by Brooke Kennedy
For guitar collectors, there are many factors that contribute to the rarity of an instrument. Sound. Age. Type. But when the opportunity presents itself to own a guitar signed and/or played by a musical icon, that’s a difficult one to pass up.
RR Auction’s November Marvels of Modern Music auction will present several signed guitars from rock n’ roll legends, including those signed by Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bruce Springsteen, Manuel Velasquez, and the Ramones.
In February of 1983, the Ramones had just arrived in New Hampshire to play the Club Casbah, but lucky for fans they weren’t quite ready to ride to their next stop. The day after the show, they stopped by a local record shop to sign some autographs, where they were presented with a Univox electric guitar. At the time of signing, the Ramones had just welcomed Richard Reinhardt to the group after the firing of Marky Ramone. But, instead of following tradition, Richard opted for the stage name Ritchie Beau in lieau of taking the last name Ramone. So, when he signed, that fan left with the rare autograph of “Ritchie Beau,” before Johnny Ramone had Ritchie take the last name Ramone a few weeks later.
Unlike other guitars in this collection, these next two hold a distinction.
After a childhood spent modifying his own guitars, Luthier Dave Rusan had found his calling. When he moved to Minneapolis in pursuit of the music scene, he started a repair shop in the basement of Minneapolis’ Knut-Koupee Music. It was there that he met a young kid, a regular customer at the store, named Prince Rogers Nelson. In 1983, one year before Prince would release the defining album of his career, Purple Rain, he had a special request. After a quick conversation between the musician and store owner Jeff Hill, Hill came to Rusan with some exciting news, “Prince is going to make a movie. He needs a guitar, and you’re going to make it.” The guitar, featured in the finale of Prince’s 1984 film Purple Rain, took inspiration from a bass owned by Prince’s childhood friend and former bass player, Andre Cymone. From there, several Schecter Cloud guitars were produced for Prince to be used for practice and performance (including the 1985 American Music Awards).
Several of those guitars have gone to market at RR Auction, including a yellow version in 2021 for $132,869 and a dark blue version in 2023 for $64,423. And this upcoming November, RR Auction will be offering another Cloud guitar from the famed singer-songwriter, personally-owned and -used by Prince himself.
Prior to taking the stage for his 2005 tour, Prince would whip out his Schecter Cloud to begin his warm-up in his Green Room. According to the guitar’s original recipient Raul Sandoval, “In 2005, Prince selected two (2) Schecter Cloud Guitars for himself… We would take them with us on tours or other engagements.” While this one never joined Prince on stage, they bore witness to his exceptional skills. RR Auction estimates its value at around $60,000.
Eddie Van Halen’s Kramer Stratocaster-style electric guitar will also be in this auction. It was with this guitar that Eddie Van Halen played the now-iconic 1986 Kramer NAMM Jam in Chicago alongside Journey’s Neal Schon and The Who’s John Entwistle.
RR is no stranger to guitars played by the greats. In 2021, Johnny Ramone’s stage-used and owned Mosrite Ventures II – played for nearly two decades during his career – sold for $937,500.
All guitars are now online and bidding closes on November 21, 2024.
