The big charity guitar auction organized by U2’s guitarist The Edge and producer Bob Ezrin to benefit Music Rising, the charity they formed in 2005 to aid musicians devastated by Hurricane Katrina turned out to be a big success.
It turned out that the bass donated by Paul McCartney broke the world record for the most expensive bass guitar.
As a number of outlets report, the Yamaha BB-1200 bass guitar, which McCartney used in the studio and on tour with Wings, sold for $496,100 (£374,905), beating the previous record of $384,000 (£290,190) set by The Rolling Stones‘ Bill Wyman’s 1969 Fender Mustang bass in 2020.
The likes of U2, Elton John, Pearl Jam, Rush, Tom Morello, Joan Jett, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Kings Of Leon, Johnny Marr, Green Day, Radiohead, and Arcade Fire’s Win Butler also donated instruments to the auction which raised over $2 million (£1.5 million).
Coming in as another top seller was Eddie Vedder’s Lake Placid Blue Fender Telecaster, which the musician had destroyed while playing a gig, selling for $266,200 (£201,168) making it the most expensive smashed guitar ever sold at auction.
Speaking about the event, The Edge said: “We want to thank everyone involved in this amazing auction including the artists who generously gave their personal instruments and the bidders from around the globe who helped us break world records.
“The proceeds Music Rising earned will help bring live music back to life in a part of the country whose musical culture has been hugely influential in the world,” he continued. “We are indebted to all of the supporters of Music Rising who have given us a great opportunity to return to our roots and help those musicians in need.”
