PREVIEW

Some of the guitars behind the songs that defined 1960s North American rock are heading to auction.
Canadian rock legend and co-founder of Bachman-Turner Overdrive and The Guess Who, Randy Bachman’s instruments will be offered during a sale held by Julien’s Auctions in New York on 29 and 30 May.
Central to the auction is a remarkable assemblage of nearly 200 guitars, instruments, and gear owned and utilised by Bachman throughout his illustrious career.
Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bachman burst onto the music scene in 1965 with The Guess Who, delivering chart-topping hits like "American Woman" and "No Time."
Following his tenure with The Guess Who, Bachman co-founded Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO), producing rock anthems such as "Takin' Care of Business" and "You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet." His music has left an indelible mark on pop culture, featured in numerous TV shows, movies, and commercials.
At the heart of the auction is Bachman’s legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, famously known as "The American Woman Guitar." This iconic instrument, which birthed The Guess Who’s smash hit, is estimated to fetch between $200,000 and $400,000.
Bachman first acquired this guitar in 1968 during a gig in a church basement in Nanaimo, British Columbia when an audience member offered him to play the guitar in place of a guitar with a cracked neck. During a performance at a Canadian Curling Rink after breaking a string, Bachman stumbled upon the now iconic riff.
“I start to play that, and the audience’s heads snap around,” Bachman remembers of that electrifying moment he first played the song. He frantically recalled the band, ordered Burt to “sing anything,” and the band wrote the song “American Woman” right there on a plywood stage hastily thrown down on top of the ice in front of a bundled-up crowd. The Les Paul with a sunburst maple top was not only present at this moment of inspiration but is also the instrument heard on the 1970 album American Woman.
Another standout is Bachman's 1955 white Fender Stratocaster, immortalized in album artwork and performances, with an estimated value of $100,000 to $200,000. Additionally, his 1968 Fender Hardtail Stratocaster, a staple during BTO performances, is expected to draw bids between $20,000 and $40,000.
Noteworthy additions to the collection include guitars from German luthiers of the 1950s and 1960s, meticulously curated over three decades by Bachman. Among these are the Hoyer Bianka models, featuring intricate designs and master craftsmanship.
Darren Julien, Co-Founder/Executive Director of Julien’s Auctions said: “Randy Bachman’s music is some of the most recognizable and indelible in all of rock and roll history, said Darren Julien, Co-Founder/Executive Director of Julien’s Auctions. “Here are some of his most famous and legendary guitars that are not only instruments but true works of art assembled in one of the finest guitar collections that will ever come to auction.”
Special exhibitions will be held in New York from 22 to 28 May, allowing the public to view these iconic instruments before they hit the auction block.