News: Johnny Ramone ‘CBGB’s-era Rickenbacker guitar up for auction

This ’66 Rickenbacker was used on stage by Johnny and over that time has been adjusted to his personal preferences, including a replaced higher output pickup and secured bridge. Only sixty-four of these 450-model guitars were produced in the ‘Fireglo’ finish, so this being a rare guitar and used by Johnny Ramone we can imagine that it’s gonna pick up a pretty penny.

More official info below:

“Johnny displayed this guitar on stages across the world, and rather than house it in the band’s storage facility, this Rickenbacker was stored safely under both Johnny’s 10th Streetand then later his 22nd Street apartment beds when the band was in between tours and after the guitar’s retirement,” said Bobby Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction.

Additionally, its retirement before a major 1983 tour theft affirms that this guitar was used throughout the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, and is a CBGB’s -era piece of Ramones gear viewable during performances on the DVD, ‘Ramones It’s Alive 1974-1996.’ This guitar is the second-oldest documented guitar of Johnny’s, all earlier guitars having been stolen in 1977 (aside from Johnny’s famous white Mosrite, which was purchased in 1977 as was this guitar).

Accompanied by letters of provenance from longtime Ramones tour manager Monte A. Melnick, Johnny Ramone’s guitar technician Matt Loyla, Ramones crew member and tour assistant Warren Cohen, Ramones photographer and gear expert Ian Harper and Chris Lamy, close friend of The Ramones and guitarist of The Jabbers, formerly GG Allin & The Jabbers.

Highlights from additional featured lots:

Jimi Hendrix signed note during the summer of 1967.

Jerry Seinfeld’s hand-corrected biography from 1989—the year Seinfeld’s sitcom debuted.

Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller signed photograph of the honeymooners from 1957.

James Dean original oil painting from 1954.

The auction from RR Auction takes place on September 17-27, followed by a live auction event on September 28 that will take place at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA.

More details can be found online at www.rrauction.com