GARY MOORE THE FINAL ENCORE

NEARLY 15 YEARS AFTER HIS PASSING, THE LAST OF GARY MOORE'S GUITARS WILL GO UNDER THE HAMMER IN NOVEMBER, INCLUDING HIS ICONIC 'RED STRAT'. HERE, WE EXPLORE THE FINAL TREASURES OF GARY'S COLLECTION AND WHAT THEY TELL US ABOUT THE MUCH-MISSED KING OF BLUES-ROCK AND HIS MUSIC

- Jamie Dickson

BACK ON THE STREETS

Almost 15 years on from his death, the last of Gary Moore's guitars are set to go under the hammer. We join Claire Tole-Moir of Bonhams and Neville Marten, former Guitarist editor and friend to Gary, to examine his extraordinary collection of instruments

Some guitarists are remarkable for making their name with one guitar that is synonymous with their whole identity as a musician. Brian May, or perhaps Hank Marvin and his Red Strat come to mind. Other players loom larger than individual instruments they own, or even genres. By turns taciturn and ablaze with feeling, Gary Moore shifted stylistic gears with remarkable ease. From his roots in Belfast blues with Skid Row to barbed Celtic rock in Thin Lizzy and a 90s return to his roots in Peter Green's sound, Moore's intensity lit up any track he played on. It was this burning thread that tied together the whole tapestry of his career.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, his guitar collection kept pace with his changing sound. He was a prolific collector, though always to a purpose, and since his passing in 2011 it's taken three rounds of major auctions, all of which have been handled by Bonhams of London, to come to the final treasures of his guitar collection – and this November sees the most revered and loved of his guitars go under the hammer, including his treasured 'Red Strat'.

“Bonhams has been privileged to offer the entire Gary Moore collection over the last 10 years,” reflects Claire Tole-Moir, who is Head of Science and Popular Culture at Bonhams.