Johnny Marr guitars sell for more than £560k at auction

Two guitars owned by Manchester musician Johnny Marr have sold for more than £560,000 at auction.

The instruments, which were used during his time with The Smiths and on his forthcoming solo album, went under the hammer as part of Christie's Marr's Guitars: The Johnny Marr Collection sale.

Marr's 1982 Rickenbacker 330 Jetglo sold for £358,400 after attracting a bidding battle lasting more than five minutes.

The guitar was used throughout the recording of The Smiths' debut album and on the band's early tours. It can be heard on songs including This Charming Man, Still Ill and What Difference Does It Make? The instrument also featured on the cover of Oasis's debut single Supersonic.

Marr had lent it to Noel Gallagher during early recording sessions for Oasis' album Definitely Maybe.

A second guitar, Marr's 1960 Cherry Red Gibson ES-355, sold for £204,800.

The instrument inspired him to write the music for The Smiths' 1984 single Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now and its B-side Girl Afraid.

It was bought for him in 1983 by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein after Marr joked that The Smiths would sign to the label if he bought him a new guitar.

The auction comes ahead of the release of Marr's first studio album in four years, The Age Of Everything, which is due out on 2 October.

Marr was guitarist and co-songwriter for The Smiths alongside singer Morrissey.

The Manchester band released four studio albums before splitting in 1987 and became one of the defining groups of the British indie music scene.

The 111-lot auction is continuing, with further items expected to sell for thousands.

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