Les Paul's Personal Guitar Collection Auctioned Off For Millions

Some of Les Paul's guitars and other belongings were recently auctioned off for a princely sum of almost $5 million. Beverly Hills-based Julien's Auctions revealed that the auction attracted record-high bids.

A prototype model of one of his personal Gibson Les Paul guitars that was made by him in 1982 got sold for $180,000. The guitar that attracted the highest bid was a 1951 Fender No-Caster, which pulled in $216,000. An Epiphone Zephyr a.k.a "Klunker #3" that was made sometimes in 1940s went for $144,000, while a 1927 Gibson L5 sunburst guitar for $87,500.

Some of his research notes and his personal recording console were also put up for auction and they fetched prices of $28,125 and $106,250 respectively. A license plate and a signboard, also belonging to the late Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, were auctioned off too.

The two-day event began last Friday and concluded a day later on June 9, which was also the day of his birth. All the proceeds from the auction sale went to the Les Paul Foundation that helps spread music education, engineering, technical advancements and medical research in the US.

Paul, who is known for inventing the solid-body electric guitar and several other recording techniques, passed away in August 2009 due to complications arising from pneumonia.  It should be noted that it was him, who invented the Gibson Les Paul, one of the most widely used guitars in the world.

As a singer, he scored some major hit songs too, with the highlight of them being "Mockin' Bird Hill" and "How High the Moon."