Elvis Presley’s 1968 Comeback Special Guitar Heads To Auction

Elvis Presley’s 1968 Comeback Special Guitar Heads To Auction
Late Singer Elvis Presley's 90th Birthday, In Memphis
Elvis fans gather to mark what would have been late singer Elvis Presley's 90th birthday, at Hernando's Hideaway in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Karen Pulfer Focht

A Hagstrom Viking II electric guitar that Elvis Presley played during his legendary 1968 Comeback Special will be auctioned by Sotheby’s with an estimated value between $1 and $2 million. The Swedish-made semi-hollow-body instrument was used throughout the famous broadcast on songs including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Trouble,” and “Guitar Man.” Presley also held this cherry red guitar on his 1969 album cover Elvis in Memphis. Originally intended to play a different guitar, Presley switched to session guitarist Al Casey’s Hagstrom because it better matched the set’s red and black colors. The online auction runs April 9-23, with the guitar displayed at Sotheby’s New York. (Story URL)