Hendrix's Fender Stratocaster Sunburst, thought to be guitar he famously set fire to at the London Astoria in 1967, is expected to sell for at least £400,000 when it goes under the hammer today, making it the most valuable guitar of all time. Word is that Hendrix also burned the instrument at the 1968 Miami Pop Festival and it was there that one Frank Zappa acquired it. He restored it and used it on his 1976 album ‘Zoot’. More recently Zappa’s son Dweezil rediscovered the guitar, had it restored again, and is now putting it up for auction. "It's a very inspiring guitar because it has such a unique history, one that can never be recreated," Dweezil told the BBC. "When I found it taken apart, in 1991, I told my dad I'd found the Hendrix guitar, and he said I should have it. Now I think it's time it should pass on to a new owner."
Ted Owen, of Cooper Owen Auctioneers, confirms that it is the genuine burning guitar. "All of the Hendrix archivists and all of the books are pointing to the fact that it was originally burnt in '67 at the Astoria and was restored and burnt again in Miami. It's particularly burnt where the electrics were and the plastic scratch-plate area. The neck is completely burnt." Today’s auction at the Cooper Owen Auction Gallery also sees a handwritten poem written by Doors front man Jim Morrison and a Colt 45 Pistol charm from the jacket of Sex Pistol Sid Vicious up for grabs.