Few guitarists have a stage prop as famous as Rick Nielsen's five-neck Hamer. Now one of them is up for grabs.
The Cheap Trick guitarist is selling more than 300 items from his personal collection, including more than 70 guitars, through Julien's Auctions. A portion of the proceeds will go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
The short version
The live auction is Oct. 24 at the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville, with online bidding through Julien's.
The sale includes 300+ items and 70+ guitars.
His stage-played 2004 Hamer five-neck is being auctioned publicly for the first time, estimated at $175,000+.
A 1975 Hamer Standard carries a $200,000–$300,000 estimate.
Part of the proceeds goes to St. Jude.
The guitars
Beyond the five-neck, the collection is a tour of Nielsen's five decades of collecting. Highlights include:
A 1963 Guild Merle Travis, one of only three ever made
Two vintage Gibson Explorers
Three custom five-neck guitars in total
The 1975 Hamer Standard is a key piece of history. Hamer was one of the first boutique guitar makers, and Nielsen was one of its most visible champions. Nielsen has also said one of his proudest finds is a 1955 Gold Top Les Paul he bought for $65.
Photo: Evgeny Ndn on Unsplash
And the rest
This is no ordinary guitar sale. The lots also include a 1955 Ford Thunderbird, handwritten lyrics for "Heaven Tonight" and a custom checkerboard John Deere tractor with a snowplow.
How the five-neck happened
Nielsen says the idea grew out of stacking guitars for solos in the late '70s and '80s. His first plan was even bigger: a six-neck that would spin like a roulette wheel. He settled on "something more conservative," with five necks in a row.
Why he's selling
"You can't take it with you," Nielsen said, adding that he hopes he'll still have one guitar when it's all over. He grew up around instruments, since his parents owned a music store, and he has joked that he was never going to be a virtuoso, so he became a "medium-oso."
Why it matters
Collectors: Celebrity-owned, stage-played guitars with clear provenance are the top of the market. Several lots here have both.
The vintage market: This sale lands as Lonnie Mack's 1958 Flying V heads to Heritage Auctions with a $300,000 starting bid. October is shaping up as a big test of vintage prices.
Fans: Even if you're not bidding, the catalogue is a rare look inside one of rock's most colourful collections.
Sources: Blabbermouth, Consequence (Sept. 28, 2026) and Guitar World (Sept. 29, 2026); Lonnie Mack auction via Guitar World.