Iconic Elvis Guitar Hagstrom Viking II Valued at $5M

By editorial board on August 16, 2023

One of Elvis Presley’s most famous guitars is valued at $5 million, making it one of rock and roll’s most valuable guitars.

 

.
The King’s cherry red Hagstrom Viking II electric guitar featured prominently in his 1968 Comeback Special. That special was featured prominently in the Elvis biopic starring Austin Butler. The guitar was considered a good luck charm for the aging rocker and helped him rejuvenate his career by featuring on the album From Elvis in Memphis and, eventually his Vegas residency. (digitalmusicnews  reports)

The guitar Elvis played when he returned after seven years making films has sold the first time for £450,000. Presley borrowed the Hagstrom Viking II from musician Al Casey before his 1968 TV Comeback Special.

He is also seen with the guitar on the cover of 1969 album From Elvis in Memphis. He returned it to Casey, who sold it on. "It wasn't the guitar they were going to use for the show but the colour of it - lipstick red - was so vibrant against Elvis' black clothing that he insisted on playing it.

Brigette Kruse, of LA’s GWS Auctions, said: "This isn't just any Elvis guitar, it is the Elvis guitar that helped launch his comeback.

The most valuable guitars in rock and roll
The Hagstrom Viking II electric guitar featured in Elvis’ iconic comeback special deserves its place on this list of the most valuable guitars in rock and roll. Both Kurt Cobain and David Gilmour feature twice on the list.

 

Kurt Cobain | 1959 Martin D-18E ($6.01M)
Kurt Cobain | “Teen Spirit” Fender Mustang ($4.69M)
David Gilmour | Black Strat ($4.1M)
Eddie Van Halen | “Hot For Teacher” Kramer ($4.01M)
Reach Out to Asia | Fender Stratocaster ($2.83M)
John Lennon | Gibson J-160E ($2.4M)
Jimi Hendrix | “Izabella” 1868 Fender Stratocaster ($2.09M)
Peter Green | “Greeny” Les Paul ($2.09M)
Jerry Garcia | Wolf Guitar ($1.99M)
David Gilmour | 1954 Fender Stratrocaster ($1.90M)

 



Recently Iconic guitar brand Gibson partnered with Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and Elvis Presley Enterprises to create two acoustics: the Gibson Elvis Dove and Gibson Elvis SJ-200, both in Ebony.

Elvis was a Gibson guy and played multiple branded acoustic and electric guitars throughout his career.(Gibson Elvis DOVE HERE) The new Gibson Elvis Dove is based on a customized 1969 Gibson Dove that was gifted to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll by his father, which Elvis played in concert regularly from 1971 through 1975. Most notably he played this guitar during his legendary satellite-televised Aloha From Hawaii concert in 1973. He later gifted the guitar to an audience member at a concert in Asheville, North Carolina in 1975.  (Americansongwriter Reports)



Elvis' historic 1942 Martin D-18 guitar -- which The King owned between 1954 and 1956 -- will be up for auction over at Gotta Have Rock and Rol. The 1942 D-18 Martin guitar is the highest paid auction item to date that has ever belonged to Elvis.

Elvis used this guitar extensively during recordings in the iconic Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennesse, and during stage performances during this period. Elvis is seen playing the guitar in many, many photographs from this period.
Elvis purchased the guitar from O.K., Houck's Memphis instrument store, returning his Martin 000-18. He decorated the body of the guitar with adhesive metal letters that formed his name "ELVIS". The letters "ELVI" remain with the "S" is missing.


The large wear visible on the guitar is proof of its considerable use by Elvis. During this time Elvis recorded some of his most classic songs, songs that catapulted him into his unstoppable rise to fame, including "That's All Right (Mama)", "Blue Moon of Kentucky", "Good Rockin 'Tonight" and many others.

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: the images used by Videomuzic are for the purpose of criticism and exercise of the right to report news, in low quality, in compliance with the provisions of the law on copyright, used exclusively for the information content.
DISCLAIMER: Videomuzic usa le immagini per finalità di critica ed esercizio del diritto di cronaca in modalità degradata conforme alle prescrizioni della legge sul diritto d'autore utilizzate ad esclusivo corredo dei contenuti informativi.
Copyright © 2022 Videomuzic | Rome. ITA | Pictures, videos remain the property of the copyright owner, Any copyright owner who wants removed should contact us..
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram