Paul McCartney has been reunited with his famed Höfner bass guitar – 52 years after it was stolen.

“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,” reads a statement posted to McCartney’s website. “The guitar has been authenticated by Höfner and Paul is incredibly grateful to all those involved.”

The bass, which resembles a large violin, was stolen from an equipment truck when McCartney was touring with Wings. In 2023, three lifelong fans formed “The Loss Bass Project” in hopes of tracking down the instrument – and they did just that, finding the thief had sold it to a pub owner in England, according to a statement released by the trio. After contacting the pub owner, he “remembered an old bass guitar was in their attic,” the statement reads. “Within days it was back with Paul McCartney.”