McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass

McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass (2026)



8.4 2026 90 min United Kingdom

Director: Arthur Cary

Cast: Paul McCartney, Mike McGear, Klaus Voormann, Elvis Costello

Documentary Music
For more than five decades, the vanishing of Paul McCartney’s first Höfner bass remained one of rock music’s greatest unsolved riddles. The Hunt for the Lost Bass unravels the incredible tale behind this legendary guitar and the grassroots campaign driven by devoted fans that ultimately brought it back.

More About This Film

McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass is a 2026 British documentary about the decades-long search for Paul McCartney's original Höfner 500/1 bass guitar. Bought in Hamburg in 1961 and used extensively during the Beatles' rise, the instrument was stolen in London in 1972 and remained missing for more than fifty years.

Arthur Cary directed the film, which combines interviews, archive material, and dramatic reconstructions. Paul McCartney, Mike McCartney, Klaus Voormann, Elvis Costello, and members of the fan-led search appear, turning the lost instrument into a story about music history, fandom, memory, and restoration.

  • Arthur Cary directed the documentary.
  • The film runs approximately 87 minutes.
  • Paul McCartney's original Höfner bass was bought for about £30 in Hamburg.
  • The bass disappeared in 1972 and was recovered decades later.
  • The film premiered in UK cinemas on April 2 and 4, 2026, before airing on BBC Two and iPlayer.

Where to Watch

McCartney: The Hunt for the Lost Bass is available through BBC Two and BBC iPlayer following its theatrical release.