The smashed up body of a 1964 Fender Stratocaster is up for auction at eye-watering prices but if it can’t be played, Who made it so expensive?

That was a terrible joke because the guitar in question is one of Pete Townshend’s many destroyed guitars that faced the wrath of his stage destruction. The pioneer of pummelling guitars into the ground, Townshend’s Stratocaster body comes in 2 parts after he smashed it at The Who’s 1967 concert in Long Island Arena in Commack, New York.

The Who Pete Townshend guitar auction fender stratocaster

The guitar is up for auction through Heritage Auctions who say that other smashed up guitar’s from The Who guitarist have gone for as much as $75k. An intact Fender from 1964 without any celebrity claim will still go for around $14,000 in auctions. The lucky buyer of the Sonic Blue Strat’s remains will also get a handwritten statement from Townshend about the events of that evening and how the guitar came to be smashed.

The Who Pete Townshend guitar auction fender stratocaster

As well as the smashed Stratocaster, one of Townshend’s few surviving guitars is up for auction as well. His 1965 Gibson SG Special is going up for auction on the 23rd April and has suffered surprisingly little damage over the years in the hands of one of music’s most notorious instrument wreckers.

If you feel like you might be able to cough up enough cash to have a chance at owning the broken Stratocaster then you can bid on it now at Heritage Auctions. No bids have been made yet and there’s 9 days left. The opening bid will only cost you $10,000…