According toa new filing with German courts, guitar and bass brand Höfner – most famous for making Paul McCartney’s iconic violin bass – has filed for bankruptcy in that country. Founded by Karl Höfner in 1887, the brand has made countless different instruments across its history – including the popular Verithin semi-hollow electric –but one product has defined the company over the last six decades. The 500/1 bass guitar, AKA the Violin Bass, is the instrument made most famous by Paul McCartney, who was seldom seen playing anything else while he was in the Beatles, and it remains his signature instrument to this day.
Learning about the news, McCartney commented on his Instagram profile:
“It is very sad to see Höfner go out of business. They have been making instruments for over 100 years, and I bought my first Höfner bass in the sixties. I have loved it ever since. It’s a wonderful instrument to play: lightweight, and it encourages me to play quite freely. It also offers pleasing variations in tone that I enjoy. So, commiserations to everyone at Höfner, and thank you for all your help over the years.”
