The 1965 Telecaster used by Bob Dylan on his first tour as a rock ’n’ roller is headed for the auction block on May 19. The guitar, which Dylan shared with the Band’s Robbie Robertson in the ’60s and ’70s, is expected to sell for between $400,000-600,000. Go here for details.
The guitar is part of a Music Icons 2018 auction taking place at New York’s Hard Rock Café and online. Other items being sold as part of the Music icons event once belonged to Prince and others. (The Prince auction takes place May 18.)
Related: When Dylan went electric
A portion of the proceeds benefiting the American Indian College Fund. An announcement on the auction company’s website states the following:
“The headliner of this blockbuster auction will be one of the most historically important guitars in rock history, a 1965 Fender Telecaster electric guitar, played by two of the most influential singer-songwriters of all time: pop culture icon Bob Dylan and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legendary songwriter and guitarist, Robbie Robertson. The legendary instrument first came onto the music scene making history as the guitar played by acoustic folk icon Bob Dylan on his first tour ‘going electric’ with the Hawks in 1966; his backing band would become famously renamed and revered as The Band. Played by Robbie Robertson on classic compositions such as ‘Up on Cripple Creek,’ ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ and by Dylan on the revolutionary 1966 Blonde on Blonde, Robertson said, ‘This guitar has been on the front lines of so many phenomenal events, I gaze at it with amazement.’ The guitar was also played extensively by other music legends including Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Levon Helm, defining the sound of some of the greatest rock and roll albums of all time.”
Among the Prince items for sale is his Schecter “White Cloud” electric guitar, commissioned by Prince in 2002 and styled as the same guitar first made known in the 1984 classic Purple Rain, as well as stage costumes and more.
Watch Dylan play “Like a Rolling Stone” in 1966
1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationI’m sure that Colts owner Jim Irsay will once again fork over for something like this! He already has the Dylan Strat, countless Beatles owned guitars, and more! Must be nice to have $$$$$$ to burn like that!!!!