George Harrison's Rickenbacker 425 Guitar Sells for $675,000 at Auction
A black-and-white 1962 Rickenbacker 425 electric guitar that George Harrison played on British television before the Beatles' U.S. "invasion" fetched $657,000 at auction Saturday in New York City, topping pre-sale estimates, Julien's Auctions said.
Harrison, who died in 2001 at 58, played the guitar on 1963 appearances on the British TV shows Ready Steady Go! and Thank Your Lucky Stars with the Beatles. You can watch a clip from a 1963 Ready Steady Go! appearance below.
Harrison also played the guitar during the sessions when the Beatles recorded "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "This Boy" in October 1963, months before they brought "Beatlemania" to the U.S.
The guitar was estimated to sell for between $400,000 and $600,000, Julien's said ahead of the auction.
Harrison bought the guitar in 1963 in Mount Vernon, Illinois, while visiting his sister.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**
Join now for unlimited access
US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year
UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year
Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Since 1980, Guitar World has been the ultimate resource for guitarists. Whether you want to learn the techniques employed by your guitar heroes, read about their latest projects or simply need to know which guitar is the right one to buy, Guitar World is the place to look.
“For lovers of all things heavy that don’t want to deal with an extra string, it’s utter perfection”: Jackson Pro Plus XT Soloist SLAT HT6 Baritone review
“Fender have never done that before. I'm grateful to them for agreeing to do this”: Fender unveils a first-ever Road Worn finish treatment to help Andertons celebrate its 60th anniversary