A guitar that was owned by the late John Lennon has been found after being lost for more than 50 years. Now, it’s been sold at auction and has fetched nearly $3 million. It went missing after a 1963 Beatles concert, and it was assumed that it would never be found. The guitar was a rare Gibson J-160E, and the story of how it was found varies depending on the source.

One line of thinking says that the guitar somehow made its way into the hands of a San Diego guitarist who purchased it in the 1970s without knowing its ties to Lennon. Another take on the missing guitar is that it was given to Gordon Waller, as Lennon and Paul McCartney had been writing some songs for him. The story goes that Waller gave the guitar to his manager, who put it in his attic where it remained for 50 years. The case was also in good condition, and no matter the exact story of how the guitar was lost and found again the important thing is that it’s been located.

A lot of research, photographic evidence, and comparison went into determining that this was indeed the same guitar, and it’s a notable instrument that was used in the creation of many of the Beatles’ biggest early hits. Both Lennon and George Harrison played this model, and fans of the group are celebrating the fact that the guitar was found intact once again. Music historians are also happy to see that the instrument survived all this time, as it played such a big role in iconic songs.

The guitar’s auction price ranked it among the most expensive guitars ever sold and highlighted how important it was to music lovers and Beatles fans everywhere. All types of Beatles memorabilia is popular with fans, and has continued to have significant value over time. However, this guitar is truly something special because of its use in a number of hit songs. It’s an artifact of a bygone era, and one that everyone thought had been lost to history.

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