Many people in the world love to pursue luxurious items for a host of reasons. Those who have the means to get their hands on these things do so because they see them as the best quality.
Whether it’s jewelry from Rafka, cars from Porsche, clothes from Missoni, or the finest musical instruments, people who can afford the best want the best. It’s that simple. Piano players would love nothing more than to get their hands on the iconic Sphynx grand from Bechstein, which took over 1600 painstaking hours to build from the finest materials. You can also spend a lot of money on an electric guitar, as the Ibanez Paul Stanley Signature electric guitar with its cracked glass mirror top, which Japanese craftsmen put together one piece at a time, is a great example. It’s not cheap at $7,000, a figure which might seem like a lot to pay for a replica of a legendary axe. However, it pales in comparison to some of the most expensive guitars ever to change hands.
While the Ibanez is undoubtedly a luxurious piece of kit, these next five are in another stratosphere.
1964 Fender Stratocaster – $965,000
While several legendary artists have played and owned a Stratocaster over the years, this one has the honor of being one of the first that has some significant historical value. It was the first-ever electric guitar played by to putting this instrument into his hands at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, he’d been known for his acoustic sets, Bob Dylan; prior and the crowd at the event that day didn’t like his transition to electric as they booed him!
1958 Gibson Korina Explorer – $1.1 million
This guitar is not only historic because it’s over 60 years old; initially designed in 1957, the Korina wood body and Brazilian rosewood fretboards produced a sound like no other. If this Explorer wasn’t already a highly sought-after example, as it’s one of only ten ever made, it has also been played by some of the world’s greatest guitarists. James Hetfield, frontman of Metallica, and Slash from Guns N’ Roses have all owned this one.
22-Series Hawk Washburn – $1.2 million
Bob Marley was a man with simple tastes and certainly wasn’t known for his extravagance despite worldwide fame. His frugal nature is evident when you realize he only had seven guitars in his collection throughout his whole life, and this 22-series was one of those. After he finished his career, he gave it to his guitar technician, who sold it to the Jamaican government, who quickly declared it a national treasure.
1962 Gibson J-160E Acoustic Electric – $2.4 million
This was one of two identical guitars that were bought by two members of one of the UK’s most famous bands, The Beatles. George Harrison and John Lennon picked up their matching instruments in 1962, and they used them to co-compose ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ amongst other tracks in the heyday of the ‘Fab Four’. When Lennon purchased this particular model in the 60s in London, it cost him £161 ($210), but an anonymous bidder bought this acoustic masterpiece for well over $2 million in 2014.
“Reach Out To Asia” Fender Stratocaster – $2.7 million
Following the devastating earthquake in the Indian Ocean and subsequent tsunami that killed over 230,000 people in 2004, Canadian Bryan Adams came together with some of the world’s most prominent artists to raise money for those suffering in the wake of the disaster. While the white-bodied ‘Strat’ isn’t unique, its value comes from the 19 signatures from artists including Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Angus and Malcolm Young. It was last sold at auction for an eye-watering $2.7 million making it the most expensive guitar ever.