Musician’s rather often come to be associated with a specific model of their instrument, yet it’s quite rare that a player’s name becomes almost synonymous with a particular tool of their trade. Still, it’s difficult to imagine Rory Gallagher without his 1961 Fender Stratocaster which featured so prominently in the late guitarist’s legend, as stressed by the recent BBC documentary. A long-coveted item for many of the great Irishman’s colleagues, the Strat with peeled off finish was never up for sale – until now.
Now, it’s a part of Rory’s equipotent that had been made available for auction by the keep of his flame, his brother and former manager Donal Gallagher. There are instruments, amplifiers and accessories which go under the hammer on October 17th at Bonhams in London. However, the iconic – in the truest meaning of this word – axe is more than a mere guitar: appearing on the cover of many of the Cork hero’s platters, most conspicuously on “Against The Grain” from 1975, the Stratocaster seemed to serve as a visual representation of his art, a symbol of what Rory was capable of – simply because of the Fender’s unassuming look, something Gallagher could get behind even emotionally, not only as a performer. Hopefully it will end up in another musician’s, rather than collector’s, hands.
