🔥 Five necks, one legendary guitarist and a jaw-dropping $313,600 price tag! CHEAP TRICK icon Rick Nielsen’s extraordinary custom Hamer guitar has sold for a staggering sum at Julien’s Auctions, alongside hundreds of pieces of rock history – including rare guitars, vintage cars, outrageous stage clothing and one particularly unfortunate jacket involving MÖTLEY CRÜE’s Nikki Sixx!
Well, bloody hell, butt!
You know that feeling when you walk into your local guitar shop, spot something absolutely gorgeous hanging on the wall and immediately start wondering whether selling your car would cover the deposit?
Well, imagine stumbling across a guitar that costs more than an actual house!
And not just any guitar.
A bloody FIVE-NECK guitar!
Yes, you read that correctly.
Not one neck.
Not two.
Not even three.
FIVE!
Because apparently, when you’re legendary CHEAP TRICK guitarist Rick Nielsen, owning an ordinary six-string simply isn’t enough.
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer’s remarkable custom-built 2004 Hamer Five Neck Korina electric guitar has officially sold for an astonishing $313,600 at Julien’s Auctions.
The instrument was the headline attraction of The Rick Nielsen Collection, a massive auction featuring more than 300 pieces from the musician’s personal collection.
Held on Saturday 24 October 2026, at Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum, the auction attracted collectors and rock fans eager to own pieces of musical history.
And the good news?
A portion of the proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, helping support its vital work treating and researching childhood illnesses.
So, while somebody has just spent an eye-watering amount of money on a guitar that probably requires its own parking space, there’s a genuinely worthwhile cause behind the madness.
Tidy, mun! 🤘🐉
🎸 The Five-Neck Monster That Stole The Show!
Let’s talk about the instrument responsible for this extraordinary price.
The guitar at the centre of the auction was Nielsen’s custom 2004 Hamer Five Neck Korina, a natural-finish electric guitar featuring five separate necks built into one enormous body.
It was offered for public sale for the first time.
And collectors clearly weren’t prepared to let it go cheaply.
Julien’s Auctions originally estimated that the instrument would sell for between $175,000 and $200,000.
The final reported sale price?
$313,600!
That’s comfortably above the pre-auction estimate.
For most of us, that kind of money could buy a lovely house, a decent car and enough concert tickets to keep us entertained for years.
For somebody else, it’s the price of a single guitar.
Although, technically, you are getting five necks for your money.
So perhaps there’s a bargain hiding in there somewhere!
🔥 What Makes This Guitar So Special?
Unlike some celebrity instruments that command huge prices simply because a famous musician once owned them, Nielsen’s five-neck Hamer is an extraordinary piece of guitar craftsmanship.
Built in 2004, the instrument features a Korina body, five Korina necks and rosewood fingerboards.
Each neck serves a different musical purpose.
The configurations include:
- A 12-string neck, featuring a semi-hollow section and twin humbucker pickups.
- A longer-scale six-string neck, featuring two humbuckers.
- A six-string neck with P-90-style pickups and a Bigsby vibrato, providing another tonal option.
- A mandocello neck, offering an entirely different register and playing experience.
- A Les Paul Junior-style six-string neck, fitted with a single P-90 pickup.
The guitar also features mother-of-pearl inlays, distinctive Hamer headstocks, chrome hardware and an elaborate switching arrangement allowing Nielsen to select between the different necks.
It’s essentially an entire guitar collection squeezed into one enormous instrument.
And if that sounds complicated, imagine having to tune the bloody thing before a gig!
Your average guitarist spends five minutes tuning six strings.
Rick Nielsen probably needs a packed lunch and a second mortgage for replacement strings.
Absolute madness, butt! 😂
🤯 Believe It Or Not, Nielsen Originally Wanted SIX Necks!
Here’s where the story gets even more ridiculous.
The famous five-neck guitar wasn’t even Nielsen’s original idea.
Oh no.
The CHEAP TRICK guitarist initially imagined creating a rotating six-neck guitar that could spin like a giant musical roulette wheel.
