The Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass has a significant history in Rock N Roll that began in 1961 when it caught the attention of the young 19 year old Paul McCartney. Previously McCartney had been playing the Höfner 500/5 President bass Stuart Sutcliffe had lent him before leaving The Beatles in July 1961.
However, when McCartney went shopping for a bass of his own, he was immediately drawn to the violin model for its symmetrical shape that better suited his left-handed playing style. Subsequently he ordered his own 1961 custom made Höfner violin bass from Steinway Musikhaus, the largest and most prestigious music store in Hamburg at the time. His is most likely the first left-handed 500/1 Violin bass Höfner ever made.
“I remember going along there, 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. And to me, it seemed like, because I was left-handed, it looked less daft because it was symmetrical. Didn’t look as bad as a cutaway which was the wrong way. So I got into that.” – Paul McCartney
Over time, McCartney acquired two basses of the same model, the original 1961 version with stacked pickups and a 1963 model with widely separated pickups. In 1964, McCartney refinished his 1961 bass in sunburst and upgraded the pickup surround system due to damage.
McCartney primarily used the newer 1963 bass from early 1964 onwards, keeping the original as a backup. He made a notable appearance with the Höfner bass in the 1968 “Revolution” promo video, showcasing his unique strap attachment technique to counteract the instrument’s neck dive.
McCartney continued to use the violin bass until 1965 when he switched to a Rickenbacker 4001S, alternating between the two instruments. His psychedelic painted Rickenbacker bass is featured prominently in the Magical Mystery Tour scene of the band playing “I Am The Walrus”.
The Höfner bass made its final Beatles appearance at the Apple rooftop concert on January 30, 1969.
Unfortunately, two and a half years later in the summer of 1972, while McCartney & Wings prepared for their first European tour recording the Red Rose Speedway album, the original 1961 model was stolen from a parked van. The theft marked the end of an era for McCartney’s cherished instrument, until now…