Guitar
(1942)-1954 The Martin Guitar of Elvis Presley
2020 SOLD for $ 1.32M including premium by Gotta Have Rock and Roll
narrated post sale in 2020
Rock and roll has many backgrounds that fascinate Memphis teens : rhythm and blues, gospel, country, bluegrass. A kind of competition is established between White and African-American influences. The Sun Studio feels that a synthesis is possible and organizes auditions.
In 1954 Elvis Presley is 19 years old. He is nervous about performing. He had learned to play the guitar, reinterpreting various ballads without having the means to use a piano. A listener from Sun Studio forms a trio with Elvis, another guitarist and a bassist to attempt a recording session in July.
It does not work. Late at night, the boss leaves and the three boys make the fools. The scene is historic : What are you doing ?, says the listener on his return. We don't know, the three kids answer. It is the root of rock and roll, in which the skipping bodies generate the new way of singing that Memphis has been waiting for.
Elvis still has the guitar from his teenage years, which is obviously not enough for his new commitments. In November he brings this instrument to a local dealer who agrees to take it for $ 8, immediately put it in the trash and sells to the young musician for $ 175 a 1942 C.F. Martin D-18 guitar.
For two years the Martin was Elvis Presley's daily working instrument, which he used to the point of wear in recordings and on stage, as evidenced by countless photos. It is the King's oldest surviving guitar. It was sold for $ 1.32M including premium by Gotta Have Rock and Roll on August 1, 2020. A post sale report was issued by Barnebys.
In 1954 Elvis Presley is 19 years old. He is nervous about performing. He had learned to play the guitar, reinterpreting various ballads without having the means to use a piano. A listener from Sun Studio forms a trio with Elvis, another guitarist and a bassist to attempt a recording session in July.
It does not work. Late at night, the boss leaves and the three boys make the fools. The scene is historic : What are you doing ?, says the listener on his return. We don't know, the three kids answer. It is the root of rock and roll, in which the skipping bodies generate the new way of singing that Memphis has been waiting for.
Elvis still has the guitar from his teenage years, which is obviously not enough for his new commitments. In November he brings this instrument to a local dealer who agrees to take it for $ 8, immediately put it in the trash and sells to the young musician for $ 175 a 1942 C.F. Martin D-18 guitar.
For two years the Martin was Elvis Presley's daily working instrument, which he used to the point of wear in recordings and on stage, as evidenced by countless photos. It is the King's oldest surviving guitar. It was sold for $ 1.32M including premium by Gotta Have Rock and Roll on August 1, 2020. A post sale report was issued by Barnebys.
1954 The White Stratocaster
2019 SOLD for $ 1.8M including premium by Christie's
narrated in 2020
Leo Fender never played guitar. He was an electronics and sound specialist, and repaired radios. They were talking a lot in his shop in Southern California, and he was attentive to the needs of the country music.
Fender was not the first to consider a solid-body electric guitar, but he discovered by chance during a test that such an instrument had unprecedented sonic characteristics. He releases his first models : the Esquire in 1949 with a single microphone, the Telecaster in 1950 with two microphones, the Stratocaster in 1954 with three microphones. He is also in 1951 the inventor of the bass guitar.
The Stratocaster thus incorporates the improvements requested by performers, not only for sound but also for ease of use : its shape, specially adapted to the position of the body of the player, has become the archetype of the electric guitar.
The production of the Stratocaster begins slowly, with about ten prototypes plus a pre-series for marketing and user feedback.
The standard color for Fender guitars is sunburst, a yellowish gradient, but some instruments had other colors on request. In the mid-1970s, a guitarist brought to a workshop in Santa Barbara a white Strat that he wanted to have repainted. The specialist is competent : he understands that he has a pre-production Stratocaster in his hands. Its serial number 0001 is however not significant. He keeps the white guitar which he exchanges for another Strat in the color requested by the client.
David Gilmour bought this 0001 in 1978. Its sound has the quality of the very first Stratocasters. He commented: "This is about as perfect as a guitar can be". He will play it very frequently with the Pink Floyd, including on recording but very rarely on stage to avoid damaging this historic instrument. It was sold for $ 1.8M including premium by Christie's on June 20, 2019 in the auction of the Gilmour collection, lot 20.
