Will You Be Bidding?: Loudersound reports that Christie’s London announces the auction of Jeff Beck’s extensive guitar collection, featuring over 90 instruments from the late guitarist’s illustrious career. “The Ultimate Guitarist’s Guitar Hero” sale, scheduled for January 22, 2025, fulfills Beck’s wish that his instruments find new homes with future players.
Historic Instruments Featured: According to Artnet, the collection’s crown jewel is Beck’s 1954 ‘Oxblood’ Gibson Les Paul, immortalized on his “Blow by Blow” album cover. Acquired in Memphis after a theft in 1972, the guitar carries an estimate of £350,000-£500,000 ($442,000-$631,000).
- Collection spans six-decade career
- Over 130 items including amps and effects
Widow Honors Legacy: “These guitars were his great love,” shares Sandra Beck, explaining the decision to auction the collection. “He never lusted after commercial success, and I hope the future guitarists who acquire these items are able to move closer to the genius who played them.”
Public Exhibition Planned: Before the London auction, the collection travels to Los Angeles in December for public display. The exhibition offers fans and collectors unique access to instruments that shaped modern guitar playing. For guitar fans, this is the best news since Gibson unveiled Jimmy Page’s 1964 SJ-200 guitars.
Musical Heritage Preserved: Christie’s head of private collections, Amelia Walker, emphasizes Beck’s “balance between fluidity and aggression,” noting how these instruments channeled his distinctive voice.