The concept emerged from his unusual stage performances during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Rather than simply switching instruments between songs, Nielsen would sometimes strap several guitars around himself simultaneously.
He would play one, discard it and immediately move on to the next guitar hanging beneath it.
It was theatrical.
It was ridiculous.
And audiences absolutely loved it.
Eventually, he began wondering whether all those instruments could be combined into one enormous creation.
Working with Hamer Guitars, Nielsen developed the idea into the now-iconic five-neck design.
The original orange-finished five-neck Hamer was constructed in 1981.
A checkerboard-finished version followed during the 1990s.
The natural-finish Korina guitar sold at the recent auction was the third of Nielsen’s custom five-neck instruments.
And while some guitarists would consider a five-neck guitar slightly excessive, Nielsen apparently regarded the finished design as a relatively restrained version of his original vision.
Restrained?!
Mate, that’s like Rammstein announcing they’ve decided to cut back on the fireworks by only setting half the stadium on fire!
🎤 This Wasn’t Just A Display Piece – Nielsen Actually Played It Live!
One of the most important details surrounding the $313,600 guitar is its documented stage history.
This wasn’t simply an unusual instrument sitting in a glass cabinet.
Nielsen genuinely used it during CHEAP TRICK performances.
According to Julien’s Auctions, the 2004 Hamer was part of the guitarist’s secondary touring rig and appeared onstage at events including:
🎸 2004 – Another State Of Mind Benefit Concert
The guitar was played during the Another State Of Mind charity event at Chicago’s Metro venue.
🎸 2013 – Budokan 35th Anniversary Performance
Nielsen also used the instrument during CHEAP TRICK’s special anniversary performance at the CBGB’s John Varvatos venue in New York.
The guitar also appeared in Gibson Guitars’ The Collection video series featuring Nielsen.
That documented history makes it considerably more desirable to collectors.
You’re not just purchasing an unusual Hamer guitar.
You’re buying an instrument that has genuinely been part of CHEAP TRICK’s live history.
And the winning bidder even received its enormous black road case.
Which is probably just as well.
Because I can’t imagine turning up at Cardiff Central Station with that monster under your arm and telling the guard it’s hand luggage!
💰 More Than 300 Pieces Of Rock History Went Under The Hammer!
Although the five-neck guitar grabbed the headlines, it was only one part of an extraordinary collection.
The auction featured more than 300 lots, including over 70 guitars, instruments, amplifiers, handwritten lyrics, stage clothing, memorabilia and vehicles.
Nielsen has spent decades collecting guitars and unusual musical equipment.
His collection has included hundreds of instruments from some of the world’s most celebrated manufacturers.
But after years of accumulating rare and unusual items, the guitarist decided it was time to allow some of those treasures to find new homes.
And collectors certainly opened their wallets.
💸 Biggest Reported Sales From The Rick Nielsen Collection
Auction item
Sale price
🎸 2004 Hamer Five Neck Korina Guitar
$313,600
🎸 1975 Hamer Standard Guitar
$256,000
🚗 1955 Ford Thunderbird
$76,800
🎸 1982 One On One Hamer Guitar
$44,800
🎸 2007 Checkerboard Hamer Guitar
$38,400
🎸 1984 Gibson Les Paul XPL
$25,600
🔊 Vintage Marshall Speaker Cabinet
$19,840
🧥 Nikki Sixx’s Infamous Overcoat
$5,760
🧶 ‘Don’t Steal My Girlfriend’ Sweater
$6,400
🧢 Vintage Detroit Tigers Cap
$2,240
And yes, you’ve probably spotted that rather unusual entry involving Nikki Sixx.
Don’t worry.
We’re getting to that!
Because, quite frankly, it’s one of the most ridiculous stories we’ve encountered in rock memorabilia.
🎸 Nielsen’s Historic 1975 Hamer Standard Fetches $256,000!
While the five-neck monster attracted the biggest price, another guitar carried enormous historical significance.
Nielsen’s 1975 Hamer Standard electric guitar, serial number 0004, sold for an impressive $256,000.
