Marty Friedman's 1985 Jackson Kelly San Dimas, which was used on Megadeth's iconic Rust in Peace (1990) and Countdown to Extinction (1992) albums, is currently up for sale. It's also reportedly one of the first 500 guitars Jackson ever built, which probably explains why it could eventually sell for as much as $125,000.
In addition to the two mammoth Megadeth albums, the storied guitar was also Friedman's axe-of-choice for Cacophony's Speed Metal Symphony (1987) and Go Off! (1988), as well as his solo albums Dragon's Kiss (1988) and Scenes (1992).
“I purchased it in Hawaii around 1985 while I was in the band Hawaii,” Friedman states in the certificate of authenticity. “It originally had a black-and-white tiger-striped graphic, along with two humbuckers and 2 tone pots. When I joined Megadeth, it was re-painted black and converted into a single humbucker with one volume pot.
“I did several Hawaii recordings and concerts with it. At one time, it even had a flame thrower on the headstock. This was my #2 touring guitar for most of my Megadeth years. Like Kelly #1 this guitar was featured in many '90s magazines, Jackson catalogs, and advertisements.”
With countless shows under its belt, the guitar shows “all the signs of a well-loved, heavily played instrument” and “scratches, dings, chips, cracks, and faded finishes”.
However, it still promises to deliver a tone that is “pure Marty Friedman, with those mids that cut through any mix”. The guitar is already set up with Friedman-preferred 10-46 strings and is therefore ready to play.
The rare guitar is being sold by Friedman’s longtime manager, who purchased it in a 2011 eBay auction benefiting the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust and the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
According to the certificate of authenticity, the guitar has been kept in climate-controlled storage and maintained by one of the world’s top luthiers since Friedman’s time with Megadeth.
The auction is still open and all offers are being considered. For more information, head to Reverb.
