David Gilmour’s Black Strat Sells for Record-Breaking $3,975,000,

In what has to be one of the largest and most historic guitar collections to go to auction, 120 instruments from David Gilmour’s personal collection went up for sale recently at Christie’s in New York City, with all of Gilmour’s profits being donated to charity. Guitars at the heart of The Dark Side of the MoonWish You Were HereThe Wall, and countless Pink Floyd performances and studio sessions were sold, many for historically large amounts.

Included in the sale was the Black Strat—Gilmour’s iconic black Fender Stratocaster that has been with him since his earliest days in Pink Floyd. What started as an off-the-shelf ’68–’69 Standard was heavily modified throughout his career.

From 1971 forward, it was his main guitar, including on landmark moments like the solo on “Comfortably Numb” and the entirety of “Shine on You Crazy Diamond.” Final price? $3,975,000. Prior to the sale of the Black Strat, the most expensive guitar ever sold at auction was the “Reach Out to Asia” Stratocaster, signed by the world’s biggest rockstars and auctioned off to support victims of the 2004 Tsunami. That guitar garnered $2.7 million when sold in 2005.

Perhaps it was the charitable nature of the auction or perhaps Gilmour’s super fans simply egged each other on to higher and higher bids, but regardless, across the board, estimates were blown out of the water. The grand total for all of the instruments is $21.5 million—all of it going to the climate change organization ClientEarth.

Whilst we cant boast of having a comparable range of iconic guitars currently in stock, it’s certainly worth your while checking out our pre-owned beauties here at RGG, for perhaps a somewhat more affordable option & make this your ‘Happy (Affordable) New Guitar Day’