The Gretsch 6120 guitar played by John Lennon during The Beatles’ 1966 sessions for “Paperback Writer” will go up for auction in London, where it’s expected to fetch up to $1 million when the winning bid is announced on November 23rd.
The guitar, which the auctioneer has described as “the most significant of John’s guitars to come on to the market in the last 30 years,” is of particular interest because its provenance is so well-established, thanks to photos of Lennon playing it during the recording of “Paperback Writer.” It also helps that in 1967 he gave the Gretsch to his cousin, David Birch, who kept it for 47 years before moving forward with the upcoming auction. Considering how great it looks and the fact that it’s associated with one of the most famous riffs in rock history, a million-dollar-bid doesn’t sound like too much of a stretch. Watch TracksAuction’s informational video about the guitar below.
Also of relevance to Lennon fans is the announcement that, for the first time, the eight solo albums he put out from 1970 to 1984 have been made available to stream on Spotify, along with the compilations Power to the People, Gimme Some Truthand the John Lennon Signature Box.
