The Greatest Auction viewers admitted to shock as a man tried to auction off an amp used by Jimi Hendrix for an “idiotic” amount of money on the Channel 4 show.
The host of the show, AJ Odudu, met with auction regular Keith who was selling an amp used by Jimi Hendrix. He said it was owned by Mick Brooks of The Californians, who went on tour with Jimi Hendrix. Keith said there was “at least one session documented” of Jimi using the amp. He also believed it was used more times during his tour.
The seller wanted no less than £10,000 for the amp
Jimi Hendrix, who shot to fame in the 1960s, remains one of the most famous musicians of all time. Amps were famously used by Jimi to elevate his music. The seller Keith said the amp was special because of the “stories” associated with it.
When AJ asked what Keith hoped to get for the amp, he told her: “We want to get £25,000. At the end of the day, papa needs a new pair of shoes, shoes don’t cost £25,000. But, if we get £10,000 I think we’ll live with that.”
The Greatest Auction introduced superfan Charlie, who hoped to bid on the amp. But he admitted he didn’t want to pay “too much”. He said it was an “amazing piece of history” and “the incredible power of Hendrix has gone through that amp”.
But other collectors and bidders were interested. When the amp ultimately went to auction, it began at £800 and quickly rose to £4,000. But Keith ultimately decided to not sell for £4,000 as it didn’t reach his reserve and he felt the amp was worth more.
The Greatest Auction: Channel 4 viewers shocked by the ‘idiotic’ reserve price
Many Channel 4 viewers were shocked by the huge highest bid on the amp, and the fact that the seller wanted even more for it! One viewer wrote: “It’s just junk. Idiots with too much money wanting an old amp allegedly once used by Jimi Hendrix.” Another person added: “Watching The Greatest Auction on Channel 4. Supposedly a Vox amp played ONCE by Hendrix – not great authenticity in my view. It didn’t reach the reserve of £10,000 – of course it didn’t!”
A third person joked: “Probably a reason why Hendrix only used it once….has anyone tried turning it on yet?” Another viewer said: “Why are people so obsessed with celebrity ‘provenance’? If those weren’t Hendrix’s amps they’d be £30 at a boot fair.”
#TheGreatestAuction couldn’t even get 10k on your show but listing at 40k 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/MjXqw1ggk6
— feta boba (@fetaboba) June 20, 2023
Another Twitter user discovered Keith was selling the amp on eBay. They wrote: “Couldn’t even get 10k on your show but listing at 40k!!!”
So, if you fancy getting yourself a Jimi Hendrix amp – you’ll just need £40,000 to spare.
The Greatest Auction continues on Tuesday, June 27 at 8pm on Channel 4. Episodes are also available on Channel 4 catch-up.
Did you watch the episode? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.