NASHVILLE, TENN.- Julien’s Auctions partnered with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, acclaimed songwriter and guitarist Rick Nielsen to unveil “The Rick Nielsen Collection,” a benefit sale featuring Nielsen’s historic personal collection of guitars, cars, stage-worn wardrobe, awards, and more. The October 24 auction will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, an organization close to the rocker’s heart. The sale will be held live in person at Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum at the Historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium. View the auction and register to bid now at Julien’s Auctions.
Nielsen’s legendary passion for guitars and collecting has resulted in an extraordinary personal archive spanning more than five decades.This landmark sale offers a rare look inside the collection of one of rock’s most beloved and entertaining guitarists. From the guitars that helped define Nielsen’s unmistakable sound and style to personal pieces collected throughout his extraordinary career, The Rick Nielsen Collection offers fans and collectors an unprecedented opportunity to own a piece of rock history.
As the guitarist, songwriter and creative force behind Cheap Trick, Nielsen has written some of modern rock’s most enduring anthems, including “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me,” “Dream Police,” “She’s Tight” and “If You Want My Love.” Since the 1970s, his distinctive guitar work, songwriting combining hard rock, power pop and larger-than-life stage presence have helped propel Cheap Trick from its hometown of Rockford, Illinois, to international stardom, including its legendary breakthrough at the Budokan in Japan, earning the band generations of devoted fans along the way.
The eccentric guitarist’s collection has included two 1958 Gibson Explorers and a 1963 Guild Merle Travis, one of only three ever made. Nielsen also owns three custom “Five Neck” guitars, including the stage-played 2004 Hamer Five Neck Korina, which will be offered for sale publicly for the first time ever in this landmark auction.
The collecting obsession started before he was even a guitarist. With parents who owned a music store inspiration came early, and he started out on the drums. After seeing the Beatles and the Rolling Stones he became fascinated with guitars- and hasn’t stopped. Nielsen bought his first Les Paul—a 1955 Gold Top—for $65 and still has it. From there, his passion for collecting rare and distinctive guitars only grew.
“I couldn’t sing or dance, but I was big into songwriting, and I tried to put everything I had into that. I never wanted to be like anybody else—I just wanted to be me. I knew I was never going to be a virtuoso, so I ended up being a ‘medium-oso,’” said Rick Nielsen. “I started out with one guitar, and over the years the collection just kept growing. It seemed like a good time to sell some of it—you can’t take it with you. When it’s all over, hopefully I’ll still have one guitar.”
“A portion of the proceeds will go to St. Jude because I knew Danny and Marlo Thomas, and they’re great people doing really good stuff. I’m honored to support them and hopefully encourage others to do so as well.”
“Rick has created and curated an incredible collection that ranges from world famous to infamous,” said Lou Robinson, Director, Music Business Development. “These are items that have been played and worn on stages around the world, with some even going on to live in museums. I am so proud that Rick has entrusted Julien’s to tell his story and give fans the opportunity to own a piece of his legacy.”
A portion of the auction proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Highlights include:
Stage Played 1975 Hamer Standard Electric Guitar, Natural
A Hamer Standard electric guitar, serial #0004, built in 1975 for Rick , who played it on stages all over the world from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s and is easily one of the most important guitars of his career. Hamer even ran an ad which featured Rick with this guitar.
Rick’s association with luthier Paul Hamer began in 1973 when Rick sold him a sunburst Les Paul Standard, which Paul later sold as funding to start Hamer Guitars. In 1975, Rick wanted a real, original Gibson Explorer of his own, but with so few made they were hard to come by; Rick asked Paul to make him one with a flame maple top, the very instrument in this lot. This guitar took quite a long time to produce, so Paul sent Rick his personal guitar, serial #0000, as a loaner until the natural model was finished. Rick liked it so much that he bought them both.
Rick can be seen playing this guitar at many concerts including on Don Kirchner’s Rock Concert on November 10th, 1977, at the career-defining performance at Japan’s The Budokan on April 28th, 1978,at Chicagofest in 1981, at Rockpalast in Germany on October 15, 1983 , and many, many more.
