Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen Auctioning 300 Items, Including Prized Guitars

Cheap Trick‘s Rick Nielsen is teaming with Julien’s Auctions for a sale of an enormous 300-plus-piece collection of memorabilia including 70-plus guitars, with a portion of proceeds set to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Among the items being sold are one of his iconic five-neck Hamer guitars played onstage; a 1955 Ford Thunderbird; handwritten lyrics for “Heaven Tonight”; and a custom checkboard design John Deere tractor with a snowplow.

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The auction is set to take place on October 24th live at the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum at the Historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium.

The sale includes a number of rarities as well, including one of only three 1963 Guild Merle Travis guitars ever produced.

Nielsen said of the upcoming auction, “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.’ 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.”

Lou Robinson, director of music business development for Julien’s, added, “Rick has created and curated an incredible collection that ranges from world famous to infamous. 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.”

See the full offerings and register to bid at the Julien’s website.

Cheap Trick are currently on the road in North America as part of their “All Washed Up” tour until November 22nd. Get tickets here.

See photos of some of the offerings of the Rick Nielsen Collection via Julien’s Auctions below.