Bob Dylan’s ‘going electric’ guitar for sale

NEW YORK – The sunburst Fender Stratocaster that a young Bob Dylan played at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival when he famously went electric, perhaps the most historic instrument in rock ’n’ roll, is coming up for auction, where it could bring as much as half a million dollars.

Though now viewed as changing American music forever, Dylan’s three-song electric set at the Rhode Island festival that marked his move from acoustic folk to electric rock ’n’ roll was met by boos from folk purists in the crowd who viewed him as a traitor.

Now the guitar is being offered for sale Dec. 6, Christie’s said. Five lots of hand- and typewritten lyric fragments found inside the guitar case – early versions of some of Dylan’s legendary songs – also are being sold.

The guitar has been in the possession of a New Jersey family for nearly 50 years. Dylan left it on a private plane piloted by the owner’s late father, Vic Quinto, who worked for Dylan’s manager.