World's Most Expensive Guitar, The Price of Musical Nostalgias

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Vintage Guitars are among the most valued collectibles.

Music has been always a significant part of history and guitars are the most substantial portion of it. As artists and Rockstar has created legends, so are their guitars. Some of these instruments are associated with important turning points of events in world history. This is the reason these guitars have turned as the perfect memorabilia that mints the best nostalgias.

It was a fortune for those who watched legends like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and Eric Clapton playing their personal favorites. Now the guitars they played have become the most coveted collectibles for music lovers. There are several legendary guitars, which were played by the greatest musicians. They are now the most expensive guitars in the world. Here are the five most expensive guitars ever auctioned.

• “Reach Out to Asia” Stratocaster - $2.7 Million, 2004
• 1959 Les Paul from Green & Moore - $2 Million, 2014
• 1968 Fender Stratocaster owed by Jimi Hendrix - $2 Million, 1998
• Washburn owned by Bob Marley - $1.2 Million
• Eric Clapton’s Blackie Stratocaster - $959K, 1985

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Reach Out to Asia Stratocaster has signs of many legendary musicians and song writers.

“Reach Out to Asia” Stratocaster

This is a Fender Stratocaster which was auctioned at a whopping amount of $2.7 million. This is the most expensive guitar in the world, which is also associated with a philanthropic cause. This guitar costed around $15,000 to $25,000 to produce. It was especially designed for the Reach Out to Asia project rolled by Bryan Adams, the Canadian Rockstar. The project was conceived to raise funds for 2004 Tsunami victims. The guitar was signed by top rockers of the world like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour Tony Iommi and many more.

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Kirk Hammet bought the 1959 Les Paul, which once belonged to Peter Green, for a whopping price of $2 million.

1959 Les Paul from Green & Moore

This 1959 Les Paul guitar belonged to Peter Green, founder of Fleetwood Mac. Later, it was used by Gary Moore extensively. In 2014, the guitar created a record when it was bought by Kirk Hammet, the guitarist from Metallica. Richard Henry Guitars sold this vintage guitar for a jaw-dropping price of 2 million dollars.

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Jimi Hendrix’s white Stratocaster is perhaps the most famous of all vintage guitars.

1968 Fender Stratocaster owed by Jimi Hendrix

This Fender Stratocaster is the same guitar that Jimi Hendrix played ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, America’s National Anthem, at the fabulous early morning show of Woodstock 1969. Remarkably, Hendrix passed away the next year due to drug overdose. Considered as one of the greatest musicians and songwriter, Hendrix was in limelight only for four years, where he created the never-ending fame. This guitar was bought by Paul Allen, the Microsoft Co-founder for $2 million in 1998.

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The Washburn guitar belonging to Bob Marley was specially customized.

Washburn owned by Bob Marley

Jamaican songwriter and singer Bob Marley popularized reggae music as a new movement in the world. He was the person behind the famous Rastafari movement. The reggae star once handed a Washburn guitar to Gary Carlsen, who was a guitar technician. Carlsen customized the guitar especially for Bob Marley. This guitar is now valued at about $1.2 million.

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Clapton collected the best of three other Stratocasters to customize his ‘Blackie’.  

Eric Clapton’s Blackie Stratocaster

One of the most influential musicians of all time, Eric Clapton used this guitar from 1970 to 1985. The guitar also appeared in the album Slowhand. This is the same guitar featured in famous songs like Cocaine and Wonderful Tonight. It was built from three vintage Strats. Clapton bought those three guitars from a guitar shop. He took out the best part of them and customized to make this guitar, which is named “Blackie”. This Stratocaster is now priced at $959,000.

These are the most expensive guitars of all time. They are not related to any brand; rather, they are pricey for stories and the musicians associated with them. By any way, these guitars are out of reach for commoners, who can only wish to have a glance of them, at the most. This leaves other mass-produced guitars as the most expensive ones of this particular instrument. However, it is not possible to name a brand that produce the most expensive guitar on sale now. Many brands like Martin and Gibson produces limited edition of some guitar series with price tags ranging to 100,000 dollars.

Handmade guitars are pricier than others. In premium guitars, the best pieces of wood are used. Still, the material used for making guitar are not expensive. Hence, it is not the guitar that adds to its own value, it is in fact, the memories related to them, which makes them irreplaceably valuable.