David Lynch might have been known principally as a filmmaker, but when he died, earlier this year, the music world mourned his passing, too.
Known for his soundtracks, solo albums and collaborations, his passion for making music shone through, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that he managed to amass a pretty substantial collection of instruments and recording gear.
Now, many of Lynch’s studio essentials are set to go under the hammer at Julien’s Auctions. Bidding has now opened on almost 450 items from his personal archives, and there are some classic and eccentric bits of music tech equipment among them.
For synth fans, the highlight might be Lynch’s E-MU Emulator III sampling keyboard. A second evolution of the original Emulator, which was released in 1981, the v3 iteration arrived in 1987 and is notable for being the first 16-bit model in the range.
Lynch’s Emulator III comes with its own dedicated flight case, which has the director’s name stencilled on the side. The current bid sits at $3,500, which is already more than was originally estimated.
A Fender Rhodes Mark II 88 electric piano looks like another highlight - bidding has already reached $7,000 on this one - but if you’re after something a little cheaper, why not consider Lynch’s personal Stylophone? Or maybe not, because this $30 touchpen synth already has an $800 price ticket.
Given this eye-popping figure, the bundle of Korg Kaoss Pad 3 and Kaossilator - currently at $900 - seems like a bit of a bargain, but if you want to get your hands on (or off…) Lynch’s theremin, you’ll need to be prepared to pay more than $2,000.
The physical auction doesn’t take place until 18 June in Los Angeles, so we’d expect all of the aforementioned items to sell for significantly more than the figures we’ve quoted, but we suspect that it’s Lynch’s guitars that are going to reach the highest prices. His famous combination of 1997 Parker Fly and Roland VG-8EX guitar synth has already hit five figures, as has his 1980s Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor hollowbody electric guitar.
If you’re looking for something more outlandish, meanwhile, how about Lynch’s 2012 Danny Ferrington Custom Console Steel style instrument with five fretted necks? That one’s currently at $7,000.
You can find out more about the auction, including how to register and bid, on the Julien’s website.
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