What Is the Black Strat Gilmour
The Black Strat Gilmour refers to the black Fender Stratocaster played by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, which became one of the most expensive guitars ever sold at auction. The instrument is a 1969 Fender Stratocaster with later modifications, and its sale set a world record for the highest price paid for a guitar at the time.
The Black Strat Gilmour was originally purchased by Gilmour in 1970 and used extensively on Pink Floyd albums such as The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. The guitar features a maple neck, alder body, and a combination of pickups that contributed to Gilmour's iconic tone across studio recordings and live performances.
Record Sale and Auction Details
In June 2019, the Black Strat Gilmour was sold at Christie's auction house in New York for $3.9 million, making it the most expensive guitar sold at auction at that time. The sale was part of a charity auction benefiting the environmental organization ClientEarth, and the buyer was identified as a private collector.
The previous auction record for a guitar was held by a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard known as "Greeny," which sold for $2 million in 2015. The Black Strat Gilmour sale more than doubled that figure, reflecting the growing demand for historically significant musical instruments among high-net-worth collectors and investors.
Why the Black Strat Gilmour Commands High Value
Provenance and Cultural Significance
The Black Strat Gilmour's value is driven by its direct association with David Gilmour, one of the most influential rock guitarists in history, and its use on multiple commercially successful albums. The guitar's documented history, including studio session logs and live performance footage, provides verifiable provenance that supports its premium valuation.
Market and Collector Trends
Vintage guitars with clear rock and blues lineage have seen significant price appreciation over the past decade, with instruments linked to iconic musicians consistently outperforming broader collectibles markets. The Black Strat Gilmour sale was widely reported by major outlets such as Forbes, which covered the auction as a milestone for both music history and the secondary market for rare instruments.
Data on guitar valuations and auction results can be cross-referenced with market reports from platforms like Reverb and auction house archives, which track price trends for vintage Fender and Gibson models. The Financial Times has also analyzed the intersection of music memorabilia and alternative investments, noting that instruments with celebrity provenance increasingly attract institutional and private collectors.