From the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones to Crossby, Still and Nash, the Pawn Stars crew has seen it all when it comes to vintage musical equipment, some owned by world-famous stars.
The guys at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop admit that musical instruments are some of their best sellers in auctions, and so they’re always stoked when a collector walks in with one of these.
In that regard, we did a rundown of some of the most memorable instruments and musical equipment featured on Pawn Stars. Read on and enjoy!
Rolling Stones Autographed Guitar
The Rolling Stones, those rebellious rock gods, revolutionized the music scene by taking blues and infusing it with the electrifying power of rock and roll. They brought a fresh, stripped-down version of the blues straight to the forefront of pop culture.
So, when you claim to own a piece of that timeless magic in the form of a guitar autographed by all the band members, including Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Mick Taylor, you’ve got a rock ‘n’ roll treasure that’ll make any music lover’s heart skip a beat.
In other words, there is a huge market for music equipment associated with these guys!
The lady who brought in the rare, autographed Rollin’ Stones guitar was hoping to get $15,000 for this gem. But, after Rick called in his autographs and music instrument expert, it was established that the signatures were not authentic and the super-famous band members had never even touched the instrument.
Vintage 1940s Wurlitzer Jukebox
Vintage jukeboxes sell pretty well at the Gold & Silver pawn shop where there’s already a decent selection, according to Rick. So when someone called him about a 1940s jukebox in pristine condition, Rick couldn’t miss the chance to check it out.
What he found at the collector’s home was ‘Bullet,’ aka the Wurlitzer 1100, a jukebox that’s been hailed as one of the most stunning beauties ever created. Its overall shape rises to a point in the center, resembling a bullet standing tall and proud on its base. Talk about jukebox firepower!
Produced from 1947 to 1949, marks a shift from the art deco designs of the 1940s to the modern aesthetics favored in the ’50s. It’s a trendsetter, showcasing a plastic dome over the record player that reveals the mesmerizing working mechanism below. And get this—the 1100 spots a powerful 15″ speaker paired with a tube-type ‘push-pull’ amplifier, delivering some serious audio punch.
But, even with his $4,000 offer, Rick couldn’t walk away with this beauty. For the jukebox owner, it was $6,000 or no deal.
Mary Ford’s Les Paul SG Guitar
When Les Paul’s nephew walked into the pawn shop with a 1960 Gibson SG and proclaimed that it belonged to Les Paul and his wife and guitar innovator, Mary Ford, Rick and Chumlee almost lost their balance.
For the cream 1960 SG Gibson, the nephew couldn’t take anything less than $90,000 and he wasn’t backing down. After all, it was a glorious piece of history.
In their own words, the guitar was the mother of all guitars and with that, they sealed the deal at $90,000. It later emerged that the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop auctioned the guitar for $125,000!
Prince’s Autographed Purple Rain Tambourine
Prince threw his iconic tambourines to the crowd all the time during his concerts. But when you have one that has his autograph, you are certainly onto something!
That’s exactly what Rick thought of when this guy walked into the Pawn Shop bearing a weathered spray-painted purple tambourine with what seemed like Prince’s autograph.
Cautious as always, Rick got in touch with a rock and roll historian who affirmed that the musical instrument might actually be Prince’s and that the world-celebrity may have autographed it.
An autograph specialist also ascertained that the signature does indeed belong to Prince, turning that little old tambourine into a treasure.
The owner wanted $50,000 for the tambourine but eventually went down to $10,000. But, the best Rick could offer was $6000 and nothing more. They didn’t close the deal but this was definitely an interesting antique find.
Crossby, Stills, and Nash Guitar
Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) was a legendry rock and roll ban composed of American singer-songwriters David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash.
CSN came to life in 1968 when Crosby, Stills, and Nash found themselves performing together and realizing that their harmonies were a match made in musical heaven. It was a beautiful discovery, and from that moment on, they set out to captivate audiences with their soul-stirring tunes.
But they weren’t just about the melodies—they had a fire for political activism burning in their hearts. These folks weren’t afraid to speak their minds and stand up for what they believed in.
When a collector approached Rick and Chumlee with a guitar which he claimed was signed by Crossby, Stills, and Nash, Rick was a bit skeptical but still took a chance on the instrument, paying $750 for it. Lucky for him, the autographs turned out to be legit.
Jimi Hendrik’s Guitar
Arguably one of the most mind-blowingly creative and influential musicians of the 20th century. This guitar wizard didn’t just play the instrument, Jimi set it on fire (figuratively, of course) and showed the world the explosive possibilities of the electric guitar.
Hendrix didn’t follow the rules; he smashed through musical barriers with his innovative style. He wasn’t just strumming chords, he was creating a whole new musical form, sending shockwaves through the music industry.
It’s no wonder Rick was a bit sad he couldn’t secure an original Jimi Hendrix guitar brought to the pawn shop. According to the owner, Hendrix played this particular guitar and lucky for the owner, an expert was able to back up his claims.
The lowest dollar he could take was $750,000 but Rick could only offer $600,000. Considering Rick’s knack for driving hard bargains, this is one of the best offers he’s ever made for a musical instrument.
Numerous musical instruments have come into the Pawn Stars shop in Las Vegas. Some memorable, some not so, some worth value for money, some not. But that’s nothing new—it’s the way it works in the pawning world, and Rick and his crew have definitely mastered the craft.