This particular instrument played an important role in the guitarist’s relationship with Hamer Guitars.
Nielsen had developed a connection with guitar builder Paul Hamer during the early 1970s.
In 1973, he sold Hamer a sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard, helping provide some of the early financial backing associated with the company’s beginnings.
Two years later, Nielsen wanted a guitar inspired by the legendary Gibson Explorer.
Rather than finding an original example, he commissioned Hamer to create a custom instrument featuring a flame maple top.
The resulting guitar became one of the most important instruments in his career.
It appeared during major CHEAP TRICK performances throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including the band’s celebrated concerts at Japan’s Nippon Budokan in 1978.
And if you’re a CHEAP TRICK fan, you’ll already know just how important those Japanese shows were.
They helped transform the band into international rock stars.
So, while the five-neck guitar might win the award for sheer insanity, this 1975 Hamer carries an incredible amount of musical history.
🚗 A Classic Ford Thunderbird Joins The Auction Madness!
Apparently, Nielsen’s collecting habits weren’t limited to guitars.
The musician also offered his personally owned 1955 Ford Thunderbird, which sold for $76,800.
Nielsen purchased the car in 1978, during the period when CHEAP TRICK were experiencing their breakthrough success.
He has previously described the Thunderbird as his first major extravagance.
The vehicle was later displayed as part of the Rick’s Picks exhibition at the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford, Illinois.
And it’s a fantastic example of just how varied his collection became.
Guitars?
Loads of them.
Vintage cars?
Absolutely.
Unusual stage clothing?
You bet.
And even a custom checkerboard John Deere tractor with a snowplough appeared among the items offered for auction.
Honestly, Rick Nielsen’s collection sounds less like a musician’s storage room and more like the world’s most gloriously chaotic rock ‘n’ roll museum.
😂 Nikki Sixx’s Infamous Jacket Sells For $5,760 – And You Won’t Believe What Happened To It!
Right then, butt.
We’ve arrived at the strangest part of the entire auction.
And believe me, you’ll probably never look at a second-hand jacket quite the same way again.
Among the clothing items offered for sale was a black rubberised overcoat made by Alchemy of London.
On the surface, it looked like a perfectly ordinary piece of rock-star wardrobe.
Well, as ordinary as a black rubberised coat can be.
But this particular garment had a rather unfortunate history involving MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx.
According to a story recounted in the band’s infamous 2001 autobiography, The Dirt, Sixx once urinated on Nielsen’s coat during a night out while the musicians were touring in Europe.
Yes.
Actually urinated on it.
The incident has become one of those completely bonkers stories from rock’s more excessive years.
Sixx later acknowledged feeling remorseful about what he had done to the belongings of a musician he admired.
And now, decades later, that very coat has reportedly sold for $5,760.
Nearly ten times its pre-auction estimate!
Let that sink in.
Somebody has paid thousands of dollars for a coat remembered partly because Nikki Sixx once had a wee on it.
Ach y fi, mun! 😂
Only in rock ‘n’ roll could something like that happen.
Imagine explaining that purchase to your partner.
“Darling, I’ve bought a vintage rock-star coat.”
“Oh lovely! How much?”
“Nearly six thousand dollars.”
“WHAT?! Why?!”
“Well… Nikki Sixx once peed on it.”
I’d imagine the silence afterwards would be absolutely deafening.
And here’s the really strange part.
The jacket’s unusual history almost certainly helped turn it into a highly desirable piece of rock memorabilia.
You genuinely couldn’t make this stuff up!
🧶 Even Rick Nielsen’s Sweaters Became Collectors’ Items!
Nielsen has always been famous for more than his guitar playing.
His eccentric stage appearance, colourful clothing, distinctive baseball caps and checkerboard designs have helped make him one of rock’s most recognisable characters.
And collectors clearly wanted a piece of that history too.
One of the auction’s most successful clothing items was a handmade sweater featuring the words ‘Don’t Steal My Girlfriend’.
