Somewhere there may be an Englishman who is kicking himself that he passed up a chance to own a George Harrison guitar. The guitar, paid for in instalments by Harrison’s mother, is set to sell for more than US$1 million at auction.
The Futurama electric guitar was offered in a competition for Beatles fans in Beats Instrumental magazine in 1964.
The competition was won by an AJ Thompson, who lived in Saltdean near Brighton, East Sussex, but, when offered the chance to have money instead of the guitar he took the cash, Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions, said.
He told the PA news agency: “He probably took about £100 at most, because that would be the intrinsic value of the guitar at the time.
“He probably took his friends and family out for a nice evening and a good dinner and some drinks and then went on with his life. If only … Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve!”
Harrison was 16 years old and an apprentice electrician when he bought the guitar, paid for in 44 instalments after his mother signed a hire purchase agreement at Frank Hessy’s music shop in Liverpool.