What are the most expensive guitars ever sold at auction? Just how much exactly would someone be willing to pay for a piece of music history?
Vintage guitars can be great investments, but if you are lucky enough to own one with a legendary artist’s DNA splashed all over it, that’s when the value can start to skyrocket!
You’ll find a list of the 53 most valuable guitars in this article, with a little bit of background information on each model.
Last Update: November 2025. Added Van Halen’s ‘Kramer ad guitar’ at number 6.
Most Expensive Guitars Ever Sold At Auction
1. Martin 1959 D-18E (Kurt Cobain) – $6 million
Nirvana’s 1994 ‘MTV Unplugged’ performance has got to be one of the most iconic live sets of all time, from one of the most legendary bands of all time.
So it seems unsurprising to find that the Martin acoustic used by Kurt Cobain has recently become the most expensive guitar in the world!
After the dust had settled, the winning bidder was revealed to be Peter Freedman, the owner of Rode Microphones.
He snagged this unbelievable piece of music history for an incredible $6,000,000 in June 2020.
Fun Fact! The green cardigan worn by Cobain during the MTV Unplugged performance became the world’s most expensive cardigan after selling for $334,000!
2. Fender 1969 Mustang (Kurt Cobain) – $4.5 million
Proving that the legendary Nirvana frontman’s appeal is still as strong as ever, Kurt Cobain also holds the title for the most expensive electric guitar ever sold!
This iconic Lake Placid blue Fender Mustang was the very guitar used in the music video for Nirvana’s biggest track – Smells Like Teen Spirit.
The gorgeous offset model was sold in May 2022 for a cool $4.5 million, far surpassing its original estimate of $800,000.
It is now part of the collection of Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.
3. Fender Black Strat (David Gilmour) – $3.975 million
Until Kurt Cobain’s Mustang came up for sale, the legendary black Fender Stratocaster once owned by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour held the title of the world’s most expensive electric guitar.
This was the crown jewel in a large auction of 126 of Gilmour’s personal guitars, with the proceeds going to fight against climate change.
The winning bidder was Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, who snapped it up for a mouthwatering $3,975,000 in June 2019.
4. Kramer Custom (Eddie Van Halen) – $3.932 million
Famously played by Eddie Van Halen in the ‘Hot For Teacher’ music video, this iconic axe was custom-made by luthier Paul Unkert of Kramer Guitars.
It became one of Eddie’s main instruments from 1983-1984. He continued to play the guitar until he gifted it to the band’s drum tech upon his retirement in 1990.
When the hammer finally fell at auction in April 2023, Eddie’s status as one of the best shred guitarists of all time helped to secure an incredible final price of $3,932,000.
5. Framus Hootenanny (John Lennon) – $2.857 million
This 1964 Framus 12-string was owned by John Lennon and used during the recording of the Beatles’ albums “Help!” and “Rubber Sole”. It can also be seen during the 1965 feature movie “Help!”.
The guitar was also heavily used by George Harrison throughout the recording sessions for the two albums mentioned above.
This piece of musical history far exceeded its initial estimate of $600,000, selling for an incredible $2,857,500 in May 2024.
7. Kramer Ad Guitar (Eddie Van Halen) – $2.734 million
Eddie Van Halen’s famed “Kramer Ad” guitar sold in October 2025 for an astonishing $2,734,000. Built around 1982, it was one of the earliest Kramer models Van Halen helped design, modeled after his iconic Frankenstein guitar and featured prominently in a famous Kramer advertisement.
The guitar saw extensive stage use during the band’s 1982–83 shows, including the South American tour, with its provenance confirmed by EVH expert Chris Gill.
After Van Halen gifted it to longtime tech Rudy Leiren, it eventually made its way to Mötley Crüe’s Mick Mars, who used it during the recording of Dr. Feelgood.
8. Fender ‘Reach Out To Asia’ Stratocaster – $2.7 million
The ‘Reach Out to Asia’ Fender Stratocaster was sold to raise money to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean.
I was unable to locate a color photo of this guitar, so the image above is a mock-up based on what sources I could find.
The Strat was signed by 19 world-famous rock stars, including Bryan Adams who was also the initial brains behind the project.
When the hammer fell, the bidding had reached the dizzying figure of $2.7 million, with the winning bidder being the heir to the throne of Qatar.
9. Gibson 1962 J-160E (John Lennon) – $2.41 million
This acoustic was one of a pair of identical guitars purchased at the same time by John Lennon and George Harrison in 1962.
