The results are in from the Rick Nielsen guitar auction, and in a surprise to no-one, his five-neck Hamer fetched the highest price.
The Cheap Trick guitarist and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has never been tame when it comes to his taste in guitars. That meant the auction block was treated to some highly unusual builds, after he decided it was time to clean up shop.
The Hamer, which was originally intended to have a whopping six necks, almost doubled its pre-auction estimate of $175,000, selling for $313,600.
Featuring 12-string, fretless, and Strat and Les Paul Junior-styled necks, the guitar has understandably become a totem of Nielsen’s musical legacy – even if he once told Guitar Player the finished product was actually quite conservative.
Speaking previously to Guitar World, the auction appraiser, Mike Adams, said the five-neck wasn’t originally going to be sold off.
“It took a lot of negotiation to include it,” he said. “But we really felt that we needed that crown jewel.”
Another Hamer, a stage-played 1975 Explorer-styled model, featuring a 1970s Gibson humbucker in the neck and a DiMarzio in the bridge, sold for $256,000.
His One on One Hamer, a 1982 model built for the record of the same name, fetched $44,800, edging out his 2007 Checkerboard Hamer, which went for $38,400 for the final place on the podium.
Elsewhere, the 1958 Gibson Custom Shop Explorer which he wielded during his 2016 induction into the Hall of Fame sold for $22,400. It fell just short of the $25,600 his Sunburst Les Paul XPL achieved, making it the most expensive Gibson in his collection.
Other notable picks include $16,00 for a 1966 Telecaster, $12,800 for a 1959 Gretsch Duo Jet, and the S-type Hamer Nielsen played in Cheap Tricks Never Had A Lot To Lose music video. In the clip, he puts his arm through the large circular hole in its body and spins it around because... well, this is Rick Nielsen.
His First Act Custom Shop “Mega Knob” guitar, however, which has six lipstick pickups and 12 control knobs, didn't fetch a mega price. Still, it surpassed its $6,000, going for $8,960.
His 1980 Gibson V2 Flying V, which features upside down love heart-shaped pickups, was bang on its estimate, selling for $7,680.
The auction took place at Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum at the Historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium, with a portion of the money raised going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The hospital is dedicated to helping children with cancer, and conducting research which has led to life-saving breakthroughs.
Head over to Julien's Auctions to browse the final lot.
