Johnny Marr's Iconic Guitars Head to Auction
Guitars used by Johnny Marr in The Smiths and on his solo work are expected to fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds at auction, the Press Association reports. The sale will include his 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355, which inspired him to write Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, and his recognisable 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo, which was used throughout the recording of The Smiths’ debut album and early tours.
Marr Reflects on Parting with Instruments
Marr, who got his first guitar aged five, said he 'couldn't imagine' the instruments remaining unplayed in storage. "It’s bittersweet to be parting with these guitars but I want them to go to new homes and new people who will love them as much as I have," he said. "I hope they bring as much joy, inspiration and fun – and new songs – as they have given me."
“Each guitar I have acquired over the past 50 years or so has helped me evolve as a musician, bringing new songs, new sounds and techniques. Writing Marr’s Guitars in 2023 gave me the perfect excuse to revisit the songs, shows and unforgettable moments they’ve brought me, and that I’ve shared with remarkable people in studios and on stages around the world. The book turned out to be a cathartic experience and when it was time for these beautiful instruments to go back into storage, I couldn’t imagine them being put away and left unplayed."
Key Guitars and Their Estimated Values
The Gibson ES-355 was purchased for him in 1983 by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein, after Marr joked The Smiths would sign to the label if Stein bought him a new guitar, and is expected to fetch between £100,000 and £150,000. The Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo can be heard on some of The Smiths best-known songs such as What Difference Does It Make? and This Charming Man, and is expected to fetch between £60,000 and £80,000. It also featured on the cover of Oasis’s debut single Supersonic after Marr lent the guitar to Noel Gallagher during early recording sessions for Definitely Maybe.
Also included in the auction is Marr’s Cherry 1984 Gibson Les Paul Standard, which was bought for The Smiths second album Meat Is Murder (1985) and used on the 1985 tour and the final song of their last ever concert in December 1986. The Les Paul is expected to fetch between £80,000 and £120,000, with Marr saying the instrument has also been used on records by New Order, The The, The Cribs, and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
A Comet Sparkle 2017 Fender Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar is also among the 95 lots, where it is expected to make between £8,000 and £12,000, having been used on Billie Eilish’s James Bond theme for the 2021 film No Time To Die.
Exhibition and Sale Details
Highlights from the sale, named Marr’s Guitars: The Johnny Marr Collection, will go on display in New York from June 25 to July 1, before returning to Christie’s London headquarters for the pre-sale exhibition – which is free and open to all – from September 9 to 16, before the sale on September 17. Marr will donate 100% of the hammer price from 10 lots to benefit the Guide Dogs For The Blind Association and the National Autistic Society.
He announced last week that he will release The Age Of Everything, his first studio album in four years, on October 2.