It was used extensively during the recording of the ‘With Me’ and ‘Please Please Me’ albums.
The guitar was previously thought lost after it went ‘missing’ during a Beatles gig in 1963.
However, it was rediscovered more than 50 years later, after the owner at the time recognized the similarities between the parts of the guitar and Lennon’s!
Despite being estimated to reach $800,000 at auction, the guitar smashed this figure and was finally sold for $2.41 million in November 2015.
10. Fender 1968 Stratocaster (Jimi Hendrix) – $2 million
This 1968 Fender Stratocaster named ‘Izabella’ was famously played at the world-renowned 1969 Woodstock Festival by Jimi Hendrix.
Hendrix is undoubtedly the most famous left-handed guitar player of all time.
The iconic guitar was purchased in 1998 by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for a cool $2,000,000.
It is currently on display in Hendrix’s hometown of Seattle in the Museum of Pop Culture.
11. Doug Irwin Wolf (Jerry Garcia) – $1.9 million
This guitar was custom-ordered by The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia in the early 1970s from luthier Doug Irvin.
It’s certainly a unique-looking instrument and is probably the most well-known guitar played by Garcia.
It received its name after Jerry stuck a caricature of a wolf onto the body of the guitar.
When he returned it to Irwin for repairs after it was dropped on stage, Doug incorporated the wolf design into the body of the guitar.
The guitar was purchased in June 2017 for $1,900,000 by Brian Halligan, CEO of HubSpot.
12. Fender 1954 Stratocaster (David Gilmour) – $1.815 million
David Gilmour’s famous white Stratocaster features the serial number 0001.
However, research has shown that the guitar is not actually the first production Stratocaster ever made.
This 1957 Fender Stratocaster was used in the recording of Pink Floyd’s 1979 masterpiece ‘The Wall’. Most famously, you can hear it in the rhythm guitar parts on ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)’.
This particular guitar is believed to have been a pre-production model that Leo Fender originally gifted to country player Rex Gallion before it found its way into David Gilmour’s hands in the late 1970s.
The guitar was sold as part of a lot of 120 of David’s most famous axes in 2019 and fetched an incredible $1,815,000.
13 Fender Skystang I Mustang (Kurt Cobain) – $1.587 million
This 1993 Made In Japan Fender Sonic Blue Mustang was crafted for Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. It was crafted in Japan, as back then the USA custom shop did not offer left-handed necks.
Kurt used it extensively throughout the band’s final ‘In Utero’ tour, including on the last show he ever played.
It was purchased at auction by Japanese businessman Mitsuru Sato for the princely sum of $1,587,500.
You may be able to visit the guitar at some point in the future as he plans to open a cafe to showcase the instrument as well as other iconic guitars!
14. Martin 1942 D-18 (Elvis) – $1.32 million
This 1942 Martin D-18, often referred to as the ‘Sun Sessions’ guitar, was owned by Elvis between 1954 and 1956.
It was so named as the King used the guitar extensively whilst recording at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis.
Elvis decorated the Martin with adhesive metal letters to spell out his name. However, the ‘S’ has since been lost.
The D-18 was picked up at auction by a mystery buyer for $1,320,000. This was actually quite a bit shy of the original estimate of between 2 and 3 million dollars!
15. Gibson 1964 ‘Fool’ SG (Eric Clapton) – $1.27 million
Painted by a Dutch art collective of the same name, ‘The Fool’ is one of the most legendary guitars in rock history.
It was on this guitar that Eric Clapton developed one of the most recognizable and influential guitar sounds ever – his ‘woman tone’. The Fool has huge cultural significance to the psychedelic rock era.
It sold in November 2023 to prolific guitar collector Jim Irsay for a record-breaking $1,270,000.
This makes it the priciest guitar ever sold that previously belonged to Eric Clapton. And there are many more Slowhand instruments to still appear in the list below!
16. Gibson 1957 Les Paul (Duane Allman) – $1.25 million
Duane Allman played this beautiful ’57 Gibson Les Paul gold top extensively during his first year and a half as a member of the Allman Brothers Band.
In addition, he made good use of it whilst doing session work for other artists.
Most famously, this instrument was used on Derek and the Dominos’ 1970 album ‘Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs’.
The iconic guitar was displayed in the Allman Brothers Band Museum in Georgia before selling to its new owner for a cool $1,250,000 at an auction in 2019.
