Marr's Iconic Guitars Auctioned.
Johnny Marr Auctions Legendary Guitar Collection, Expected to Raise £1 Million for Charity
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Key Points
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The 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 was bought for Marr in 1983 by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein after Marr joked that The Smiths would sign to the label if Stein purchased him a new guitar.
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Marr’s 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo later helped shape Oasis lore: Marr lent the guitar to Noel Gallagher during early sessions for Definitely Maybe, and it later appeared on the cover of Oasis’s first single, “Supersonic.”
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In explaining why he changed course, Marr said he began collecting with “the first one [he] got at the age of five,” and added that writing Marr’s Guitars in 2023 was “cathartic” and that when it was time for the instruments to go back into storage, he “couldn’t imagine them being put away and left unplayed.”
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The auction was framed by LBC as part of the lead-up to Marr’s solo activity, noting his upcoming album, The Age Of Everything, alongside the Christie's sale of Smiths-era instruments.
Johnny Marr will auction nearly 100 guitars at Christie's London on September 17, 2026, in a sale titled "Marr's Guitars: The Johnny Marr Collection." The 95-lot event includes some of the most storied instruments in British rock history, with estimates on key pieces reaching up to £150,000, according to Christie's.
Marr, 62, said the decision came after writing his 2023 book about his collection. "I couldn't imagine them being put away and left unplayed," he told Yahoo News. He wants buyers around the world to keep the guitars in everyday use — not locked in a vault.
The Smiths-Era Guitars at the Heart of the Sale
The crown jewel of the auction is a 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo. Marr used it to record The Smiths' debut album and on their early tours. Shortlist reports it is estimated at £60,000–£80,000. It was also used on classic Smiths singles including "This Charming Man."
A 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355 is estimated at £100,000–£150,000, according to Guitar World. Sire Records founder Seymour Stein bought the guitar for Marr in 1984 on New York's 48th Street. Marr wrote "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" on it shortly after. A 1984 Gibson Les Paul Standard, used during the "Meat Is Murder" era, carries an estimate of £80,000–£120,000.
How the Rickenbacker Linked The Smiths to Oasis
The 1982 Rickenbacker carries a remarkable second life beyond The Smiths. Marr lent it to Noel Gallagher during early sessions for Oasis's debut album, "Definitely Maybe," in 1994. The guitar then appeared on the cover of Oasis's first single, "Supersonic," according to NME.
Gallagher reportedly said upon receiving it: "Surely he's not f***ing mad enough to send down the Smiths' guitar to a load of scallies." The instrument's journey from The Smiths to Oasis makes it one of the most historically loaded guitars in British music, noted Guitar World.
Billie Eilish, Charity Lots, and the Wider Collection
The sale also includes a 2017 Fender Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar. Marr played it on Billie Eilish's Bond theme "No Time To Die" alongside Hans Zimmer. Entry-level lots start as low as £1,000, making the auction accessible beyond high-end collectors, according to Celebrity Angels.
Marr will donate 100% of the hammer price from 10 specific lots to two charities: the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and the National Autistic Society. Given the likely prices, those charities could receive a windfall in the high six figures, NME reported.
Public Exhibitions and a New Album Frame the Timing
Before the September 17 auction, the guitars will go on public display. Highlights will be shown in New York from June 25 to July 1, 2026. The full collection then goes on show at Christie's London from September 9 to 16, per Shortlist.
The sale lands just two weeks before Marr releases his fifth solo album, "The Age Of Everything," on October 2, 2026. NME noted the timing links the auction to a broader creative reset — Marr clearing out the past to make room for what comes next.
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