'He played the inspired solo with a broken arm... like all great artists, he truly suffered for his art': Ian Bairnson's Les Paul Custom Wuthering Heights exceeds expectations as it sells at auction

The Les Paul Custom responsible for the solo on Kate Bush The Wuthering Heights sold at auction for £21,500 (about $27,500).

This figure far exceeds the estimated £10,000 that could be raised at the Gardiner Houlgate auction in the UK. Before fees, the winning bid was £17,000 (approximately $21,824).

The 1974 Les Paul Custom was played by Ian Bairnson, who had a broken arm when he followed the chart-topping hit.

Bairnson died in 2023, aged 69, and Kate Bush took to his website to remember his talents.

She said: “We lost contact after working together on my first albums, but I remember him having a lovely warm smile and playing the inspired solo on The Wuthering Heights with a broken arm. He still wore the cast! He was in a lot of pain but he held on and like all great artists, he really suffered for his art.

Auctioneer Luke Hobbs said the price “was completely deserved”, despite the fact that modifications to the guitar had impacted its value.

“The guitar itself – in its original condition – is probably worth £5,000,” says Hobbs. “With the modifications he made, probably more like £3,000 to £4,000. This guitar has done some serious work over the years.

The guitar sports a cherry sunburst finished maple veneer over a crepe mahogany body and ebony fingerboard. There is buckle rash on the back, with “other dings and marks” noted by the auctioneer.

According to Gardiner Holgate, Bairnson’s modifications include replacement Tom Holmes Vintage Style humbucker pickups with aftermarket coil switches.

However, its appeal at auction exceeded expectations.

“I was pretty blown away by the response to the sale of his collection (which includes 12 of his guitars),” Hobbs said. Antiques Trade Gazette. “In this same auction, we are offering the collection of former Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden, as well as guitars owned by Eric Clapton, Gary Moore, Peter Green and many others.

“The response to Ian Bairnson’s collection has so far exceeded the interest in some of these gigantic names in the guitar world. I think that says it all!”

It is normal for the guitar to exceed expectations at auction when the song it was used to record itself exceeded initial expectations.

Released in 1978 as a tribute to Emily Brontë’s classic gothic novel, it became the first British number one written and performed by a female artist. It topped the charts in a total of six countries, including Italy and Australia.

Ian Bairnson's Les Paul Custom, sitting in his case

(Image credit: Gardiner Houlgate)

Bairnson purchased the guitar in 1974 and it quickly became his favorite six-string. It featured throughout his work with his band, Pilot, as well as in the Alan Parsons Project and Kate Bush’s first four studio albums.

The guitar comes with its original hardshell case, featuring a stenciled ‘Pilot’ logo.

For more information on the guitar, visit Gardiner Houlgate.