The garment appeared in the artwork associated with CHEAP TRICK’s 1982 album One On One.
It eventually sold for $6,400, more than six times its original estimate.
Meanwhile, Nielsen’s vintage Detroit Tigers baseball cap, worn with its trademark flipped-up brim, fetched $2,240.
The cap appeared on the cover of One On One and during promotional appearances.
Julien’s Auctions reported that all 90 clothing lots found buyers, with every item exceeding its pre-sale estimate.
That’s an extraordinary result.
And it proves that fans aren’t just interested in the guitars that created the music.
They’re also interested in the clothing, artwork and personal objects that helped define the personality behind it.
Although I’m still struggling to get my head around somebody paying nearly six grand for that jacket.
❤️ A Portion Of The Auction Proceeds Will Help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Behind all the enormous prices, unusual guitars and outrageous stories is something genuinely important.
A portion of the proceeds from The Rick Nielsen Collection will support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The American hospital is internationally recognised for its work treating children with cancer and other serious diseases.
Founded in 1962, St. Jude combines specialist medical care with research aimed at developing better treatments and improving survival rates.
Nielsen has explained that supporting the hospital was an important part of his decision to auction the collection.
The guitarist has longstanding connections with the organisation through Danny and Marlo Thomas.
Speaking about the sale, Nielsen said:
“Collecting guitars and memorabilia has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.”
He also expressed his happiness that the instruments and memorabilia would begin new chapters with fans and collectors while helping support the hospital.
It’s an encouraging reminder that even the most extravagant corners of rock memorabilia collecting can make a positive difference.
And while the precise amount being donated has not been publicly specified in the reports reviewed, the charitable contribution remains a significant part of the auction.
🎤 Who Is Rick Nielsen? The Guitar Legend Behind CHEAP TRICK!
For anyone discovering this story and wondering who on earth spends decades collecting hundreds of guitars, allow us to introduce one of rock’s great characters.
Rick Nielsen is the guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of American rock band CHEAP TRICK.
Formed in Rockford, Illinois, during the early 1970s, the band developed a distinctive sound combining hard rock guitars, melodic pop songwriting and irresistible choruses.
Their classic material includes:
- 🎸 I Want You To Want Me
- 🤘 Surrender
- 🔥 Dream Police
- 🎶 The Flame
- 🎸 If You Want My Love
- 🤘 She’s Tight
- 🔥 Hello There
Although CHEAP TRICK initially built a following through extensive touring and studio releases, their breakthrough came with the legendary live album Cheap Trick At Budokan.
Recorded in Japan in April 1978, the album captured the band’s infectious energy and helped propel them towards international fame.
The live version of I Want You To Want Me became one of their signature recordings.
And Nielsen’s instantly recognisable guitar playing formed an essential part of that success.
His combination of memorable riffs, powerful chords, unusual instruments and larger-than-life stage performances helped create a distinctive identity.
In 2016, CHEAP TRICK were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
A thoroughly deserved recognition for a band whose music has influenced generations of rock, punk, power pop and alternative musicians.
🤘 Rick Nielsen – The Man Who Turned Guitar Collecting Into An Art Form!
What makes Nielsen’s collection particularly fascinating is the sheer variety of instruments he has accumulated.
He’s not simply interested in expensive vintage guitars.
He loves unusual designs.
Strange configurations.
Experimental construction.
Instruments with interesting stories.
And guitars that make people stop and ask:
“What the bloody hell is THAT supposed to be?!”
Throughout his career, he has embraced everything from traditional Gibson Les Pauls and Explorers to extraordinary custom creations.
His collecting obsession started early.
As a teenager, Nielsen purchased a 1955 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop for just $65.
He still owned that instrument when the 2026 auction was announced.
Over the decades, he has estimated that approximately 2,000 guitars have passed through his hands, with hundreds forming part of his collection at various times.
And when you’re dealing with that many instruments, storage becomes a serious problem.
Most of us struggle to find somewhere to put two guitar cases and a pedalboard.
Imagine trying to store several hundred rare guitars!
