LOVE THAT BURNS

The late blues hero Peter Green was not only one of the most influential guitarists in history but he had a wide-ranging taste in instruments. With over 100 of his guitars coming up for auction, we examine some of the gems from his personal collection alongside restoration expert Steve Clarke – and discover some surprisingly affordable guitars going under the hammer, too

- Jamie Dickson

When the guitar collection of a legendary guitarist goes on sale, it’s normally dominated by guitars that garner record sums. From electrics that were used on platinum-selling albums to vintage unobtainium, such auctions are generally composed of instruments that average guitarists can only dream of – partly because of their provenance and partly because rockstars tend to own vertiginously high-end equipment.

The late Peter Green’s guitar collection is a more interesting proposition, however. Though it contains many highly sought-after instruments, it also reflects the tastes of a man who maintained a broad and unpretentious interest in guitars throughout his life. Some were played daily, while others were bought seemingly on a whim to form a collection of well over 100 instruments that includes many rare vintage guitars but also workaday modern instruments, from Strat clones to seaweed-hued semis. Turkish lutes and bulky archtops sit cheek by jowl with high-end British acoustics and chainstore electrics – a huge spectrum of sounds to suit a broad and enquiring musical mind.

Now, three years after Peter’s passing, his guitar collection is coming up for sale at prestigious London auction house Bonhams, along with some of Peter’s selfpenned artworks and Fleetwood Mac grails such as the original hand-written lyrics to