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  1. News

In pictures: Les Paul's guitar and gear auction sets records

By Joe Bosso
published 11 June 2012

IN PICTURES: Les Paul's guitar and gear auction sets records
On what would have been his 97th birthday, Les Paul set records

IN PICTURES: Les Paul's guitar and gear auction sets records

During a two-day auction concluding on what would have been Les Paul's 97th birthday (9 June) worldwide records were set during a white-glove auction of guitars, gear and other property from the Estate Of Les Paul auction at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills.

According to Julien's Auctions, nearly $5 million was raised to benefit the Les Paul Foundation, the charitable organization founded by the godfather of the electric guitar before his death and dedicated to music education, engineering, innovation and medical research.

Musicians, museum curators, collectors and fans all packed the auction floor in frenzied sessions of bidding on site, on the phone and online. Among the items that sold were a 1927 Gibson L-5 Cremona Sunburst guitar that sold for $87,500; a Les Paul Touring Rig, which went for $81,250; a 1968 Gibson Les Paul Recording Model prototype that fetched $180,000; Les Paul's recording console, which sold for $106,250, a 1950s white Gibson Les Paul with extensive technical notations that sold for $75,000, a custom vintage Les Paul NY license plate, which went for $10,000, the Les Paul Iridium Club Sign ($40,625); and various Les Paul guitar schematics fetched between $22,500 - $22,500.

Other highlights included a 1950s Elam 251 Telfunken microphone that sold for $28,125; a Gibson Les Paul Recording Model that nabbed $56,250; the Les Paul "paulverizer," a custom switching device created by the guitarist in 1956 that sold for $22,500; a 1951 Fender Nocaster that brought in a eyebrow-raising $216,000; and a 1940s Epiphone Zephyr, known as "Klunker #3" (with a modified headstock that says "Gibson"), which sold for $144,000.

Page 1 of 17
Page 1 of 17
Gibson Les Paul Recording Model
Sale price: $56,250

Gibson Les Paul Recording Model

Page 2 of 17
Page 2 of 17
Gibson Les Paul Recording Model (headstock detail)
Sale price: $56,250

Gibson Les Paul Recording Model (headstock detail)

Page 3 of 17
Page 3 of 17
Les Paul's Recording Console
Sale price: $106,250

Les Paul's Recording Console

Page 4 of 17
Page 4 of 17
Les Paul's Touring Rig
Sale price: $81,250

Les Paul's Touring Rig

Page 5 of 17
Page 5 of 17
1968 Prototype Gibson Les Paul Custom Recording Model
Sale price: $180,000

1968 Prototype Gibson Les Paul Custom Recording Model

Page 6 of 17
Page 6 of 17
1968 Prototype Gibson Les Paul Custom Recording Model (headstock detail)
Sale price: $180,000

1968 Prototype Gibson Les Paul Custom Recording Model (headstock detail)

Page 7 of 17
Page 7 of 17
1927 Gibson L-5 Sunburst Cremona serial number 87230
Sale price: $87,500

1927 Gibson L-5 Sunburst Cremona serial number 87230

Page 8 of 17
Page 8 of 17
1927 Gibson L-5 Sunburst Cremona serial number 87230 (headstock detail)
Sale price: $87,500

1927 Gibson L-5 Sunburst Cremona serial number 87230 (headstock detail)

Page 9 of 17
Page 9 of 17
1951 Fender Nocaster serial number 1751
Sale price: $216,000

1951 Fender Nocaster serial number 1751

Page 10 of 17
Page 10 of 17
1951 Fender Nocaster serial number 1751 (headstock detail)
Sale price: $216,000

1951 Fender Nocaster serial number 1751 (headstock detail)

Page 11 of 17
Page 11 of 17
1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
Sale price: $62,500

1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop

Page 12 of 17
Page 12 of 17
1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (headstock detail)
Sale price: $62,500

1952 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (headstock detail)

Page 13 of 17
Page 13 of 17
1940s Epiphone Zephyr known as "Klunker #3"
Sale price: $144,000

1940s Epiphone Zephyr known as "Klunker #3"

Page 14 of 17
Page 14 of 17
1940s Epiphone Zephyr known as "Klunker #3" (modified headstock reads "Gibson")
Sale price: $144,000

1940s Epiphone Zephyr known as "Klunker #3" (modified headstock reads "Gibson")

Page 15 of 17
Page 15 of 17
Les Paul 1991 Passport
$3,750

Les Paul 1991 Passport

Page 16 of 17
Page 16 of 17
Les Paul 1975 Passport
$4,688

Les Paul 1975 Passport

Page 17 of 17
Page 17 of 17
Joe Bosso
Joe Bosso
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Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.

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