You’d probably need a warehouse, an inventory management system and somebody whose entire job involves remembering where the bloody Telecasters are.
Nielsen’s decision to sell part of the collection wasn’t necessarily about losing interest in music.
It was about finding new homes for instruments and memorabilia that had accumulated across an extraordinary career.
And judging by the auction results, plenty of collectors were delighted to help him clear some space.
🎸 Why Are Celebrity-Owned Guitars Worth So Much Money?
It’s a fair question.
After all, you can walk into a music shop and purchase an excellent guitar for a tiny fraction of $313,600.
So what makes this five-neck Hamer worth such an enormous sum?
Several factors contributed to its appeal.
First, its rarity. The guitar is a custom-built instrument with an extraordinary design, rather than a mass-produced model.
Second, its provenance. The instrument came directly from Nielsen’s personal collection, with an established history.
Third, its documented stage use. This wasn’t simply something hanging on a wall. It was used during actual performances.
Fourth, its craftsmanship. Combining five functioning instrument necks into a single custom body is a demanding engineering and guitar-building achievement.
And finally, there’s the musician himself.
Rick Nielsen isn’t simply a guitarist who happened to own an unusual instrument.
He’s an artist whose entire stage identity has become associated with eccentric guitars, checkerboard designs and theatrical performances.
For serious collectors, that combination of history, rarity and personality can create enormous demand.
And when two determined bidders decide they both want the same instrument?
Well, that’s when auction prices can become properly ridiculous.
🔥 The Riff Report Verdict – Five Necks, One Legend And A Price Tag That’ll Make Your Eyes Water!
There’s something wonderfully outrageous about this entire story.
Rick Nielsen has spent more than five decades proving that rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t need to be sensible.
From stacking guitars around himself during solos to commissioning enormous five-neck monsters, he’s always embraced the wonderfully ridiculous side of being a musician.
And that’s one of the reasons CHEAP TRICK remain so beloved.
They understand that rock music should be fun.
It should be exciting.
It should make you smile.
And occasionally, it should involve a guitar so enormous that you wonder whether somebody needed a crane to get it onstage.
The fact that Nielsen’s 2004 Hamer has now sold for $313,600 demonstrates just how significant his unusual instruments have become to collectors.
But the auction wasn’t simply about expensive guitars.
It was about preserving pieces of rock history, celebrating an extraordinary musician and raising money for a worthwhile cause.
And somewhere out there, one extremely fortunate collector now owns one of the most outrageous guitars ever built.
We can only hope they’ve got enough space to display it properly.
And perhaps a decent chiropractor on speed dial.
Because playing that monster for an entire concert probably does more damage to your back than three days carrying camping equipment around Download Festival!
Rick Nielsen, you absolute legend. Never change, butt! 🤘🐉🔥
💬 Have Your Say, Riff Report Crew!
Right then, here’s a question for all you guitar-loving rockers out there.
If you had $313,600 to spend on a piece of rock history, what would you buy?
Would you splash the cash on Rick Nielsen’s five-neck Hamer?
Would you hunt down a guitar owned by Eddie Van Halen, Tony Iommi, Brian May or Jimmy Page?
Or would you spend the lot building the ultimate home recording studio?
And there’s another question we simply have to ask.
Would you really pay $5,760 for a jacket that Nikki Sixx once peed on?! 😂
Get involved in the comments and let us know!
Because here at The Riff Report, we love a legendary guitar story.
Even when it comes with five necks, an enormous price tag and one very questionable item of clothing.
Keep the guitars loud, the riffs massive and the rock ‘n’ roll stories coming, butt! 🎸🔥🤘
Explore The Rick Nielsen Collection At Julien’s Auctions
View The Five-Neck Hamer’s Official Auction Listing
Support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Reporting verification: Cross-checked the 24 October auction and 27 October results against Julien’s Auctions’ original lot catalogue and announcement, Guitar World, Guitar Player, Blabbermouth, Consequence, The Music Universe and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The charitable contribution is a portion of the proceeds, not the entire sale price. Julien’s Auctions +6