Fender was not the first to consider a solid-body electric guitar, but he discovered by chance during a test that such an instrument had unprecedented sonic characteristics. He releases his first models : the Esquire in 1949 with a single microphone, the Telecaster in 1950 with two microphones, the Stratocaster in 1954 with three microphones. He is also in 1951 the inventor of the bass guitar.
The Stratocaster thus incorporates the improvements requested by performers, not only for sound but also for ease of use : its shape, specially adapted to the position of the body of the player, has become the archetype of the electric guitar.
The production of the Stratocaster begins slowly, with about ten prototypes plus a pre-series for marketing and user feedback.
The standard color for Fender guitars is sunburst, a yellowish gradient, but some instruments had other colors on request. In the mid-1970s, a guitarist brought to a workshop in Santa Barbara a white Strat that he wanted to have repainted. The specialist is competent : he understands that he has a pre-production Stratocaster in his hands. Its serial number 0001 is however not significant. He keeps the white guitar which he exchanges for another Strat in the color requested by the client.
David Gilmour bought this 0001 in 1978. Its sound has the quality of the very first Stratocasters. He commented: "This is about as perfect as a guitar can be". He will play it very frequently with the Pink Floyd, including on recording but very rarely on stage to avoid damaging this historic instrument. It was sold for $ 1.8M including premium by Christie's on June 20, 2019 in the auction of the Gilmour collection, lot 20.
1962 The Missing Jumbo of John Lennon
2015 SOLD for $ 2.4M including premium
The Beatles liked the Gibson ES-175 guitar of their friend Tony Sheridan. John and George desired to own guitars from this US brand. Their choice went on the Jumbo Electric J-160E that was not regularly available in England. This acoustic-electric hybrid model can be used unconnected, which is nice when you are traveling.
The two identical marvels are delivered to them on September 10, 1962 through a specialized shop in Liverpool. These instruments meet their needs and they make a regular use of them for composition and recording, at home and in the studio. Their collaboration is so close that they swap their Gibsons, certainly unknowingly.
A few days after a Christmas show in 1963, John observes that his guitar has left. He will never see it again.
For the last 45 years, a guitarist living in San Diego owned this instrument without identifying its glorious past. In 2014, he realized the likeness of his Gibson with its widely documented twin which had been kept by George. Serial numbers are very close together.
The veins in the wood allow the identification of a guitar with the same certainty as fingerprints for a human. The best expert of equipment used by the Beatles compared the instrument with period photographs. He is formal and admiring : half a century after being pinched, John Lennon's Gibson has resurfaced in its unmodified configuration, like a time capsule.
This historic guitar is estimated $ 600K for sale by Julien's in Beverly Hills on November 7, lot 278.
Its photo in an exhibit at Austin in 2015 was offered to the public domain and is available on Wikimedia:
The two identical marvels are delivered to them on September 10, 1962 through a specialized shop in Liverpool. These instruments meet their needs and they make a regular use of them for composition and recording, at home and in the studio. Their collaboration is so close that they swap their Gibsons, certainly unknowingly.
A few days after a Christmas show in 1963, John observes that his guitar has left. He will never see it again.
For the last 45 years, a guitarist living in San Diego owned this instrument without identifying its glorious past. In 2014, he realized the likeness of his Gibson with its widely documented twin which had been kept by George. Serial numbers are very close together.
The veins in the wood allow the identification of a guitar with the same certainty as fingerprints for a human. The best expert of equipment used by the Beatles compared the instrument with period photographs. He is formal and admiring : half a century after being pinched, John Lennon's Gibson has resurfaced in its unmodified configuration, like a time capsule.
This historic guitar is estimated $ 600K for sale by Julien's in Beverly Hills on November 7, lot 278.
Its photo in an exhibit at Austin in 2015 was offered to the public domain and is available on Wikimedia:
_-_Ladies_and_Gentlemen..._the_Beatles!_exhibit_at_LBJ_Presidential_Library,_Austin,_TX,_2015-06-12_11.37.55.jpg)
1962-1963 The Black and White Guitar of George Harrison
2014 SOLD 660 K$ including premium
Electric guitars play a key role from very early in the career of The Beatles up to becoming a symbol of the music of the new generation. After the first purchase by John Lennon of a Rickenbacker guitar in 1960, the Beatles frequently use the instruments made by this US brand.