17. Washburn Wing-Series Hawk (Bob Marley) – $1.2 million
This Washburn, previously owned by reggae king Bob Marle,y was purchased by the Jamaican government and declared a national treasure.
Marley gifted the guitar to his tech, Gary Karlson, in 1979.
Karlson used the proceeds from selling the guitar to benefit a charitable organization he had started named ‘Different Journeys, One Destination’.
The final price has never been publicly revealed, but it was estimated at between $1.2 and $2 million.
18. Fender 1961 Stratocaster (Rory Gallagher) – $1.16 million
With just a smidgen of its original 3-tone sunburst finish remaining, Rory Gallagher’s heavily worn guitar has to be one of the most recognisable Stratocasters of all time.
Gallagher originally bought the guitar second-hand from a music store in 1963 for around £100. It became his constant companion and was heavily modified during its many years of service.
It was sold in October 2024 at Bonham’s Auction House in London for $1,160,000. Shortly afterwards, a GoFundMe page was set up to raise money to keep the guitar in Ireland. It is currently on display in Gallagher’s hometown of Cork.
19. Gibson 1958 Korina Explorer – $1.1 million
Only around 10 of these incredibly rare guitars were ever made, so it is super rare for one to become available for sale.
It is one of the only guitars in this list not previously owned by a legendary player.
They are considered to be the most desirable and iconic of all vintage guitars. A previous example sold in 2006 for $611,000.
This particular model was acquired in September 2016 for a whopping $1,100,000. So roughly a 10% increase in value per year – not a bad investment at all!
20. Martin 1969 D-35 (David Gilmour) – $1.095 million
One of the very few acoustics ever to have surpassed $1,000,000 at auction. David Gilmour claimed that this Martin 1969 D-35 was his favorite of all of the guitars he owned.
The instrument was his main recording and writing guitar throughout his career and was famously used for the writing of Pink Floyd’s 1973 masterpiece ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’.
It was sold in 2019 as part of a huge auction lot of 120 of David’s most iconic guitars.
In total, the auction raised $21.5 million, with his prized acoustic reaching a staggering bid of $1,095,000.
21. Gibson ’59 Les Paul Standard (Keith Richards) – $1 million
This 1959 Les Paul Standard is commonly referred to as being the ‘holy grail’ of electric guitars.
It was traded into a London guitar store, where it later found its way into the hands of a certain Mr. Keith Richards.
I could not find a suitable image of this guitar in the same style as the others, but the guitar shown above is broadly similar. A quick Google image search will show you Keith using the actual guitar if interested.
It was Keith’s go-to guitar during the early years of the Rolling Stones and was also used by other legendary players such as Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton.
The guitar clearly has a rich history, and was even stolen at one point in 1971 and presumed lost. Miraculously, the guitar resurfaced and was able to be auctioned off in 2003.
It was reportedly sold to a private collector for $1 million.
22. Fender 1964 Stratocaster (Bob Dylan) – $965,000
This 1964 Fender Stratocaster was played by Bob Dylan at his first-ever electric gig at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
He was famously booed on stage by his fans for using this guitar, as they were used to acoustic versions of his songs.
This guitar marked Dylan’s transition into using more electronic instruments.
After accidentally being left in the back of a plane, the guitar spent 40 years untouched in a loft until it was rediscovered by a television history show in 2012.
It was sold in December 2013 for $965,000.
23. Fender ‘Blackie Stratocaster (Eric Clapton) – $959,500
In 1970, Eric Clapton purchased six 1950s Stratocasters and gave one to each of Pete Townshend, George Harrison, and bandmate Steve Winwood.
He then chose the best pieces of the remaining three guitars and used them to build his beloved ‘Blackie’.
Clapton used ‘Blackie’ almost exclusively until 1985, when it was retired due to issues with the neck.
The guitar was sold in 2004 as part of a charity auction, with the proceeds going to Clapton’s drug and alcohol rehabilitation foundation, the Crossroads Center.
The winning bidder was music retailer Guitar Center, which purchased it for $959,500. At the time, this was the most pricey guitar ever sold.
24. Doug Irwin ‘Tiger’ (Jerry Garcia) – $957,500
Jerry Garcia’s Will stated that upon his death that all of his Irwin-designed guitars should be returned to luthier Doug Irwin.
However, after a lengthy legal battle with the remaining members of the Grateful Dead, it was agreed that Irwin should receive only two guitars – Tiger and Wolf.
