Alex Lifeson spoke to his iconic “Whitey” Gibson ES-355TD before he put it up for auction

Alex Lifeson playing his Gibson ES-355TD
(Image credit: Julien's Auctions)

Earlier this year, Rush legend Alex Lifeson announced he will be auctioning off an array of electric guitars and acoustic guitars that he's acquired across his illustrious career. One notable inclusion in the charity event is his iconic “Whitey” Gibson ES-355TD.

For most people, selling gear is a struggle at the best of times, but for Lifeson, parting ways with his ES-355 – an axe he described as his “main guitar” – proved to be an especially difficult experience.

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Matt Owen
Senior Staff Writer, GuitarWorld.com

Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.