Radiohead, Paul McCartney, U2, Green Day, Dave Grohl, Noel Gallagher and many more acts are auctioning off guitars to help musicians impacted by the COVID pandemic.

Assembled by U2 guitarist The Edge and producer Bob Ezrin, the collection will benefit benefit Music Rising, a charity they formed in 2005 to aid musicians devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Now, the pair are helping those affected by the global health crisis.

Advertisement

‘Guitars Icons: A Musical Instrument Auction to Benefit Music Rising’ takes place on December 11 at Van Eaton Galleries in Los Angeles. Bids can also be made online.

Guitars and other instruments up for auction also come from: Elton John, Pearl Jam, Joe Walsh, Rush, Ron Wood, Tom Morello, Joan Jett, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Kings Of Leon, Johnny Marr, and Arcade Fire’s Win Butler.

As Rolling Stone reports, some of the most notable items come from U2’s private collection including the 2005 Limited Edition Gibson Les Paul Music Rising guitar that Edge played during “One” on the Joshua Tree tours of 2017 and 2019.

The Edge is also auctioning off the Custom Signature Fender Stratocaster that he used live for “Bad” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” in 2017 and 2019. Bono’s Custom Gibson ES-175 Electric Guitar that he used throughout the 1992-92 Zoo TV tour for “The Fly“ and “Angel Of Harlem” is also up for grabs.

Elsewhere, a Yamaha BB-1200 Electric Bass Guitar that McCartney played on Wings tours in the late ’70s is on offer, as is Gallagher’s Telecaster guitar that he played on the road with the High Flying Birds, an autographed Yamaha Motif-8 Keyboard that Elton John used on the road for nearly a decade, and three guitars that were played by the late Lou Reed.

Advertisement

Signed guitars from Ron Wood, Green Day, Bruce Springsteen, Kings of Leon, Joan Jett, Johnny Marr, Tom Morello, and Win Butler will be available to buy.

The Edge said in a statement: “Unfortunately there are many musicians and crew members who continue to struggle since the pandemic. If this multigenerational chain is broken, we lose more than just a few concerts we lose an entire culture that stretches back centuries.

“Some of the world’s greatest musicians and friends of Music Rising have generously donated their personal instruments to raise money for Music Rising. We hope you have a chance to bid on one or more of the beautiful instruments in the auction. The monies raised goes to musicians and crew. Your support continues to be invaluable to Music Rising.”