When Guitar World asked Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel in an interview last year about his switch to Ernie Ball Music Man guitars, the man with the goes-to-11 Marshall told us, “They’re just really well-made. I can say to the people there, ‘I’m thinking of doing this or that,’ and they say, ‘Yeah, let’s go for it.’”
A good example of that can-do partnership is Tufnel's climate change-themed “World on Fire” guitar, which he used during Spinal Tap's performance at the 2007 Live Earth concert at Wembley Stadium. An Ernie Ball Music Man Silhouette at its core, the guitar is loaded with some truly one-of-one custom flourishes (more on that in a moment), and is now set to go under the hammer via Gardiner Houlgate.
To underline the purpose of the Live Earth concerts – which were held to raise awareness of climate change, and took place simultaneously around the world – the “World on Fire” guitar features a laser-engraved image of a burning planet Earth, and knobs in the shape of pyramids and ice cubes. The fretboard, meanwhile, features a working thermometer.
The cherry on top, though, is the snow globe by the bridge, which features a figurine of former US Vice President Al Gore, a longtime climate change activist.
According to Gardiner Houlgate, the guitar took over 1,200 hours to design and build.
“This is one of those weird and wonderful guitars that is a delight to auction,” said auctioneer Luke Hobbs. “It’s a genuinely unique instrument – and it always raises a smile.”
The “World on Fire” guitar is set to go under the hammer on June 9, and is expected to fetch up to £12,000 [~$16,160].
For more info, visit Gardiner Houlgate.
