Rock stars usually hoard their instruments like dragons sitting on gold. They stick them in temperature-controlled vaults, hire private security, and let them collect dust for decades.
Johnny Marr is doing the exact opposite.
The legendary guitarist just announced he is partnering with Christie's to auction off roughly 80 guitars from his personal stash, totaling about 95 lots including amps and gear. We are talking about the actual tools used to write indie rock history with The Smiths, track Oscar-winning James Bond themes with Billie Eilish, and shape records for Oasis and New Order.
If you have a massive bank account, you can buy a piece of British music history on September 17, 2026, in London. If you don't, you can at least look at them when the collection goes on tour in New York and London this summer.
Why Let Go of the Holy Grail Now
Marr is 62, and he is far from retiring. He actually just announced his first solo studio album in four years, The Age Of Everything, dropping this October. But the catalyst for this massive garage sale was his 2023 book, Marr's Guitars.
Cataloging those instruments forced him to bring them all out of storage. When the project wrapped and it was time to pack them away again, Marr hit a wall. He couldn't stand the idea of these creative tools sitting in dark flight cases, unplayed.
He called the decision "bittersweet" but stated he wants them to go to new homes where people will actually use them to write new songs. He is even donating 100% of the hammer price from 10 specific lots to the National Autistic Society and the Guide Dogs For The Blind Association.
The Star Lots That Will Trigger Bidding Wars
This isn't a collection of backup instruments or generic corporate gifts. These are weapons of melodic warfare.
The 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355
- Estimated Price: £100,000 to £150,000
- The Story: Sire Records founder Seymour Stein bought this for Marr on New York's 48th Street in 1984. Marr basically told Stein that The Smiths would sign to the label if he bought him the guitar. Stein bit. Marr immediately used it to write "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" and played it on Top of the Pops. It's also the exact guitar that allegedly obsessed Noel Gallagher with the ES-355 model.
The 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo
- Estimated Price: £60,000 to £80,000
- The Story: This is the visual blueprint of early indie rock. Marr bought it right after signing his first publishing deal in 1983. It became his primary live and studio guitar during the first phase of The Smiths. You can hear its bright, jangly bite on "What Difference Does It Make?", "Still Ill", and "This Charming Man" (though the iconic opening riff of "Charming Man" was actually tracked on a 1950s Telecaster).
The Oasis Connection: Marr lent this exact Rickenbacker to Noel Gallagher during the chaotic early tracking sessions for Definitely Maybe. Look closely at the artwork for Oasis’s debut single "Supersonic" — that is Marr’s Rickenbacker on the cover.
The 1971 Martin D-28 12-String Acoustic
- Estimated Price: £30,000 to £50,000
- The Story: The ultimate acoustic backbone of the mid-80s indie scene. Marr used this specific 12-string to compose the structural framework for "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out", "Cemetry Gates", and "Well I Wonder".
The 1984 Gibson Les Paul Standard
- Estimated Price: £80,000 to £120,000
- The Story: Bought specifically for the dark, textured tracking of Meat Is Murder in 1985. It was the final guitar Marr ever played live with The Smiths during their last concert in December 1986. After the band split, it kept working. Bernard Sumner borrowed it to record New Order's classic track "Regret," and it recently showed up on the Gorillaz track "The Mountain."
The 2017 Fender Johnny Marr Signature Jaguar (Comet Sparkle)
- Estimated Price: £8,000 to £12,000
- The Story: Proving his relevance stretches far past 1987, Marr used this striking custom-color Jaguar to collaborate with Hans Zimmer on the soundtrack for the 2021 James Bond film No Time To Die. He used it to play the classic Bond theme elements and back Billie Eilish on her Oscar-winning title song.
How to See the Collection Before the Auction
Christie's is putting these instruments on public display before the bidding starts. If you happen to be in New York or London, you can view the exhibition entirely for free.
- New York Tour: June 25 to July 1, 2026, at Christie's Rockefeller Center headquarters.
- London Exhibition: September 9 to September 16, 2026, at Christie's King Street location.
- The Live Auction: September 17, 2026, in London.
If you plan to bid, register early on the Christie's website and set a strict limit. Given the provenance of these specific instruments and the fact that several directly influenced the Britpop movement via Noel Gallagher, expect the final hammer prices to obliterate the initial conservative estimates.
