Expensive guitar prices Top 5, The most expensive guitar in the world
Expensive guitar top 5 : The prices of expensive guitars used by experts and famous musicians can vary considerably. Typically, professional models from high-end guitar brands can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Of course, signature models from renowned musicians or custom-designed guitars with special features can be even more expensive. So, what would be the price of the most expensive guitar? I’ve come up with the top 5.
The prices of high-end guitars, known for their top-notch performance, typically range from 10 to 20 million Korean Won.
You might wonder, ‘Why are musical instruments so expensive?’ But when compared to other instruments, guitars are relatively affordable. For instance, instruments like violins or cellos used by regular music majors can cost close to 100 million Won. So, considering that you can get a top-quality model for 10 to 20 million Won, it may not feel as expensive in the world of musical instruments.
1st Place: Kurt Cobain’s Martin D-18E Acoustic Guitar
– $6,010,000 (approximately 72 billion won)
In June 2020, at an auction held in Beverly Hills, California, the guitar used by Kurt Cobain, the vocalist and guitarist of the American alternative rock band Nirvana, was sold for $6 million (approximately 72 billion won). The winning bidder was Peter Freedman, who owns the microphone manufacturing company Rode Microphones.
The auction, which started at $1 million, reached a final bid of $6 million, making it the most expensive guitar ever sold worldwide. The guitar acquired that day by Cobain was manufactured in 1959 and had been modified by Cobain for left-handed use.
Cobain appeared with this guitar at the ‘MTV Unplugged’ live performance in New York in November 1993, just five months before he tragically took his own life. During the show, he played his iconic songs like ‘About a Girl’ and ‘All Apologies.’ This auction demonstrated how significant the label ‘the guitar of the genius musician Kurt Cobain, who left the world on his own terms,’ truly is. Let’s relish the memories of Kurt Cobain’s performances on stage with this guitar.
2nd Place: David Gilmour’s ‘The Black Strat’
– $3,975,000 (approximately 45 billion won)
David Gilmour, the guitarist and vocalist of Pink Floyd, also had his ’69 Black Fender Stratocaster, known as the ‘Black Strat,’ which was, at the time of the auction, the most expensive guitar ever recorded from David Gilmour’s guitar collection.
David Gilmour conducted an auction where he donated the proceeds to charitable organizations. He put up for auction over 120 guitars from his personal collection. At the time, the total proceeds amounted to $21.49 million, approximately 250 billion won. This guitar holds high value due to its association with many iconic Pink Floyd songs, including ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ (1973), followed by albums like ‘Wish You Were Here’ (1975), ‘Animals’ (1977), ‘The Wall’ (1979), and more.
3rd Place: REACH OUT TO ASIA STRATOCASTER
– $2,700,000 (approximately 30 billion won)
This guitar is somewhat unique among the five guitars introduced today because it has never been played by any guitarist and has never participated in any recordings. This guitar was auctioned in December 2004 to raise funds for the tsunami relief efforts that had struck Asia, and it was sold for $2.7 million.
The guitar featured signatures from renowned guitarists like Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Brian May of the rock band Queen, Liam Gallagher, and even Paul McCartney.
4th Place: John Lennon’s ‘Gibson J-160 E Acoustic’
– $2,410,000 (approximately 27 billion won)
The 4th place goes to John Lennon’s legendary ‘Gibson J-160 E Acoustic’ guitar, which is famously associated with the iconic band, ‘The Beatles.’ It is well-known as one of the two guitars specially made by Gibson in 1962 for both George Harrison and John Lennon. This guitar was used to record and play many of The Beatles’ timeless hits, including ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ and ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand.
This guitar went missing after a Beatles concert in 1963 and reappeared later, causing a sensation. An amateur guitarist in the United States had purchased the guitar for around 300,000 won from a second-hand music store in the late 1960s. He never imagined that it had been used by John Lennon. It was only through a magazine article that he discovered the true identity of the guitar he had bought. This guitar was eventually sold at auction for approximately 2.75 billion won.
5th Place: Jimi Hendrix’s Stratocaster
– $2,000,000 (approximately 22 billion won)
The 5th place goes to the Stratocaster used by the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
The guitar was purchased by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who was not only a guitarist himself but also a well-known fan of Jimi Hendrix. This guitar is on display at the ‘Museum of Pop Culture,’ which Paul Allen personally founded as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix.
Jimi Hendrix is one of the legendary guitarists and singer-songwriters of the 20th century in the United States, who had a profound influence on the history of rock and roll. Born in 1942 and tragically passing away in 1970, he is regarded as one of the most innovative and formidable guitarists of his era, often considered a pioneer of electric guitar playing.
Jimi Hendrix developed his own unique style of playing and technique, revolutionizing rock music. His guitar performances were explosive, flamboyant, and characterized by experimental features. Some of his signature songs include ‘Purple Haze,’ ‘Hey Joe,’ ‘Voodoo Child (Slight Return),’ ‘All Along the Watchtower,’ among others, which continue to inspire musicians and guitar enthusiasts to this day. His music and performances have garnered admiration and respect worldwide, and his influence continues to resonate in contemporary music.
The common factor among expensive guitars is that they were used by globally recognized musicians. The instrument’s performance may not differ significantly from guitars that cost 10 to 20 million won. However, depending on who played it and its association with certain concerts or songs, its value can vary greatly.
Using an expensive guitar doesn’t guarantee that you will become a great musician. Perhaps, it’s the musician themselves who truly determine the worth of the instrument.