News

The iconic guitar from Jimi Hendrix’s legendary 1967 performance in London is set to go to auction this September. Experts claim the burnt guitar will reach a staggering sale of $1million.

Way back in 1967 guitar legend Jimi Hendrix performed a one off show in the UK at the London Astoria on just a temporary VISA. Determined to make his name one to remember amongst the British audience he burnt his Fender Stratocaster guitar right in front of the crowd.

Hendrix shocked both the audience and staff as the flames rose into the air and left Hendrix in hospital for burns. He was immediately ushered off the stage by Astoria staff leaving roadies to retrieve the flaming guitar.

The moment has been praised in rock history ever since and despite his burns Hendrix continue to perform the stunt at other gigs. His spectacular act even encouraged other rockers to do the same thing. However the 1965 Fender Stratocaster was the only guitar to survive Hendrix’s burning ritual.

While Hendrix was taken to hospital roadies passed on the guitar to friend and press officer Tony Garland. The guitar reached the hands of Hendrix’s bass player Noel Redding for a short time before landing once again in the care of Garland- where it remained hidden for over forty years. However in 2007 Garland’s nephew stumbled across the notorious guitar and handed it over to auctioneers!

The 1965 Fender Stratocaster guitar will now go to auction on September 4th presented by The Fame Bureau and Idea Generation at the Generation Gallery. Experts claim the guitar will reach a staggering $1million.

The guitar will be just one of the many famous items at the auction including the last surviving drum-kit of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham, Jim Morrison’s final notebook of poetry and musings before his death in Paris in 1971; and the song-sheet for Band Aid’s ‘We are the World’ –signed by Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.