George Harrison had been the first solo guitarist of the group. In 1963, during a private visit in the United States, he bought a 1962 Rickenbacker 425. He soon made it painted in black and white in imitation of the guitars of John, always keen to provide the Beatles with a look different from the musical groups of the past.
This guitar was the preferred instrument of George in the heyday of the Beatles. It had a great career, was once photographed with the four boys, took part in the recordings at Abbey Road Studios and was also occasionally played by John.
This prestigious guitar is estimated beyond $ 400K, for sale by Julien's Auctions in New York on May 17. It is illustrated in the release shared by Reuters.
POST SALE COMMENT
This guitar from the Beatles legend was sold for $ 660K including premium.
George Harrison had been the first solo guitarist of the group. In 1963, during a private visit in the United States, he bought a 1962 Rickenbacker 425. He soon made it painted in black and white in imitation of the guitars of John, always keen to provide the Beatles with a look different from the musical groups of the past.
This guitar was the preferred instrument of George in the heyday of the Beatles. It had a great career, was once photographed with the four boys, took part in the recordings at Abbey Road Studios and was also occasionally played by John.
This prestigious guitar is estimated beyond $ 400K, for sale by Julien's Auctions in New York on May 17. It is illustrated in the release shared by Reuters.
POST SALE COMMENT
This guitar from the Beatles legend was sold for $ 660K including premium.
1964 Second Thoughts behind a Guitar
2015 SOLD for $ 910K including premium
When the Beatles became a worldwide phenomenon, the manufacturers of guitars were extremely sensitive to the needs of the group. In 1964, the Rickenbacker 325 that was used by John is damaged. The importer of the brand in England, Rose-Morris, rushes to offer to the star a Rickenbacker 1996.
The gift is promotional. The new Rickenbacker receives the nickname Beatle Backer and John's effigy is used in the advertisements of the brand.
In 1968, the same instrument is the subject of another gift. Epstein had died in the previous year and the boys are not trained to run their own business. Relationships are strained for personal reasons. Ringo leaves the group at a key stage of their recordings in progress.
Ringo needed two weeks of holidays for keeping quiet again, during which he composed songs. The other three are worried about a possible termination of the group and the come back of Ringo is warmly welcomed. John gives his Beatle Backer to Ringo.
Ringo Starr had kept the instrument. It is estimated $ 600K for sale by Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills on December 4, lot 778. I invite you to watch the video shared on YouTube by the auction house.
The gift is promotional. The new Rickenbacker receives the nickname Beatle Backer and John's effigy is used in the advertisements of the brand.
In 1968, the same instrument is the subject of another gift. Epstein had died in the previous year and the boys are not trained to run their own business. Relationships are strained for personal reasons. Ringo leaves the group at a key stage of their recordings in progress.
Ringo needed two weeks of holidays for keeping quiet again, during which he composed songs. The other three are worried about a possible termination of the group and the come back of Ringo is warmly welcomed. John gives his Beatle Backer to Ringo.
Ringo Starr had kept the instrument. It is estimated $ 600K for sale by Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills on December 4, lot 778. I invite you to watch the video shared on YouTube by the auction house.
1964-1965 Electricity in the Air
2013 SOLD 965 K$ including premium
In 1965, Bob Dylan is 24 years old and has a lot of musical ambitions. He had met the Beatles in the previous year and their mutual influence will be considerable. To get a sustainable favor from the young public, he must be bold.
Dylan's strategy at the Folk Festival in Newport RI on July 25 is winning. Spectators were waiting for his acoustic guitar and his harmonica. Without warning, he began singing with an electric guitar. Dylan insists despite being booed, before coming back to comfort his friends again with his classical guitar.
Both types of instruments have a similar shape conducive to puzzle such a neophyte public, but the comparison stops here. His electric guitar is a solid body instrument without sounding case, a Fender Stratocaster model made in 1964.
The Fender Stratocaster was soon abandoned or simply lost in a private plane. When it surfaced again two years ago, it was unquestionably authenticated as the instrument of this clash of cultures in Newport that had paved the way for the era of rock and roll, offering more varied musical possibilities than the folk.
This iconic instrument is estimated $ 300K, for sale by Christie 's in New York on December 6. Here is the link to the catalog.
POST SALE COMMENT
The estimate was too conservative, of course. This instrument is important in the history of popular music. It was sold for $ 965K including premium.
Dylan's strategy at the Folk Festival in Newport RI on July 25 is winning. Spectators were waiting for his acoustic guitar and his harmonica. Without warning, he began singing with an electric guitar. Dylan insists despite being booed, before coming back to comfort his friends again with his classical guitar.
Both types of instruments have a similar shape conducive to puzzle such a neophyte public, but the comparison stops here. His electric guitar is a solid body instrument without sounding case, a Fender Stratocaster model made in 1964.
The Fender Stratocaster was soon abandoned or simply lost in a private plane. When it surfaced again two years ago, it was unquestionably authenticated as the instrument of this clash of cultures in Newport that had paved the way for the era of rock and roll, offering more varied musical possibilities than the folk.
This iconic instrument is estimated $ 300K, for sale by Christie 's in New York on December 6. Here is the link to the catalog.
POST SALE COMMENT
The estimate was too conservative, of course. This instrument is important in the history of popular music. It was sold for $ 965K including premium.
1968 Brian Jones Les Paul Guitar
2020 SOLD for $ 700K including premium by Julien's
Link to catalogue.
1969-1970 The Sound of the Pink Floyd
2019 SOLD for $ 4M including premium
On June 20 in New York, Christie's sells David Gilmour's collection of more than 120 guitars. Passionate about guitars since his childhood in Cambridge, David dreamed of playing a Fender Stratocaster. He explains today that a Strat enhances the personality of its performer.
At the end of the 1960s, psychedelic music is taking over from classic rock and roll. To reach the fame, bands must now offer to the public sounds that are both dynamic and different. David becomes the guitarist of the Pink Floyd in 1968 to compensate for the incapacity of Syd Barrett victim of mental disorders.
Lot 127 is David Gilmour's Black Strat. Made in 1969, it was bought new by David in 1970 at Manny's in New York. Until 1983 it is his favorite instrument, constantly modified by him to extract new sensational sounds. This instrument is a basic element of the Pink Floyd sound lab at their best time. It is played by David in 1973 in the album that will remain the biggest hit of the group, The Dark Side of the Moon.
This working guitar that was originally an ordinary Strat has become a cult instrument of rock in its post-Beatles phase. Leased for ten years at the Hard Rock Café in Dallas, it was later restored. Replicas were created by Fender from 2006 in two models, one of which named The Relic copying its state of wear before restoration.
In 2005, when the band's historic members meet in concert in London after a very long break, David Gilmour plays his Black Strat again. Frequently modified for half a century by its prestigious owner, it is offered with a reasonable estimate of $ 100K to 150K. Please read the article by Christie's telling its long story.
At the end of the 1960s, psychedelic music is taking over from classic rock and roll. To reach the fame, bands must now offer to the public sounds that are both dynamic and different. David becomes the guitarist of the Pink Floyd in 1968 to compensate for the incapacity of Syd Barrett victim of mental disorders.
Lot 127 is David Gilmour's Black Strat. Made in 1969, it was bought new by David in 1970 at Manny's in New York. Until 1983 it is his favorite instrument, constantly modified by him to extract new sensational sounds. This instrument is a basic element of the Pink Floyd sound lab at their best time. It is played by David in 1973 in the album that will remain the biggest hit of the group, The Dark Side of the Moon.
This working guitar that was originally an ordinary Strat has become a cult instrument of rock in its post-Beatles phase. Leased for ten years at the Hard Rock Café in Dallas, it was later restored. Replicas were created by Fender from 2006 in two models, one of which named The Relic copying its state of wear before restoration.
In 2005, when the band's historic members meet in concert in London after a very long break, David Gilmour plays his Black Strat again. Frequently modified for half a century by its prestigious owner, it is offered with a reasonable estimate of $ 100K to 150K. Please read the article by Christie's telling its long story.
Other Guitars from David Gilmour collection
2019 SOLD by Christie's (see below)
Results including premium :
1954 Fender : $ 1.8M (lot 20) (see above)
1969 CF Martin : $ 1.1M (lot 2)
1984 Fender : $ 620K (lot 56)
link to full catalogue.
1954 Fender : $ 1.8M (lot 20) (see above)
1969 CF Martin : $ 1.1M (lot 2)
1984 Fender : $ 620K (lot 56)
link to full catalogue.
1973 The Luthier of the Grateful Dead
2017 SOLD for $ 1.9M including premium
Founded in California during the acidic era, the psychedelic band Grateful Dead plays electric music. The group is created and directed by the guitarist Jerry Garcia who needs the best instruments in this technique whose popularity is quite recent.
At the end of the 1960s Doug Irwin is a young biochemist disillusioned by his training. Despite the atmosphere of freedom of that time, everyone must find a job : Doug decides that he will construct electric guitars. After a self-taught training he joins the Alembic company founded in 1969 in the Grateful Dead rehearsal room.
At that time Alembic worked on the electronic processing of sound more than on its creation. In 1971 Doug builds his first electric guitar in his own name in his kitchen and brings it to a specialty shop. Jerry is there : he buys the instrument. This guitar named Eagle (Alembic) was sold for $ 186K including premium by Bonhams on May 8, 2007.
Eagle plays the role of a prototype from which Jerry and Doug embark on a more ambitious project. The result is an asymmetrically necked guitar named Wolf. It is completed in 1973 and Jerry uses it intensively for six years. The next instrument made by Doug for Jerry is named Tiger. Less asymmetrical than Wolf, Tiger innovates in the position of the strings.
In the dispute about the estate of Garcia who died in 1995, Irwin became the owner of Wolf and Tiger which he auctioned through Guernsey's on May 7, 2002. The result, exceptional for electric guitars at that time, was $ 960K including premium for Tiger and $ 790K including premium for Wolf.
Wolf is back at Guernsey's in Brooklyn NY on May 31. This single lot charity sale is organized for the benefit of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
At the end of the 1960s Doug Irwin is a young biochemist disillusioned by his training. Despite the atmosphere of freedom of that time, everyone must find a job : Doug decides that he will construct electric guitars. After a self-taught training he joins the Alembic company founded in 1969 in the Grateful Dead rehearsal room.
At that time Alembic worked on the electronic processing of sound more than on its creation. In 1971 Doug builds his first electric guitar in his own name in his kitchen and brings it to a specialty shop. Jerry is there : he buys the instrument. This guitar named Eagle (Alembic) was sold for $ 186K including premium by Bonhams on May 8, 2007.
Eagle plays the role of a prototype from which Jerry and Doug embark on a more ambitious project. The result is an asymmetrically necked guitar named Wolf. It is completed in 1973 and Jerry uses it intensively for six years. The next instrument made by Doug for Jerry is named Tiger. Less asymmetrical than Wolf, Tiger innovates in the position of the strings.
In the dispute about the estate of Garcia who died in 1995, Irwin became the owner of Wolf and Tiger which he auctioned through Guernsey's on May 7, 2002. The result, exceptional for electric guitars at that time, was $ 960K including premium for Tiger and $ 790K including premium for Wolf.
Wolf is back at Guernsey's in Brooklyn NY on May 31. This single lot charity sale is organized for the benefit of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
1984 Cloud for Prince
2020 SOLD for $ 560K including premium
The multi-instrumentalist musician Prince appears in 1983 as the archrival to Michael Jackson. He is preparing the film Purple Rain where he will play the main role.
Prince's favorite instrument is the electric guitar. For the film, he wants an asymmetrical guitar imitating a bass guitar. A team of luthiers working in a Minneapolis shop creates for his needs a new model which will be named the Cloud.
Prince was very happy with this model that Purple Rain will make iconic. In the first phase four Clouds were created, from 1983 to 1985. They were used continuously until 1993 by Prince, who frequently changed the color. In 1993 another luthier, Andy Beech, began a serial production.
Made in 1984, the second Cloud was played by Prince throughout the Purple Rain Tour that followed the release of the movie. It has just resurfaced in electric blue, as Prince left it around 1994 after a heavy use. It has kept its nickname of Blue Angel which refers to its light blue color of 1988.
It is estimated $ 400K for sale by Julien's in Beverly Hills on June 19, lot 386. Please watch the video shared by Rolling Stone News to confirm the importance of this specific instrument.
A Cloud made by Beech for Prince circa 1990 and played on stage by the musician was sold on November 4, 2017 for $ 700K including premium over a lower estimate of $ 60K, also by Julien's.
