British music icons seem to follow one another on the auction block. After the Jeff Beck collection, closely following those of Mark Knopfler and Rory Gallagher, it is now Gary Moore’s turn to be celebrated among masterpieces. Bonhams will auction the final pieces from his collection at the end of November, including some of his most beautiful guitars.
The Irish genius is among those musicians whose legacy continues to be written in gold. He was the quintessential bluesman, an insatiable experimenter, and the man behind some of rock’s greatest hits. The Irish guitar hero proved that artistic reinvention is possible, even after immense success. Moore’s career spanned radically different musical decades, blending hard rock and blues in the most inspired way.
Passionate about tone, Gary Moore was also a discerning collector of instruments. Each guitar in his collection was a precious witness to his playing preferences, technical adjustments, and sonic nuances. From the legendary Greeny — the famous Gibson Les Paul Burst he bought from his hero Peter Green — to his many Stratocasters, each instrument was chosen with utmost care. Among his most cherished pieces was the famous 1961 Fender Stratocaster Fiesta Red, one of the guitars Gary played the longest and the one most closely associated with him — now set to go up for sale.
Moore’s original instrument stood out for its low-output pickups and three-way selector. The artist had made some slight modifications, adding copper shielding in the cavity and fitting jumbo frets.
Like all great guitars, it carries its share of stories. In 1984, it was lost by customs during a U.S. tour. The Stratocaster later resurfaced at the Interpol office in Houston before being returned to its rightful owner. In the meantime, Moore had bought another, a white one, to continue touring.
Later turning more towards Les Pauls, Gary Moore still played it occasionally — for example, in 2014 during exhibition concerts celebrating 60 years of the Stratocaster.
In 2016, Fender naturally paid tribute to Gary and this guitar with a limited-edition Gary Moore Stratocaster from the Custom Shop, faithfully reproducing the wear that made it so distinctive.
Several prestigious items from Gary Moore’s collection will be auctioned at Bonhams in November, including two of his most iconic electric guitars, amplifiers, and stage clothing. Part of the Matt’s Guitar Shop team visited Bonhams’ offices to preview these guitars — and they could feel the unmistakable magic of this iconic Fiesta Red Strat. Needless to say, it still “got the blues.”
