The Vaughan brothers are passionate about the electric guitar. They will soon perform in dance sessions and nightclubs in Dallas. The elder, Jimmie, 15 years old in 1966, owns a 1951 Fender No-caster which he does not use so much. Stevie Ray, 12, borrows the instrument without permission. A compromise is made : Jimmie gives the Fender to his younger brother.
Stevie Ray Vaughan is delighted to have his first professional guitar, which Jimmie had named Jimbo. It does not leave him to the point that his friends say that he carries the instrument glued to his hands. Stevie Ray rebuilds Jimbo to find new tones suited to the blues. He is a musical prodigy highly inspired by Jimi Hendrix.
Stevie Ray uses Jimbo in his first recording in 1969. He is 15 years old. Jimbo does not however accompany him into his fame.
In 1971 the young musician did not appreciate that he is already the best blues guitarist. He wants to imitate his idols, Freddie King and B. B. King, who had chosen the Epiphone make. Stevie Ray is still short of money : he trades the Fender for an Epiphone. He soon understands his mistake but it was too late : the music teacher with whom he made the deal has already got rid of Jimbo.
After a few difficult years Stevie Ray Vaughan comes back to the top in 1989. He would give anything to find Jimbo. He was not to see it again : he was killed in a helicopter crash in the following year when returning from a show where he had co-starred with Eric Clapton.
Please watch the video shared by Heritage.
SOLD for $ 250K including premium
Stevie Ray Vaughan's First Guitar Expected to Fetch $400K at Dallas' Heritage Auctions https://t.co/xuk6XQwbnG via @dobservermusic
— Heritage Auctions (@HeritageAuction) December 5, 2017