Remember the days spent interrupting neighborhood dinners and your sister’s HSC study to practice playing American Idiot in its entirety? Now, you’re sure to be one step closer to basking in the glory of Green Day’s anthemic punk goodness by owning the gear used to record some of their most iconic tracks.
Billie Joe Armstrong has teamed up with the good people at reverb.com to sell off pieces of Green Day gear that just might be taking up too much space in his, what we imagine to be a pretty sprawling mansion fit with multiple eyeliner production rooms and dens that breed musical genius.
Having constantly toured and collected gear for over 30 years now, the legendary frontman has picked up his fair share of epic guitars along the way, as he explains, “When Green Day was on tour, I was always looking for Les Paul Juniors at local guitar shops, and I started to accumulate a collection. At one point, we’d walk in, open the door, and the guy behind the counter would say ‘Les Paul Junior, right?’ And I’d say yes, sir.”
The sale will include the luscious white Les Paul used on the American Idiot tour, the amp dubbed ‘Little Vicky’ used to record the intro of ‘American Idiot’, as well as other pieces used to record throughout the band’s rich history. Unfortunately, Armstrong’s most recognisable guitar, ‘Blue’ isn’t up for grabs so you’ll have to stick with your Squire (not quite Fender…) Strat you copped for your 14th birthday and covered with stickers. Hey, you managed to win over your high school crush with that moving rendition of ‘When I Come Around’ with it, it’ll still do.
“I just ended up with too many guitars, so we’ve got to sell some things.” Billie is a damn generous man.
Here’s what the sale will include:
More than twenty pieces of new and vintage pro audio gear from JingleTown Recording in Oakland, which, according to Armstrong, the last few Green Day albums were recorded on.
A 1970s Martin D41 guitar used on “21 Guns” and other songs on 21st Century Breakdown.
Two Silvertone amps used on Uno… Dos… Tré!
A Burns Brian May guitar that the band picked up during the American Idiot tour to play on their “We are the Champions” encore.
Several Gretsch guitars, including a black Brian Setzer Hot Rod model used on the American Idiot tour.
A Trident Console used on Uno… Dos… Tré! and Revolution Radio.
Listen to Billie discuss the gear in the video below:
