Missing guitar signed for charity by Jimmy Page, Brian May & Gary Moore found 10 years on
A lost Fender Stratocaster guitar signed for charity by a plethora of rock heroes has been found more than 10 years later.
In 2007, music promoter David Allen from Market Harborough in Leicestershire personally contacted a series of musicians to sign the electric guitar so he could auction it for the Rainbows Children’s Hospice, which provides care and support to life-limited children and their families.
Allen successfully had the guitar signed by icons including Jimmy Page, Bill Wyman, Brian May and the late Gary Moore and was hoping to raise £20,000 for the charity.
“During 2007 while operating music promoters Mad Hatter Concerts, I launched the Legends Signed Guitar Project to raise funds for Rainbows hospice, which supports youngsters with life-limiting conditions across the East Midlands,” Allen explains.
“We aimed high, as we wanted to raise essential funds for this very worthwhile charity, but also the profile of Rainbows as a whole.”
However, soon after it was signed by Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, the guitar went missing while in transit with a national carrier and it was never returned to Allen. A subsequent extensive investigation by the delivery company couldn’t locate the guitar.
Long presumed gone for good, earlier this month Allen received a call from Leicestershire Police to say the guitar had been found. The instrument was spotted for sale on an online auction site by a member of the public who notified authorities.
“I can’t believe we finally have the guitar back, after all these years. We never expected to see it again,” says Allen.
“A huge debt of gratitude goes out to those who notified us of the guitar’s whereabouts and to the police who acted so swiftly to ensure its safe return. They’ve been fantastic.
“I am delighted to have it back and in some ways my faith (in humanity) has been restored.”
Allen is now hoping to secure some more signatures on the guitar and he will then take it to an auction house that specialises in rock memorabilia to raise money for Rainbows.
“Until then I’m not going to let the guitar out of my hands - and will take it personally wherever it needs to be!”, jokes Allen.
A statement from Leicestershire Police about the discovery of the guitar says that ‘after some initial research they visited an address in the Market Harborough area and recovered the guitar. Enquiries were carried out by local officers and it was clear the person had innocently come into possession of the item a number of years ago. There are no further lines of enquiry.’
Sergeant John Weston, from the Eastern Counties Neighbourhood Policing Area, said: “We are pleased to have played a role in ensuring the safe recovery of the guitar and we now hope that it can go on to raise money for Rainbows hospice as was its original intention.”
Spokesman for Rainbows, Nish Saujani, said: “It is an incredible story… and we are so grateful to David and the guitar icons who have kindly signed the guitar. The cash from its sale will help support youngsters and families across the East Midlands when they need it most.”