Macca's first guitar on auction

Sir Paul McCartney's first childhood guitar is going under the hammer.

The instrument is expected to fetch over £100,000 at auction and comes with a letter from the former Beatles which states: "The above guitar belonging to my old school pal Ian James was the first guitar I ever held.

"It was also the guitar on which I learnt my first chords in his house at 43 Elswich Street, Liverpool 8."

Ian's guitar lessons put McCartney on the path to becoming one -fourth of the Beatles.

In 1967, a 15-year-old McCartney attended a summer fete at St Peter's Church Hall in Woolton, Liverpool, and met a young John Lennon and his band, The Quarrymen.

After playing some songs for them, McCartney convinced Lennon to let him join the band.

The rocker once said: "I showed him a few more chords he didn't know. Ian James had taught me them, really. Then I left. I felt I'd made a good impression, shown them how good I was."

The guitar will go under the hammer at the Cooper Owen's Music Legends auction on July 28, at the legendary London's Abbey Road Studios.

The lot includes the signed letter of authenticity from Sir Paul, a photograph of him playing the guitar in his office earlier this year and another photo taken by him in 1957, which features James with the instrument.

James, 64, is selling the guitar to help fund his retirement.

http://www.itv.com/news/
entertainment_3d3891dcfe5273
c3a4e1b55a5c80a1a9.html