking over the bass?

 

[iiipopes]

Has anyone bothered to read Sir Macca's personal account of how the "Cavern" bass disappeared? Yes, the last photos may have been in 1969, but Sir Macca says the bass went missing in @ 1972, stolen out of an equipment van.

Search the web and you can find pictures of Stu holding his bass.
Yes, Paul ordered his first bass as a new instrument in 1961.
Yes, Paul was presented his second bass (the one we are most familiar with) in @1963.

Yes, the original bass was found either late last year or the beginning of this year with the help of the "Lost Bass Project" group.

Please read this article, which clears up many misconceptions and falsehoods:

The history of Paul McCartney and the Höfner 500/1 bass guitar

What made the violin bass Macca's number one through the Beatles years and beyond – and how he was reunited with his original Höfner, over 50 years after it disappeared

www.guitarworld.com

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

Stuart fell in love with a local German girl in Hamburg, Astrid, who was a photographer and an artsy type, like Stuart. Astrid convinced the guys to change their haircuts to the type that they became famous for. She also did the album photo of them half in shadows - Meet The Beatles.

 

[iiipopes]

Stuart fell in love with a local German girl in Hamburg, Astrid, who was a photographer and an artsy type, like Stuart. Astrid convinced the guys to change their haircuts to the type that they became famous for. She also did the album photo of them half in shadows - Meet The Beatles.

Astrid Kirchherr. You can find some of her photography work with a good web search also, including a few pix of the Beatles.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

I think he must have some extra "non famous" Violin basses when he plays live. At the end of the show I saw in 2002 I believe, he threw one bass across the stage to his tech. Who caught it, everyone gasped. I don't think it was the "set list" one.

Tom:
McCartney has at least 4 Hofner Violin basses.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

As far as I know McCartney has:
The famous 1963 that Mandolin Bros. reconditioned for him.
The special Cavern reissue that Hofner presented to him.
One that he bought on Long Island after he had it had been lent to him for a party performance.
The one with the Union Jack, used on the Queen's Jubilee.
The original Cavern type that had been lost and miraculously returned to him and is now going to be reworked by Hofner.
So that's 5.
There may be others. I don't know about.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

 

[Skokiaan]

I think he must have some extra "non famous" Violin basses when he plays live. At the end of the show I saw in 2002 I believe, he threw one bass across the stage to his tech. Who caught it, everyone gasped. I don't think it was the "set list" one.

He uses the real '63 every night on stage. He has a newer (exact age unknown) Hofner as a backup. There are photos of him using it occassionally. It does not have the finish wear where the pickguard would be that the original '63 has.

Last week he broke out his stolen '61 Hofner for one song. First time that bass was on stage in 59 years.

He did throw the real '63 to his guitar tech every night on the 2002 tour. This was confirmed by Paul, John Hammel (his tech) and photos.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

^^^
The real one? Wow. Talk about trust.