David Gilmour will say goodbye to more than 120 of his instruments today (Wednesday) when they go on the auction block at Christie's in New York.
They are estimated to sell between a range of $300 to $150,000, with the most iconic being his 1969 Black Fender Stratocaster, which he bought in 1970 and used while recording and touring The Dark Side of the Moon,Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. It's the guitar used for the solo on "Comfortably Numb."
Also up for bids is a 1954 White Fender Stratocaster #0001, which was used on The Wall, and the 1955 Gibson Les Paul that Gilmour used for the solo on "Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two)."
Gilmour says, "These guitars have been very good to me, and many of them have gifted me pieces of music over the years. They have paid for themselves many times over, but it’s now time that they moved on. Guitars were made to be played and it is my wish that wherever they end up, they continue to give their owners the gift of music."
Gilmour will donate all of the proceeds to various charities through his foundation.
It won't be surprising to see the Black Fender Strat to sell for more than the estimated top-end of $150,000. The most expensive guitar sold at auction was a white Fender Stratocaster signed by Gilmour,Paul McCartney,Eric Clapton,Keith Richards,Mick Jagger,Ronnie Wood,Brian May,Jimmy Page,Jeff Beck,Mark Knopfler, Pete Townshend,Tony Iommi,Angus Young,Malcolm Young,Sting, Ritchie Blackmore, members of Def Leppard, Bryan Adams and others. It went for $2.7-million with the proceeds going to Reach Out to Asia, a charity formed to help victims of the 2004 tsunami.
Eric Clapton is the other artist to part with many of his guitars at auction to raise money for his Crossroads rehab center. Five of his guitars are among the Top 10 most expensive ever sold at auction, with his "Blackie" Strat being the top seller at $959,000.
Any takers??