Prince's favorite instrument is the electric guitar. For the film, he wants an asymmetrical guitar imitating a bass guitar. A team of luthiers working in a Minneapolis shop creates for his needs a new model which will be named the Cloud.
Prince was very happy with this model that Purple Rain will make iconic. In the first phase four Clouds were created, from 1983 to 1985. They were used continuously until 1993 by Prince, who frequently changed the color. In 1993 another luthier, Andy Beech, began a serial production.
Made in 1984, the second Cloud was played by Prince throughout the Purple Rain Tour that followed the release of the movie. It has just resurfaced in electric blue, as Prince left it around 1994 after a heavy use. It has kept its nickname of Blue Angel which refers to its light blue color of 1988.
It is estimated $ 400K for sale by Julien's in Beverly Hills on June 19, lot 386. Please watch the video shared by Rolling Stone News to confirm the importance of this specific instrument.
A Cloud made by Beech for Prince circa 1990 and played on stage by the musician was sold on November 4, 2017 for $ 700K including premium over a lower estimate of $ 60K, also by Julien's.
(1959) - 1993 The Acoustic Grunge
2020 SOLD for $ 6M including premium
In the 1990s, young people wanted to have an authentic and relaxed life, opposed to the orthodoxy of their elders. Their main subculture is the grunge, a mixture of hard rock and heavy metal for music, and of hippie and punk for a deliberately offbeat clothing.
This trend ensures the fame for the group Nirvana, created in 1987, and its leader, singer, guitarist and co-founder Kurt Cobain. The grunge is often named the Seattle music.
In 1989 the musical television channel MTV created Unplugged, a series of programs in which groups were invited to reinterpret their best songs while leaving all electronic equipment except microphones.
Nirvana accepts MTV's invitation for a recording to be made on November 18, 1993. They need this program for boosting the sales of their album In Utero, which had not the expected success. Kurt Cobain is excessively nervous during the preparation phase, probably feeling a risk of recuperation of his art by the establishment. He imposes his solutions on the MTV team, including a morbid setting.
For the show, Nirvana plays fourteen songs in one take. In accordance with his commitment, Cobain uses an acoustic guitar. He chose a Martin D18-E from 1959. This instrument is one of the stars of the show : in the last sequence, Cobain places it reverently on its stand and leaves the stage.
Kurt was an irreducible perfectionist. He could not bring himself to offer an exclusively acoustic sound in this program. A hidden pickup was used in the Martin for at least one of the songs.
The record titled MTV Unplugged in New York released a year later is one of Nirvana's greatest hits, posthumously for Cobain. The Martin is estimated $ 1M in the sale organized by Julien's in Beverly Hills on June 19 and 20, lot 742. The olive green cardigan worn by the blond singer in this show was sold for $ 334K including premium on October 25, 2019 by the same auction house.
This trend ensures the fame for the group Nirvana, created in 1987, and its leader, singer, guitarist and co-founder Kurt Cobain. The grunge is often named the Seattle music.
In 1989 the musical television channel MTV created Unplugged, a series of programs in which groups were invited to reinterpret their best songs while leaving all electronic equipment except microphones.
Nirvana accepts MTV's invitation for a recording to be made on November 18, 1993. They need this program for boosting the sales of their album In Utero, which had not the expected success. Kurt Cobain is excessively nervous during the preparation phase, probably feeling a risk of recuperation of his art by the establishment. He imposes his solutions on the MTV team, including a morbid setting.
For the show, Nirvana plays fourteen songs in one take. In accordance with his commitment, Cobain uses an acoustic guitar. He chose a Martin D18-E from 1959. This instrument is one of the stars of the show : in the last sequence, Cobain places it reverently on its stand and leaves the stage.
Kurt was an irreducible perfectionist. He could not bring himself to offer an exclusively acoustic sound in this program. A hidden pickup was used in the Martin for at least one of the songs.
The record titled MTV Unplugged in New York released a year later is one of Nirvana's greatest hits, posthumously for Cobain. The Martin is estimated $ 1M in the sale organized by Julien's in Beverly Hills on June 19 and 20, lot 742. The olive green cardigan worn by the blond singer in this show was sold for $ 334K including premium on October 25, 2019 by the same auction house.
