Three of Jason Becker’s unique guitars to go up for auction

Three guitars owned and played by ALS-stricken guitar virtuoso Jason Becker are to go up for auction later this month. The sale will benefit the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust, helping the family with the costs of Becker’s care.

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The three guitars consist of two Moridira Hurricane albums that were featured on two of Becker’s album covers, and his prototype Peavey ‘Numbers’ guitar.

White Hurricane

This guitar has a bolt-on maple neck with 22 frets, an HSS pickup configuration and a double-locking Floyd Rose vibrato. Becker used it exclusively on his album Perpetual Burn, although it’s not the guitar featured on the album’s cover.

It bears an estimated price of $50,000-$100,000, and starts with a minimum bid of $24,000.

Blue Hurricane

This S-type guitar has a bolt-on fully maple neck with 24 frets, an HSS pickup set and a double-locking Floyd Rose vibrato. It’s the guitar Becker played on Betcha Can’t Play This from his album Boy Meets Guitar, and is also pictured on the cover of Perpetual Burn.

It bears an estimated price of $50,000-$100,000, and starts with a minimum bid of $24,000.

Prototype ‘Numbers’ Peavey

The ‘Numbers’ guitar features a bolt-on maple neck and 24-fret maple fretboard, an HSH pickup set and Schaller double locking tremolo system. It was the first prototype Peavey made for Becker, and was used to record the songs River Of Longing and End Of The Beginning.

The guitar was also played by Eddie Van Halen when he visited Becker’s home in 1996. Some footage of this visit can be seen in the auction’s trailer below. Like the other guitars, it has a starting bid of $24,000 and an estimated sale price of $50,000-$100,000.

As noted, the proceeds from the sales will go towards the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust. Becker was struck with ALS at age 20, however continues to make music despite near-total paralysis, composing using his eyes to input into a computer. The Trust helps Becker’s family cover his medical bills.

Bidding for the auction closes on 15 July. See the listings here.