Three of Jason Becker’s prized guitars sell at auction for $230,000

Three of Jason Becker’s prized electric guitars, including his Eddie Van Halen-played Peavey "Numbers" prototype axe, have sold for a combined $230,000 at on online auction.

The event, watched live by DragonForce’s Herman Li and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, saw the iconic Peavey prototype line up on the auction block alongside two of Becker’s Moridira Hurricane models.

“Back in February, friends of Jason Becker’s came to me to ask me to play these guitars and help raise money,” recalled Li.

“We have launched a five-month campaign to promote Jason Becker, these guitars and Jason’s achievements,” he continued. “Jason’s story is what really sells these guitars.”

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As seen on the covers of Becker’s Perpetual Burn and Cacophony’s Speed Metal Symphony, respectively, the Blue Hurricane and White Hurricane models were the most lucrative offerings of the event, fetching a combined total of $165,000.

The Blue Hurricane, which features a bolt-on maple neck, HSS pickup configuration and Floyd Rose double locking bridge system, sold for $80,000. Becker’s White Hurricane, also featuring an HSS pickup set, bolt-on maple neck and Floyd Rose bridge, was purchased for $85,000.

Both Hurricane guitars are also adorned with Becker’s thumb-print signature.

That left the Peavey prototype model, used on a handful of iconic Becker tracks such as River of Longing and End of the Beginning, which, after 16 bids, ultimately sold for $65,000.

Recently, Tim Henson of Polyphia took the guitar for a spin during a livestream with Herman Li, the latter of whom has been instrumental in organizing and hosting the various Jason Becker fundraising events over the past five months.

Becker’s Peavey prototype had also been played by late electric guitar legend Eddie Van Halen, who put the axe through its paces during a visit to Becker’s home in 1996.

All of the money that was raised at the online auction from the three guitars will go directly to the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust to support Becker, who has been living with ALS for the past 30 years.

More guitars being sold in support of the iconic guitarist, including signed offerings from Andy Timmons, Nili Brosh and Tosin Abasi, can be found on the official Jason Becker Reverb shop.

Elsewhere in the auction, an Eddie Van Halen-owned and -played Kramer guitar – one of five ever created – sold for an eye-watering $120,000.

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