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The Most Expensive Guitars Ever Sold (2026 Update)

Tom Compagnoni

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With the Jim Irsay collection going under the hammer, the list of the most expensive guitars ever sold has been completely reshaped. From John Lennon’s lost acoustics to David Gilmour’s legendary Black Strat, these are the 10 most expensive guitars ever sold at auction and the wild stories behind them.

00:00 Intro
00:52 John Lennon – Gibson J-160E
02:33 Eddie Van Halen – Kramer 'Ad Guitar'
04:24 John Lennon – 'Help!' 12-String
05:28 Eric Clapton – 'The Fool'
07:27 Eddie Van Halen – 'Hot For Teacher' Kramer
08:31 Eric Clapton – 'Unplugged' Martin Acoustic
10:01 Kurt Cobain – 'Unplugged' Martin Acoustic
11:34 Kurt Cobain – 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' Mustang
12:28 Jerry Garcia – 'Wolf'
14:15 David Gilmour – 'Black Strat'

#guitarsolo #MusicHistory #KurtCobain #DavidGilmour #VanHalen #TheBeatles #EricClapton

🎥 Also watch:
▶️ My trip to Liverpool exploring The Beatles' sacred sites:
My Beatles Pilgrimage To Liverpool
▶️ My journey through Sydney uncovering AC/DC’s forgotten landmarks:
I Toured Sydney's Forgotten Sydney Landmarks

20 Comments

@neverwhere101 3 months ago

just proves, don't give a guitar to anyone, they'll just end up selling it

@BlindPidePiper 6 months ago

Proof that some people have too much money.

@austins.2495 5 hours ago

That painted Clapton guitar “The Fool” is so badass 🤙

@satyenpatel1622 6 months ago

Just imagine how much Brian May's "Red one" would fetch in an auction like that

@kflow1379 5 months ago

Records will continue to be broken, you're absolutely right. Mainly because the rich get richer.

@Goodiebar18 6 months ago

I played the Black Strat at Christie’s NYC In 2019 right before Gilmour sold it to Irsay

@Michel-r6m 6 months ago

My guitars just did not make in the top 10 but I like them 😅

@TerryHesticles01 2 months ago (edited)

Buddy Holly’s Gibson J-45 fitted with a custom hand-tooled leather cover that he made himself to protect the top from his aggressive strumming.... That one... The Flame as it was called by Graham Nash and holding it gave him chills. Gary Busey is the current owner. It's priceless

@Ste2112-p3y 5 months ago

Wonder how much Neil's Old Black would fetch. Now that guitar has earned it's stripes. Been lucky enough to see it thrashed but still survive on more than one occasion. Hope it goes to a museum and not disappear to a private collection.

@CaptainVelveeta 5 months ago

I wonder where Randy Rhoads' iconic white Concord and polka dot "V" would sit if they hit the auction block.

@hwnfrd 4 months ago

The price people will pay for prestige and envy is why things can be sold for ridiculous prices.

@Afutdeoskdoydoflxixoc 3 months ago

I love how 2 are Lennon, 2 are Kurt’s, 2 are Clapton’s, and 2 are Eddie’s💔😭

@robw7676 4 months ago (edited)

"He eventually gave the guitar to his friend George Harrison"

George swapped Eric Clapton his wife for a Gibson SG

@amberpaigejames9054 5 months ago

It's so crazy; with these prices, I'm betting Eddie Van Halen wished he'd saved the boxer-shorts he was wearing the day something was recorded.

@NotTheFabFour 6 months ago

I live in Indianapolis, so I’ve seen Mr. Irsay’s collection up close (behind glass of course). I got to take pictures of the Black Strat among others. Then the Jim Irsay band played, and I got to see Kenny Wayne Shepherd play Comfortably Numb with it. It was brought out by a guy holding it with white gloves. Such a fun evening.

I got to experience this in consecutive years before Mr. Irsay got sick, and then passed away.

I got to meet him, ironically, at a guitar shop when the Colts first moved into town in 1984 I think. Nobody knew him yet since his father was the Colts owner at the time. He loved to talk music and guitars. I had no idea back then just how serious he was.

All Things Must Pass.