David Gilmour’s ‘Black Strat’ Sets All-Time Auction Record For Guitars

Pink Floyd singer/guitarist David Gilmour’s iconic “Black Strat” electric guitar set an all-time record on Thursday (March 12) during a Christie’s auction in New York when it became the most expensive guitar ever sold. According to The New York Times, the guitar that was a key part of such classic Floyd albums as 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon, 1975’s Wish You Were Here and 1979’s The Wall sold for $14.55 million to an online bidder in a 21-minute bidding war, more than doubling the previous record-holder, late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s Martin D-18E acoustic guitar which he played on MTV Unplugged just months before his April 1994 death, which sold for $6.01 million in 2020.

At press time the buyer was not identified.

Gilmour’s instrument can be heard on such beloved Floyd songs as “Money,” “Comfortably Numb” and “Shine on Your Crazy Diamond” and it easily smashed the pre-sale estimate of $2-$4 million. According to the Times, the black Fender Stratocaster purchased by Gilmour in 1970 from New York’s beloved Manny’s Music store in Manhattan is covered in scratches and chipped paint from decades of use; Gilmour played it on every studio recording from 1972-1983, as well as during many live performances in that period.

The guitar was one of a number of high-profile items that went under the gavel on Thursday as part of a sale of items from late Indianapolis Colts owner and pop culture memorabilia super-collector Jim Irsay, who died last year. Irsay bought Gilmour’s guitar in 2019 during a previous Christie’s auction for just over $5 million.

The Gilmour Strat was one of several items guitars from Irsay’s expansive collection that were sold on Thursday, a collection that included one of late Grateful Dead singer/guitarist Jerry Garcia’s custom “Tiger” guitars, which went for $11. 56 million, as well as the Mustang electric guitar Cobain used in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video, which sold for $6.9 million, a new high for one of Cobain’s guitars.

The Irsay Collection sale will continue through March 17, with a number of rare items up for bid, including a signed Paul McCartney’ Hofner bass guitar and the handwritten lyrics to “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” a signed Eddie Van Halen “Frankenstrat” guitar, a pair of Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves, a pair of glittering handcuffs worn by Prince on Soul Train and one of ZZ Top member Dusty Hill’s custom sheepskin covered bass guitars, among many other items.