A 1962 Rickenbacker 425 guitar played by George Harrison and John Lennon will lead a sale at Julien's Auctions on May 16-17 in New York with a $400,000-600,000 estimate.
The annual Music Icons sale will take place at the Hard Rock Cafe.
 The guitar was played extensively by Harrison during the 1960s |
While visiting his sister in the US in 1963, Harrison purchased the guitar from a music shop in Illinois and specifically requested a paintjob that would match a Rickenbacker owned by Lennon.
The guitar was toured extensively throughout the 1960s and was used in the recording of I Want to Hold Your Hand, which became one of the bands most enduring hits.
Harrison also played it live during the Beatles' appearance on Ready Steady Go! in October 1963 and Thank Your Lucky Stars in December of the same year.
Publicity photos of the band with the guitar also serve to increase its value.
In the late 1960s / early 1970s, Harrison gave it to recording engineer George Peckham.
Since that time it has been exhibited at a number of high profile institutions, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
A custom Vox guitar built especially for John Lennon made $408,000 at Julien's last Music Icons sale in 2013.
We have a range of Beatles memorabilia available to purchase, including this ultra rare signed copy of A Hard Day's Night.
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