Elvis Presley’s 1968 Comeback Special Guitar Headed to Auction

This Hagstrom Viking II electric guitar that Elvis Presley played during his 1968 Comeback Special is headed to auction. Sotheby’s is selling the Swedish-made semi-hollow-body instrument that Elvis used throughout the famous broadcast, on songs like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Trouble,” and “Guitar Man.” He’s also holding the guitar on the cover of his 1969 LP Elvis in Memphis. It’s estimated to sell for somewhere between $1 and $2 million.

“This guitar became a symbol of Elvis’ legendary comeback,” says Sotheby’s Music and Pop Culture Specialist Craig Inciardi. “Guitars have always been central to his image, but seeing Elvis return to the stage after years away, dressed in his iconic black leather outfit and playing this guitar, created one of the most enduring images in rock history. It marked a pivotal moment, reconnecting him with a generation of fans and cementing his status as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.”

Bidding for the online auction opens April 9 and will conclude April 23. The guitar will be on display at Sotheby’s New York Breuer Building from April 13 – 20. “Unlike most of Elvis’ guitars, which were acoustic, this is an electric Hagstrom, known for its distinctive look and sound,” says Inciardi. “Its rarity and its association with that singular performance make it one of the most iconic instruments linked to Elvis.”

Presley originally planned to play a different guitar on the broadcast, but it didn’t quite work with the red and black colors of the set. Director Steve Binder and producer Bones Howe asked session guitarist Al Casey if Presley could instead play his cherry red Hagstrom. It’s the only time that Presley used the guitar, and it has passed through several private collections over the decades. It was displayed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame between 1998 and 2000.

Courtesy of Sotheby’s

The auction comes just weeks after David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster sold for a record-shattering $14,550,000. At the same auction, Jerry Garcia’s Tiger went for $11,560,000. They were both part of the Jim Isray Collection, and are two of the most expensive guitars ever sold. They both went for significantly over their initial estimates, and it’s very possible that Presley’s Hagstrom will also exceed expectations.