U2 guitar sale helps raise $2.4m for Katrina charity
Published April 22nd, 2007
The favourite guitar of U2’s The Edge has been sold at an auction that raised about $2.4m (£1.2m) for a charity set up in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
The Gibson Les Paul used on every U2 tour since 1985 sold for $240,000 (£120,000), while one owned by Jimi Hendrix fetched $400,000 (£200,000).
Other items of U2 memorabilia included a pair of singer Bono’s sunglasses.
The Edge co-founded Music Rising, a charity to replace instruments lost or destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.
Julien’s Auctions, who organised the Icons of Music sale at New York’s Hard Rock Cafe, said it included the largest selection of U2 memorabilia ever made available to collectors.
An autographed guitar belonging to Bono sold for $180,000 ($90,000), a bass guitar donated by Adam Clayton for $22,000 (£11,000), and Larry Mullen Jr’s tom-tom drum fetched $19,000 (£9,500).
The Edge donated other items including a 1958 Gibson archtop guitar, that sold for $105,000 (£52,500), and clothing accessories such as a signature knitted hat which earned $11,000 (£5,500).
“I have to say that it is a strange feeling to see some of your stuff up here,” the 45-year-old guitarist told Reuters news agency.
