George Harrison’s Guitar Appeared On Antiques Roadshow, And Its Value Will Make You Weep
As a professional session musician of almost 60 years, Ray Russell has many guitars in his collection. But few are as treasured as a rare instrument gifted to him by none other than the Beatles’ George Harrison. Little did Russell know, though, that the six-string had a heartstopping price tag attached to it.
The historic Battle Abbey in the English county of East Sussex is not a place you’d normally necessarily associate with music. Besides the chanting monks who first occupied the site millennia ago, this landmark has seldom been troubled by balladeers or raconteurs. But in 2020, a musician graced the abbey with melodies of an intriguing variety.
In spring, the crew of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow descended on the abbey to film an installment of the series. Among the locals who turned up in the hope of having their valuables appraised was Russell, whose friend had pushed him to visit the set. What did he want the experts to look out? Well, he had brought with him one of his most prized possessions: a special custom-made guitar.
Now Russell was no stranger to music history. Since the age of 15, the virtuoso had been playing guitar professionally and worked with recording legends such as Van Morrison and Tina Turner along the way. But the story that came with the guitar was truly special. As Russell explained, none other than George Harrison had given him the instrument.
Of course, George Harrison is a musician who needs no introduction. As a member of the Beatles, the Liverpool-born legend helped change the course of music forever. And as a guitarist, his use of arpeggios, elegant slide playing and fluid soloing left a mark on later guitarists. In 2015, Rolling Stone even ranked him the 11th-greatest axe player of all time.