This guitar was Garcia’s go-to axe from 1979 until 1989, when Irwin built him a new instrument. It was an unusually heavy guitar, weighing in at a whopping 13.5 pounds (6.1kg).
Tiger was sold in May 2002 for $850,000 at auction (or $957,500 if you include the buyer’s premium).
At the time, this was the highest price ever paid for a guitar at auction.
25. Cloud 3 (Prince) – $910,000
Built in early 1985 for the Purple Rain tour, Prince’s distinctive ‘Cloud 3’ guitar originally sold in 2005 for a little under $10,000.
So, how did it manage to achieve such a huge sale in May 2024? When it was sold in 2005, the auction house was not able to verify the authenticity of the guitar.
However, after painstaking levels of examination and authentication, the guitar was finally revealed to be the real deal. It secured a final sale of $910,000, making it the most expensive Prince guitar ever sold!
26. Gibson 1964 ES-335 TDC (Eric Clapton) – $847,500
The second guitar ever purchased by Eric Clapton is also the second Clapton guitar to appear on this list.
It is largely known as the ‘Cream guitar’, as during his time with the band, one of his roadies painted the word in large letters on the side of its hard case.
Clapton used the guitar extensively from 1964 until it was finally put up for sale in 2004.
This semi-hollow formed part of a charity auction along with Eric’s Strat ‘Blackie’ above, with the proceeds going to the Crossroads Center.
The guitar was sold in June 2004 for $847,500.
27. Martin 1939 000-42 (Eric Clapton) – $791,500
Yet another entry in this list that was previously owned by Eric Clapton! I’m beginning to see a trend here…
In 1992, Clapton used this guitar to record arguably his most beloved track – “Tears in Heaven”. He also used it to perform his famous ‘MTV Unplugged’ session.
Pre-war Martins are very desirable guitars even without Clapton’s DNA on them, with regular 1930s 000-42s going for as much as $50,000.
This iconic Martin was sold in June 2004 at Christie’s Auction House for $791,500, making it the third most expensive acoustic guitar ever.
28. Rickenbacker 1962 425 (George Harrison) – $657,000
George Harrison purchased this bass in the USA whilst visiting his sister.
He used this historical Rickenbacker for The Beatles’ first appearance on the television program Ready Steady Go! in October of 1963, and on the program Thank Your Lucky Stars in December of 1963.
The Ricky was estimated to sell for between $400k and $600k, but ended up going for a lot more.
It was sold to an anonymous bidder for $657,000 at Julien’s Auction House on May 17th, 2014.
29. Fender 1965 Strat ‘Lenny’ (Stevie Ray Vaughan) – $623,500
Blues maestro Stevie Ray Vaughan was given this guitar from a pawn shop as a birthday present from his wife, Lenny.
He was so moved by the gift that he stayed up all night to write ‘Lenny’ and then played the song for her the next morning.
He used this famous axe extensively until his untimely death in 1990 at the age of only 35.
It was sold in June 2004 at Christie’s Auction House for $623,500, absolutely obliterating its initial estimate of just $15k – $20k.
Not bad for a guitar that cos his wife just $350!
30. Rex Acoustic (Paul McCartney) – $615,000
Wait. A What? This Rex acoustic was the very first guitar that Sir Paul McCartney ever held.
He learned his first chords on it and used it to impress John Lennon when he first joined The Quarrymen in 1957.
It was owned by Paul’s school buddy Ian James, who decided to sell the guitar to help fund his retirement.
The guitar sold at auction in July 2006 for £330,000 (roughly $615k), far surpassing its estimate of $100,000.
31. Gibson 1961 SG (Duane Allman) – $591,000
This 1961/1962 Gibson SG once belonged to Duane Allman, who most notably played it on the live recording of ‘Statesboro Blues’ from the band’s ‘At Fillmore East’ album.
The instrument originally featured a sideways Gibson Vibrola tremolo, but was replaced by a stop bar by the time it came into Duane’s possession.
You can still see the screw holes on the body!
Although it didn’t fetch as much as Duane’s 1957 Les Paul at auction, the iconic SG eventually sold for a still impressive $591,000.
32. Fender 1965 Stratocaster (Jimi Hendrix) – $570,000
This 1965 Fender Stratocaster was famously set on fire with lighter fluid by Jimi Hendrix whilst on stage at the Astoria in London in 1967.
While the astonished audience watched, the venue staff were angered by the display and hurriedly ushered him off stage.
