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Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman is auctioning off his instruments for charity

Items include his instruments, stage clothes and various memorabilia.

Bill Wyman

Bill Wyman performs during the 60th Red Cross Ball, in Monaco. Image: Stephane Cardinale / Corbis via Getty Images

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Ex-Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman is auctioning off a trove of instruments and memorabilia from his time with the band for charity.

Items include guitars, amplifiers, stage outfits, awards, tour posters and personal artefacts amassed throughout his three-decade-long stint with the Stones.

One of the more notable pieces of gear that will go under the hammer is Wyman’s prized Vox AC30 ‘Normal’ model amplifier, where he’s said to be the reason Keith Richards had invited the bassist to join the band.

Other highlights of this auction include:

  • 1965 Vox ‘Wyman Bass’ Model Teardrop Bass Guitar, used on the Rolling Stones tours and recordings from 1966 through 1968
  • 1969 Fender Mustang Bass with a Competition Orange finish designed by Leo Fender before he left the company, used by Wyman on The Stones’ concerts and recordings in 1969 and 1970 and exhibited at the O2 Arena Rock Exhibition in 2010
  • 1981 black Steinberger Custom Short-Scale XL-Series Bass played during the 1988 AIMS Gala concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London and the Rolling Stones 1982 tour

The auction will be hosted at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, from 29-31 May. Proceeds from this auction will be pledged to three charitable causes. Wyman said in a statement: “It is easier to let these items go knowing that a portion of the proceeds from this sale will support three causes that are close to my heart: The Prince’s Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support and CCMI (Central Caribbean Marine Institute) who are at the forefront of restoring the health of the world’s reefs and oceans.”

After his high-profile departure from the Stones in January 1993, Wyman has gone on to release a slew of solo albums – the latest being Back To Basics back in 2015 – as well as records with his own band, Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings.

More information about the auction at juliensauctions.com.

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