Overview
- Höfner has filed for bankruptcy in Germany, with a provisional insolvency administrator reported to be in place, according to Guitar.com.
- McCartney said he was “very sad to see Höfner go out of business,” posting a tribute that thanked the company and praised the bass’s light feel and tonal range.
- The musician bought his first Höfner 500/1 in Hamburg in 1961 for £30, and it became his primary bass during the Beatles era.
- Founded by Karl Höfner in 1887, the company went through several ownership changes, including a 1994 sale to Boosey & Hawkes.
- McCartney’s original Höfner bass was stolen in 1972 and was returned more than 50 years later after being found in an attic.