(Estimate $200,000-$300,000)
Stage Played Custom 2004 Hamer Five Neck Korina Electric Guitar, Natural
A stage-played, custom Hamer five-neck electric guitar, in natural finish., Nielsen played this guitar onstage from 2004’s Another State of Mind benefit show at Metro in Chicago, through at least 2013 during the band’s Budokan 35th Anniversary concert at New York’s CBGB’s John Varvatos venue. The guitar also makes an appearance in an episode of Gibson Guitars’ The Collection series featuring Nielsen.
The idea for the instrument stemmed from Rick’s original concept for a six-neck monstrosity that spun like a wheel while he played; in the end, he tamed down his vision to a row of “only” five necks. Includes large road case with black exterior and black interior. (Estimate $175,000-$200,000)
1955 Ford Thunderbird owned and driven by Rick Nielsen
An original 1955 Ford Thunderbird personally owned and driven by Rick Nielsen who mentioned in a Goldmine Magazine interview that, “In 1978 I bought a 1955 Ford Thunderbird which I still have today. That was my first extravagance.”
This Thunderbird was previously on exhibition in Rockford, Illinois during “Rick's Picks: A Lifelong Affair With Guitars & Music” at the Burpee Museum of Natural History in 2012 - 2013. (Estimate $60,000-$80,000)
1958 Ford Ranchero
This Ranchero features axillary gauges mounted under the dashboard as well as a column-mounted tachometer. The glovebox door features an “Interceptor Special” badge. The interior is white vinyl with a black painted dashboard. The Ranchero's bed features a custom checker pattern tonneau cover in the style of the band Cheap Trick.
(Estimate $40,000-$60,000)
1989 Custom Rick Nielsen Checker John Deere Tractor with Snowplough
An original vintage John Deere tracker personally owned by Rick Nielson featuring a custom theme livery with a checker pattern and custom graphics throughout. Includes a vintage snowplough with Cheap Trick graphics.
This tractor was previously on exhibition in Rockford, Illinois during “Rick's Picks: A Lifelong Affair With Guitars & Music” at the Burpee Museum of Natural History in 2012 - 2013. (Estimate $20,000-$30,000)
1963 Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Sunburst
A 1963 Fender Stratocaster electric guitar in three tone sunburst finish and wears a mint green pickguard, chrome tremolo bridge, chrome output jack plate, and white pickup covers and knobs. Includes original white and black case with orange interior (Estimate $40,000-$60,000)
1984 Gibson Les Paul XPL Electric Guitar, Sunburst
A 1984 Gibson Les Paul XPL electric guitar in sunburst finish is a marriage of the Les Paul body shape and the headstock of an Explorer, a strange hybrid dreamt up by Canadian hard rock guitarist Aldo Nova while visiting the Gibson plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1982 or 1983. In the mid-1980s, Gibson released the XPL series which saw the Explorer headstock mated to a number of other body shapes.
Highly collectible as it is, this Nashville-made Les Paul XPL is a fantastic instrument to boot. Includes original rectangular Gibson hardshell case with a black exterior and black interior. (Estimate $15,000-$20,000)
Handwritten “Heaven Tonight” Working Lyrics and Studio Notes
Six sheets of assorted lyrics and studio notes for the third Cheap Trick studio album, “Heaven Tonight,” handwritten by guitarist Rick Nielsen. (Estimate $3,000-$4,000)
Cheap Trick Album Worn Sweater “One on One” with Album Cover and Photo
A sweater worn by Rick Nielsen on the front and back cover of the Cheap Trick album “One On One”, 1982. The multicolored wool hand knit sweater is decorated with repeating pineapple, palm tree, pyramid and camel graphics to the front and back graphics. Label reads “Sally's / Own / Hand Made Knitwear.” The sweater was also worn by Rick in the music video for the Cheap Trick single “If You Want My Love” and a 1982 interview on MTV. (Estimate $1,000-$2,000)
1982 Cheap Trick "One on One" Album Cover-Worn Vintage Detroit Tigers Baseball Cap with Record Album
A vintage navy blue baseball cap with an embroidered Detroit Tigers logo, worn by Nielsen on the cover of Cheap Trick's 1982 studio album One on One, as well as in an interview promoting the album.
Nielsen’s signature baseball cap—worn with the bill flipped up—is central to his eccentric, self-aware "Clown Prince of Rock & Roll" persona, which helped Cheap Trick stand out from typical, brooding 1970s guitar gods. (Estimate $700-$900)
