A guitar used by John Lennon has sold for $2,857,500, setting a new record for the highest-selling guitar at auction in the Beatles ‘ history. The Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar , used in the recording of the Beatles’ 1965 Help! album and film, was bought through a telephone bid as part of a two-day music icons sale by Julien’s Auctions. The guitar had an estimated price of $600,000 to $800,000, but was expected to fetch far more.
It surpassed the $2.4 million price tag of Lennon’s Gibson J160E , which sold in 2015. “We are absolutely thrilled and honored to have set a new world record with the sale of John Lennon’s lost Hootenanny guitar,” David Goodman, the chief executive at Julien’s Auctions, said in a statement.
“This guitar is not only a piece of music history but a symbol of John Lennon’s enduring legacy. Today’s unprecedented sale is a testament to the timeless appeal and reverence of the Beatles’ music and John Lennon.” Both Lennon and George Harrison played the Framus 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar while making Help! , as well as Rubber Soul .
Lennon can be seen strumming it in the performance of “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” in the Help! movie, while it’s distinct 12-string shimmer also graced songs like “Help!” , “It’s Only Love,” “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “Girl,” and “Norwegian Wood.” The guitar later ended up with Gordon Waller, the Scottish singer-songwriter who was one-half of th.
