Paul McCartney's long-lost Höfner bass returned after more than 50 years

Paul McCartney has been reunited with the original Höfner bass guitar he bought in the early 1960s that was stolen in the '70s, the former Beatles member confirmed Wednesday.

"Following the launch of last year's Lost Bass project, Paul's 1961 Höfner 500/1 bass guitar, which was stolen in 1972, has been returned," read a brief statement on McCartney's website. "The guitar has been authenticated by Höfner and Paul is incredibly grateful to all those involved."

McCartney bought the guitar, a left-handed Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass, in Hamburg, Germany, in 1961. It was his primary instrument throughout the early years of The Beatles' runs at Hamburg's Top Ten Club and Liverpool's Cavern Club and on early Beatles recordings until it became his backup when he got a new Höfner in 1963.