Rick Parfitt's battered white Fender Telecaster, the guitar he played on every gig for over four decades, is set to lead Bonhams' "Rock, Pop & Film" auction this month, with estimates placing its value between £70,000 and £90,000.
The instrument, affectionately known as Parfitt's No. 1, was bought on a hire purchase agreement for £80 in the spring of 1974 from McCormack's Music shop in Glasgow. For over 40 years, it was the engine room of Status Quo's boogie-rock sound, sweated on night after night as Parfitt accompanied the band on every single gig.
A Sound Investment in Vintage Guitars
The sale comes as vintage guitars have become a high-yield asset class. In 2019, David Gilmour's "Black Strat" sold for £3.15m. When it returned to auction on March 12, 2026, as part of the late American billionaire Jim Irsay's collection at Christie's, it fetched £10.9 million, more than doubling the world record for a guitar sale overnight.
Last month, George Michael's 1940s Gretsch Synchromatic Model 160 acoustic guitar, played in his 1987 Faith video, sold at auction for £180,000, exceeding its original estimate of £60,000 to £120,000. The auction was overshadowed by a public family dispute after the collection was put up for sale by Siobhan Bailey's widower, Ian Belcher, who legally inherited Michael's former personal assistant's estate after she died without a registered will. Siobhan's brother, Gerard Bailey, condemned the auction, revealing his sister had been in the process of divorcing Belcher before her sudden passing.
The Guitar's Unique History
Originally leaving the Fender factory in 1966 as a standard white model, Parfitt's guitar was once painted blue before being heavily modified to withstand his ferocious attack. It features heavy-gauge strings and a wrap-around bridge that allowed him to strike chords with maximum velocity without knocking the instrument out of tune. The finish is worn straight through to the bare wood in wide patches, the fretboard carries the permanent divots of thousands of gigs, and the hardware is oxidised from decades of stage sweat.
Fred Lawton, associate specialist in popular culture at Bonhams, said: "This is a real beast of an instrument that is recognised worldwide among rock fans. It's had a lot of modifications over time, and it's truly unique to his playing."
Lawton added: "It is perhaps most famously known for opening up Live Aid in 1985 with Rocking All Over The World, pretty much everyone in the world with a TV was watching this guitar as it opened up the concert."
Market Potential and Notable Sales
Lawton revealed there had already been exceptional interest in the guitar from fans and collectors around the world. He said: "There's a huge range of guitar collectors out there, private collectors, people who play the instruments, museums, institutions, there is a huge range of potential purchasers and with a band like Quo there's a global reach as well. Francis Rossi's guitar sold for £95,000 and we hope this will do equally well, if not better."
Experts feel the Telecaster could be a bargain, particularly if it is reunited with Quo bandmate Francis Rossi's green 1965 Fender Telecaster, which sold at Bonhams London in 2019 for £95,000. Quo's lack of American success keeps a lid on the expected ceiling price.
Other notable sales include Kurt Cobain's 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic at £4.8 million, his 1969 Fender Mustang at £3.4 million, Eddie Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" Kramer at approximately £3.14 million, Jeff Beck's 1954 'Oxblood' Gibson Les Paul at £1.06 million, and Mark Knopfler's 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard at £693,000.
Rick Parfitt's Number 1 guitar will go on sale at auction at Bonhams from November 16-26.
