Beloved BB King 'Lucille' guitar sells for $280,000 at auction

By Ben Beaumont-Thomas

 

Famous name … BB King with one of his Lucille guitars. Photograph: Glenn Copus/ANL/Rex Shutterstock

 

One of BB King’s most beloved guitars has sold at a US auction for $280,000 (£225,000).

 

The black Gibson ES-345 prototype was presented to King in 2005 by manufacturers Gibson on his 80th birthday, and was the first in a limited edition of 80.

 

He used it as his primary guitar until it was stolen in 2009 and traded in at a Las Vegas pawn shop.

 

A guitar collector bought it, and after investigating its provenance, returned it to King later that year.

 

Full Story: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/sep/24/beloved-bb-king-lucille-guitar-sells-for-280000-at-auction

BB was great. I was lucky enough to have been able to see him, Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf when I was a young whippersnapper.

Surprised it went for so little.

I presume his "real" Lucille guitars from the 60's & 70's etc would fetch a far higher price.

I'm not sure, i'm no guitar value expert, but i believe the most valuable electric guitar on the planet is a Rory Gallagher Stratocaster, worth more than any Clapton or Hendrix guitar.

Correct me if i'm wrong by all means.

Yes, BB was good. Real good.

I heard in a BB King interview that he had numerous guitars called "Lucile" since some were lost (stolen).....

21 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

I'm not sure, i'm no guitar value expert, but i believe the most valuable electric guitar on the planet is a Rory Gallagher Stratocaster, worth more than any Clapton or Hendrix guitar.

Correct me if i'm wrong by all means.

At the moment, because this may change at any time somebody auctions one of the top instruments, the "most valueable guitar" (in terms of only money value) is one of the original Gibson Explorers of the first production in 1958. This depends on its rareness. (You may look up the Explorer story anywhere in the net). They compete with the 1959 "Burst" Les Pauls (from which are actually more on the market than the actual production number...) BUT i may be wrong about the item, because any of the papers states different.

Rory is admirable, i love him, as are his strats.

As a player i may tell you that all of these prices are exaggerated, due to the historical value of the instruments. Finally a guitar in a showcase is worthless unless played. In practice it´s about finding "your" guitar and of course your own skills. Has nothing to do with money.

On 9/24/2019 at 11:26 PM, thaiguzzi said:

Surprised it went for so little.

I presume his "real" Lucille guitars from the 60's & 70's etc would fetch a far higher price.

I'm not sure, i'm no guitar value expert, but i believe the most valuable electric guitar on the planet is a Rory Gallagher Stratocaster, worth more than any Clapton or Hendrix guitar.

Correct me if i'm wrong by all means.

Yes, BB was good. Real good.

David Gilmour's black Strat recently set the record at a touch under $4m, a heap of his guitars sold for 10 to 20 times the pre auction estimates.