As much as rockstars like Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, etc are famous, the guitars used by them during concerts also gained immense popularity among the fans. People are willing to pay huge amount for the guitars that belonged to rockstars and celebrities. Some of these guitars are auctioned at millions of dollars making them quite expensive for a guitar.
Top 10 Most Expensive Guitars in the World 2024
The table provides the list of the 10 most expensive guitars in the world along with the whopping price at which they were sold.
| Guitars | Price |
| Kurt Cobain’s Ultra-Rare 1959 Martin D-18E | $6 Million |
| David Gilmour’s Black Strat | $3.9 Million |
| Reach Out To Asia Fender Stratocaster | $2.7 Million |
| John Lennon’s 1962 Gibson J-160E Acoustic Electric | $2.4 Million |
| Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Fender Stratocaster | $2 Million |
| Peter Green + Gary Moore’s 1959 Les Paul | $2 Million |
| Jerry Garcia’s “Wolf” | $1.9 Million |
| Bob Marley’s Washburn 22-Series Hawk | $1.2 Million |
| 1958 Gibson Korina Explorer | $1.1 Million |
| Keith Richards 1959 Gibson Les Paul | $1 Million |
World’s 10 Most Expensive Guitars 2024
Here you can check quick description about expensive guitars in the world:
1. Kurt Cobain’s Ultra-Rare 1959 Martin D-18E
The crown of being the most expensive guitar in the world goes to Kurt Cobain’s Ultra-Rare 1959 Martin D-18E. The guitar was bought by the founder of Rode Microphones, Peter Freedman for a price of staggering $6 million. Cobain used this guitar during the iconic November 1993 MTV Unplugged session.
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2. David Gilmour’s Black Strat
The black Fender Stratocaster guitar played by David Gilmour has been given the nickname ‘The Black Strat’ and it is the world’s second most expensive guitar. It was auctioned at a price of $3.9 millions. When Jim Isray bought this guitar in 2019, he set a record which was broken in 2020 when Kurt Cobain’s guitar was bought at the most expensive price.
3. Reach Out To Asia Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster was auctioned in Qatar in 2005 to help the Tsunami victims and was sold for an astonishing price of $2.7 million. What made this guitar special was the autographs of numerous rockstars including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, David Gilmour, Liam Gallagher, Ronnie Wood, Paul McCartney, Sting, Bryan Adams and others.
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4. John Lennon’s 1962 Gibson J-160E Acoustic Electric
After being lost for almost 40 years, the John Lennon’s 1962 Gibson J-160E Acoustic Electric was auctioned in 2015 and sold for 2.4 million dollars. The guitar was purchased during a live Julien’s auction by a buyer who asked to remain anonymous. Lennon played this iconic guitar in Beatles classics including “I Saw Her Standing There,” “She Loves You” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
5. Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Fender Stratocaster
With a price of 2 million dollars, Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Fender Stratocaster ranks fifth among the 10 most expensive guitars in the world. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen was the one to purchase this guitar. Used by Hendrix during his performance at Woodstock, the guitar is now preserved at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle.
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6. Peter Green + Gary Moore’s 1959 Les Paul
Greeny was the name given to the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar made for famous rockstar Peter Green. The guitar was later sold to norther Irish musician Gary Moore and this got the name Peter Green + Gary Moore’s 1959 Les Paul. Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett purchased Greeny in 2014 for $2 million and has used it in his studio and during live performances
7. Jerry Garcia’s “Wolf”
Jerry Garcia’s most beloved guitar Wolf, built by Sonoma County luthier Doug Irwin, was one of the most popular guitars that has been auctioned quite a few times. Jim Irsay purchased this guitar for $957,500 and was later bought by Daniel Pritzker for $789,500. In 2017, Pritzker sold Wolf to Brian Halligan for $1.9 million at an auction to benefit the Southern Poverty Law Center.
8. Bob Marley’s Washburn 22-Series Hawk
One of the seven iconic guitars owned by the renowned musician and reggae icon Bob Marley, Washburn 22-Series Hawk is estimated to be of 1.2 million dollars making it one of the world’s most expensive guitar. The guitar is classified as a national asset by the Jamaican government. This custom-made guitar is also said to be Marley’s most favorite.
9. 1958 Gibson Korina Explorer
Priced at 1.1 million dollars, 1958 Gibson Korina Explorer held the record for being the most expensive guitar once. Previous owners of this guitar include Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, Slash, and Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick. Only 10 of these guitars are ever produced to quench the thirst of guitar enthusiasts who can afford this expensive yet rare instrument.
10. Keith Richards 1959 Gibson Les Paul
In the early years of The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards played the 1959 Gibson Les Paul, known as the Holy Grail of electric guitars. He also used this guitar to record popular songs like Time is on My Side, The Last Time, Get Off My Cloud, Let’s Spend the Night Together, Satisfaction, etc. The guitar was sold at an auction for $1 million.
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