A Japanese sunburst electric from the early 1960s that was played by legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix has sold for a considerable sum at an auction. The guitar, which was described as being in "well-loved condition and has no strings" sold for $216,000 on Saturday, Rolling Stonereports.
"This early 1960s Japanese sunburst electric guitar was played by the legendary guitarist and rock n' roll musician, Jimi Hendrix," a description for the guitar reads on GWS Auctions' website. "According to our research, this guitar was used by Jimi shortly after he returned home from the U.S. Army in 1962. After leaving Fort Campbell Jimi moved to Clarksville, Tennessee for a short time where he played on the Chitlin' Circuit with the likes of Wilson Pickett, Slim Harpo, Sam Cooke, Ike and Tina Turner and Jackie Wilson before moving to Harlem, New York in early 1964 where he stayed until late 1966 playing venues such as Cafe Wha and the Cheetah Club."
Hendrix left the guitar in NYC with his friend Mike Quashi when he went to the U.K. to start his Experience band in 1966. Mitch Mitchell played drums and Noel Redding played bass in the trio.
The person who purchased the guitar will also receive "the original signed, notarized letter of provenance from Quashie, along with a statement from the collector who our client acquired it from who spoke with Mike Quashie before he passed."
In other auction news, Kurt Cobain's guitar, the same one he played at his 1993 MTV Unplugged performance, was sold for just over $6 million back in late June. "It's a big deal," Australian businessman Peter Freedman, who's the owner of Rode Microphones, said after winning the bid. "I didn't even buy it for me. I paid for it but I'm going to use it to highlight the plight of artists worldwide by touring it around and then I'm going to sell it and use the dough for that as well, later."
