Ian Bairnson's 1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom with cherry sunburst finish and other equipment, estimated £5000-10,000 at Gardiner Houlgate.
Carrying an estimate of £5000-10,000 at the auction on June 11, the guitar featured in the solo of Wuthering Heights.
Scottish guitarist Ian Bairnson (1953-2023) is said to have played the solo for the song in a plaster cast after breaking his arm. He also said in a later interview that for years he disliked the tone used in the song for “guitarist reasons”.
Despite these challenges, the song struck a chord with the UK public, peaking at number one in the charts for four weeks and making Bush the first British female artist to top the charts with an entirely self-written song.
Wuthering Heights was based on Emily Brontë’s novel of the same name and written by Bush when she was just 18 years old. The 1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom with cherry sunburst finish appearing at Gardiner Houlgate in Wiltshire is heard at the end of the track.
“I have been quite blown away by the response to the sale of his collection,” Luke Hobbs, the auctioneer of the sale told ATG. “In this same auction we are offering the ex-Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden’s collection as well as guitars owned by Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Peter Green and many more.
“The reaction to Ian Bairnson’s collection has so far surpassed interest to some of these mammoth names in the guitar world. I think that says it all!”
Clapton’s guitar used in Wonderful Tonight also goes to auction the day after at Bonhams.
Bairnson went on to become the guitarist for four of Kate Bush’s albums before playing in the rock band Pilot. Individually, he played with Bucks Fizz, Mick Fleetwood and Neil Diamond and live with Eric Clapton and Sting.
He died last year aged 70 and the guitar is one of 30 lots being auctioned by his family along with 11 other guitars, amps and other equipment belonging to the late musician.
