DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - It's comparable to owning one of Babe Ruth's famous bats, or a typewriter used by Ernest Hemingway on one of his classic novels.
A rare Fender 12-string electric guitar played by Bob Dylan on his masterpiece 1966 album "Blonde on Blonde" will be sold Saturday by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.
Heritage's Garry Shrum called the Dylan guitar a "magic" piece. He said, "We've got a Bob Dylan guitar that was gifted to him by Fender to pose for some photos way back in '66. We even have a letter from the gentleman who actually took it to him from Fender, which is just unbelievable."
The Fender Electric XII is among several guitars Dylan played on the "Blonde on Blonde" sessions.
Shrum said the guitar has all the original parts, and even comes in the original case, which carries the stencil of Dylan's touring company.
Shrum said the guitar has had several owners over the years. He said, "Nobody really knew what it was. Then, the gentleman that last owned it saw the stencil on the guitar and said, 'Wait a minute. This is Bob's guitar? That is so cool.'"
A Fender Stratocaster Dylan played at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 sold for $965,000 in 2013. The guitar up for auction in Dallas likely will be more of a "bargain." Shrum said, "In my mind, I think it should go for $400,000 to $600,000. But, it could go for more, or it could just go for a half-million, which is a lot of money."
The Bob Dylan guitar is the centerpiece of a larger music and memorabilia auction Heritage will conduct on Saturday. Bids will be accepted live, online and by phone. The public is allowed to watch the auction at no charge.