Hendrix received minor burns and received hospital treatment as a result of this stunt.
The guitar was purchased by guitar collector Daniel Boucher in September 2008 for £280,000, which was roughly $570,000 at the time.
Although the guitar was expected to make around $1 million!
33. Gibson 1964 SG Standard (Lennon, Harrison) – $567,500
This 1964 Gibson SG was played by George Harrison during various Beatles appearances and recording sessions from 1966 until 1969.
Later on, in 1969, the SG was also used by John Lennon during the recording of the ‘White Album’ sessions.
Harrison gave the guitar to Pete Ham of Badfinger, and after his death, it was stored away by Pete’s brother for almost three decades before being rediscovered.
The guitar was sold at Christie’s Auction House in December 2004 for the princely sum of $567,500.
The winning bidder was Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, who also owns a few other guitars on this list!
34. Martin 1930 OM-45 Deluxe (Roy Rogers) – $554,500
This 1930 Martin OM-45 Deluxe was previously owned by American singer and actor Roy Rogers.
Only 15 of these guitars were produced by Martin in 1930, making them exceptionally rare instruments and highly sought-after pieces.
This particular guitar is even more special as it was the very first OM-45 Deluxe to be produced that year.
The guitar far surpassed its initial estimate of between $150,000-$250,000 and ended up selling in April 2009 for over half a million dollars!
The Rest
- 35. Martin 1971 D12-28 (David Gilmour) – $531,000
- 36. Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins (John Lennon) – $530,000
- 37 D’Angelico EX-DC – $526,000
- 38. Fender 1955 Strat ‘Alligator’ (Jerry Garcia) – $524,000
- 39. Fender 1956 Strat ‘Brownie’ (Eric Clapton) – $497,500
- 40. Fender 1966 Mustang (Jimi Hendrix) – $490,000
- 41. Maton 1963 Mastersound (George Harrison) – $490,000
- 42. Fender 1996 Gold Leaf Strat (Eric Clapton) – $455,550
- 43. Gretsch 1958 White Penguin (David Gilmour) – $447,000
- 44. Gibson 1955 Les Paul Goldtop (David Gilmour) – $447,000
- 45. Fender 1968 Rosewood Tele (George Harrison) – $434,750
- 46. Vox 1966 Kensington (Lennon/Harrison) – $418,000
- 47. Fender 1964 Stratocaster (Jimi Hendrix) – $388,338
- 48. Gibson ES-335 (Alex Lifeson) – $384,000
- 49. Fender 1964 Jazzmaster (Jimi Hendrix) – $384,000
- 50. Fender 1949 Broadcaster Prototype – $375,000
- 51. Martin 1930 OM-45 Deluxe – $366,000
- 52. Hofner 1958 Senator (John Lennon) – $337,200
- 53. Gibson 1954 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty – $335,000
??. Peter Green/Gary Moore 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard
Many people have asked about this one, and I would love to include it on the list…but where??
It is widely accepted that this legendary guitar is one of the most (if not THE most) valuable guitars in the world. It is almost certainly the most expensive Les Paul in the world!
Unfortunately, there is no public record of what value the guitar has previously exchanged hands for.
I did manage to find an interview where the current owner (Metallica’s Kirk Hammet) mentions that he paid less than $2 million for it.
To Wrap Up
So what’s the takeaway from all of this?
If you’re considering picking up a guitar as an investment, try and get yourself an old Fender, and if possible…buy it from Kurt Cobain. Job done!
If that fails, something previously owned by a Beatle, Eric Clapton, or Jerry Garcia looks to be a safe bet as well!
Here is a list showing the most expensive guitars ever sold, sorted by the most popular brands.
- Fender – 19
- Gibson – 11
- Martin – 7
- Gretsch – 2
- Dough Irwin – 2
Anything Missing?
As guitars are constantly being bought and sold at auction, it is extremely difficult to keep this article completely current.
If you notice that a guitar is missing from this list, please help out and drop me a quick email!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Most Expensive Guitar Ever Sold?
The most expensive guitar ever sold at auction is a 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic, which was famously played by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana’s ‘MTV Unplugged’ performance. It sold for $6 million at Julien’s auction house in June 2020.
What Is The Most Expensive Electric Guitar In The World?
The most expensive electric guitar in the world is Kurt Cobain’s 1969 Fender Mustang in Lake Placid Blue, which he played in the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit. It sold in May 2022 for a cool $4.5 million.
