$22,400 for a Zakk Wylde Epiphone Les Paul? $32,000 for a Squier Bullet Strat!? Joe Walsh gear auction raises huge sums for charity – and raises eyebrows as unexpected guitars attract big money bids

Joe Walsh’s epic Life’s Been Good auction has just closed at Julien’s, and with more than 750 items sold, the Eagles guitarist and vocalist’s fundraiser for VetsAid will have raised a fair few bucks for the veterans’ charity.

But even in this day and age of bonkers prices for artist-owned electric guitars and gear, Walsh’s auction really did require a double take. This was an occasion when someone bid $32,000 for a Squier Bullet Stratocaster – that’s right, the archetypical beginner electric guitar, going for grail prices. Why? How? What?

Well, there is an explanation for that one. It is finished with a unique Bad Company graphic and was signed by the English rock supergroup after Paul Rodgers and co gifted it to Walsh in 2016. They had just finished their One Hell of a Night Tour across North America.

Also, note the signatures on the body. You will notice a name out of place, Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes, who was sitting in for the late Mick Ralphs. There’s a piece of musical history. Yours for, well, over 20 times the estimate that Julien’s Auctions had placed on the lot.

This was a recurring theme of an auction. Estimates were getting smashed left, right, and center, as though they were a hotel room during the Eagles’ days of hellraising.

The auctioneers know what they’re doing but even they could not have foreseen an auction in which an Zakk Wylde Epiphone Les Paul Custom sold for $22,400. That’s Murphy Lab money for an Epiphone guitar.

Perhaps that is the premium that comes with a stage-played instrument; Walsh actually played this EMG-loaded singlecut onstage with the Eagles during their 2008 Long Road Out of Eden Tour. That Bullseye finish… It just seems weird. What’s next? Peter Frampton auctioning off his Dean Kerry King Overlord?

Other lots were arguably more predictable. The hot orange Duesenberg Starplayer TV you see Walsh playing in the picture at the top of the page went for $35,200. Another of Walsh’s Duesenberg’s, a prototype of his signature model, fetched a cool $19,200.

Our personal favorite from this event was the Buzz Feiten Bo Diddley Tribute model. This is a super-rare 2019 model that was made to honor the rock ’n’ roll trailblazer in his typically outré style. Forget S, T, or V-style guitars, singlecut or doublecut; this art deco oddball is, as Julien’s describes it, more Chrysler Building than Gretsch.

It wasn’t just guitars that went under the hammer. Walsh sold off his 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 for $102,400, which is steep enough before you think about feeding that V8 gas.

Martin Nolan, Julien’s Auctions' co-founder and executive director, described the event as “historic” and with a portion of the proceeds going to VetsAid, it was all in a good cause.

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“Life’s been good for Joe Walsh, whose music has shaped decades of rock history,” said Nolan. “This historic auction was a true celebration of that incredible journey. Julien’s are honored to have worked with Joe who wished to share pieces of his story with fans, collectors, and investors who truly appreciate his artistry and also support the important work of VetsAid.”

You can check out the full catalog over at Julien’s Auctions.