Rory Gallagher’s legendary 1961 Fender Stratocaster, which the blues rock virtuoso used to establish himself as one of the all-time greats of guitar music, is set to be auctioned by Bonhams.
This Stratocaster is the first lot from “The Rory Gallagher Collection,” which includes a variety of items from the guitar master’s gear collection, ranging from his most iconic guitars to a selection of amps and accessories.
Due to its significance, the ‘61 Strat, considered one of the most recognizable Strats in rock history, is leading the auction with an estimated value of £700,000 – £1,000,000.
Few Strats are as easily identifiable as Gallagher’s. While the Irish icon played several electric guitars during his career, including a ‘59 Fender Esquire and a ‘63 Gretsch Corvette, it’s the heavily battered Strat that Gallagher is best known for.
The story goes that the Strat originally belonged to Jim Conlon, who had ordered a red Strat but received a sunburst model instead. When the red Strat eventually arrived, this particular example was put up for sale, and Gallagher purchased it for £100 in 1963 from Michael Crowley of Crowley’s Music Store in Cork.
It was reportedly the first Strat to land on Irish shores (an American instrument in Ireland in the early ‘60s was remarkably rare) and quickly became synonymous with Gallagher and his music.
The Strat is particularly noted for its heavily relic’d state, indicating its long career in Gallagher’s hands. During their prolific partnership, the Strat underwent numerous modifications that shaped it into the instrument it is today.
These modifications included multiple pickup changes, a temporary neck replacement (due to moisture and sweat absorbed during gigs), new tuners, and a replacement pickguard.
The guitar’s once-sunburst finish is now stripped, which Gallagher’s official website attributes to the Strat spending days in a rainy ditch after it was stolen in 1966.
Since Gallagher’s passing in 1995, the Strat has been in the possession of Rory’s brother and former manager, Dónal, who now believes it is time to let others “cherish” the instrument.
“Since 1995, I have always felt that there was a mission to be fulfilled to cement Rory’s legacy and widen the knowledge of his music,” Dónal says. “So, in one of the most difficult and sensitive decisions to reach, I have decided to facilitate the release of his instruments for sale, so that these emblems of his legacy can be enjoyed by others.”
“Rory Gallagher’s 1961 Fender Stratocaster is one of the world’s most recognizable guitars,” adds Claire Tole-Moir, Head of Bonhams’ Popular Culture Department. “It was an enormous part of Rory Gallagher’s life and was with him from the very start of his career until the end.
“It could be said that it was on this guitar that he carved out his legacy of being one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Bonhams is honored to be entrusted with bringing this iconic Stratocaster to auction and is excited to announce the landmark sale of Rory Gallagher’s extensive collection.”
This auction is set to be one of 2024’s most notable guitar events, and if it approaches the upper end of its estimate, Gallagher’s ‘61 Strat could become one of the most expensive guitars ever sold at auction.
“He was one of a very few people at that time who could make his guitar do anything. It just seemed to be magic,” Brian May says of Gallagher and his guitar. “I remember looking at this battered Stratocaster and thinking, ‘How does that come out of there?’
“One of the reasons I do what I do is because of Rory.”
