Three of the Most Mindbogglingly Expensive Instruments Ever Sold

 

A cursory look at any online music store will reveal sound equipment and musical instruments for sale at prices that could rival the lease on your car. For example, some custom Gibson Les Pauls will go upwards of $13,500.

Yet, the price of these guitars can’t even come close to what some collectors have paid. Here now to blow your mind are a few of the most expensive guitars ever sold.

Bob Marley’s Washburn.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Bob Marley didn’t own a massive collection of guitars. Considering that fact, it’s only natural that such a rare instrument would be considered a national treasure by the Jamaican government. Though it’s not exactly on the market, nor will it likely be anytime soon, Bob’s Washburn is valued at a cool $1.2 million.

Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Strat.

A piece of musical history, Jimi Hendrix played his famous rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” with this 1968 Strat at Woodstock. Though it’s kept private who put up the guitar amongst other instruments for sale, Microsoft’s Paul Allen bought it for the Experience Music Project in Seattle — the hometown of Hendrix himself. The price he paid? A whopping $1.3 million.

The Reach Out to Asia Strat.

When a tsunami struck several nations along the Indian Ocean in 2004, people knew something had to be done. One charity called Reach Out to Asia decided that they could put up instruments for sale to help raise some money to fund relief efforts. Not wanting to put up just any old instruments for sale, the charity got the likes of such musical legends as Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Sting, and more to sign it. The guitar was sold for a staggering $2,700,000.

Maybe the next time you check out online guitar shops’ most expensive instruments for sale, you won’t see them as being quite so costly. Or perhaps you will, because — let’s face it — they still cost a fortune.

If you know of any other mindbogglingly expensive instruments for sale that weren’t mentioned on this list, feel free to share in the comments. More can be found here.