Bob Marley Guitar to Be Auctioned

Collectors are expected to bid high on November 24, 2008, for a Yamaha SG1000 electric guitar owned and played in concert by Bob Marley during the reggae superstar's final worldwide tour in 1979.

Christie's auction house expects the bids to fall within the $30,000 to $40,000 range. Yamaha presented the guitar to Marley when he visited the Yamaha factory in Hamamatsu during the Japan leg of the tour, and photographs of the legendary singer playing in Tokyo and Osaka are included with the sale of the guitar.

In 2007, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the SG1000 and SG2000, Yamaha introduced the SBG1000 and SBG2000, faithful reproductions of the originals individually hand built by the highly skilled master luthiers at the famed Yamaha Music Craft in Hamamatsu, Japan, the company's elite workshop that is responsible for producing Yamaha's top-of-the-line handcrafted acoustic guitars and custom instruments.

In 2009, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Yamaha guitars in the United States, Yamaha will introduce a limited-edition SBG3000, a masterpiece of the guitar-maker's art.

Besides Marley, other renowned players who used Yamaha SG guitars include Carlos Santana, jazz master Al Di Meola, Stax/Volt house guitarist Steve Cropper, Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Paul Barrere (Little Feat) and Al McCay (Earth, Wind & Fire).

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Yamaha Guitars, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit yamahaguitars.com.