Derek Trucks Reacts as David Gilmour’s ‘Black Strat’ Sets New Record at $14.6 Million
derek trucks is among the musicians watching a new benchmark land in the collector world after a guitar used by David Gilmour across multiple Pink Floyd albums sold for a record-setting $14. 6 million at a Christie’s auction in New York on Thursday.
Derek Trucks Watches a New All-Time High for a Single Guitar Sale
Christie’s said the 1969 Fender Stratocaster nicknamed the “Black Strat” sold for $14. 6 million (£10. 9 million), making it the most expensive guitar ever sold. The bidding lasted 21 minutes and ended with an unnamed buyer.
The final price exceeded Christie’s pre-sale estimate of $2 million to $4 million. The sale was part of a rock memorabilia auction in New York that featured items from the collection of billionaire American businessman Jim Irsay, who died in 2025.
What the ‘Black Strat’ Was Used For—and Why the Sale Matters
The “Black Strat” was used by Gilmour on six Pink Floyd albums. He played it on the band’s albums released between 1970 and 1983, including The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall. Another account described the guitar as central to recordings tied to The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall, including tracks such as “Money, ” “Shine on You Crazy Diamond, ” and the solo on “Comfortably Numb. ”
The record sale surpassed the previous most expensive guitar: a 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic-electric played by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged performance in 1993.
Other Records and Big Sales at the Jim Irsay Collection Auction
Several other headline prices were recorded during Thursday’s live auction. Another Cobain guitar—a blue Fender Mustang featured in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video—sold for $6. 9 million (£5. 3 million), with another tally listing the hammer price at $6, 907, 000.
Jerry Garcia’s custom-made guitar “Tiger” sold for $11. 56 million. Additional high-value music memorabilia changed hands as well, including a piano owned by John Lennon that sold for $3. 2 million (£2. 5 million), described as the highest fee ever paid for a piece of Beatles memorabilia.
Christie’s said the 44 items in the collection totaled $84 million (£64 million), with another total listed as $84, 091, 350. Julien Pradels, president of Christie’s Americas, said: “Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history. ”
For derek trucks and other guitar players tracking the market, the result underscores how quickly iconic instruments can reset expectations—especially when tied to major recordings and a tightly curated, high-profile sale.
