Smashed Taylor Swift guitar in viral video sells for over $6,000

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

A SIGNED TAYLOR SWIFT GUITAR SELLING AT AUCTION FOR OVER SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS MAY NOT SOUND FAR-FETCHED IF YOU’RE A SWIFTIE.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR GUITAR IS UNIQUE – ONE THAT COMES WITH A STORY TO TELL AND THE QUESTION IF IT TRULY IS A TAYLOR’S VERSION GUITAR.

THE GUITAR BECAME FAMOUS A FEW WEEKS AGO AFTER A TEXAS MAN NAMED GARY ESTES BID FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS TO WIN IT DURING A CHARITY FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR THE NONPROFIT ELLIS COUNTY WILDGAME DINNER ON SEPTEMBER 28TH.

IN A NOW VIRAL VIDEO – IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING DECLARED THE NEW OWNER OF THE GUITAR –ESTES SMASHED IT WITH A HAMMER.

THE CLIP HAS BEEN VIEWED OVER 23 MILLION TIMES.

ALTHOUGH REPORTS SUGGESTED ESTES ACTED OUT DUE TO SWIFT’S ENDORSEMENT OF VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, HE WOULD LATER TELL TMZ HE DID NOT MEAN ANY MALICE BY IT AND WAS HANDED THE HAMMER WHEN HE WALKED UP TO RECEIVE THE GUITAR AT THE EVENT.

AFTER THE VIDEO WENT VIRAL, ESTES RETURNED THE GUITAR TO THE NONPROFIT – TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR KIDS TO PARTICIPATE IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

THE NONPROFIT PUT THE GUITAR ON EBAY – SAYING IT WAS THE “TAYLOR SWIFT SIGNED ACOUSTIC GUITAR” AS SEEN SMASHED IN THE VIRAL VIDEO.

BUT QUESTIONS BEGAN TO SURFACE OF THE GUITAR’S TRUE ORIGINS AND IF IT HAD BEEN SIGNED BY TAYLOR SWIFT AFTER ALL.

A SOURCE CLOSE TO SWIFT’S MERCHANDISE COMPANY CONFIRMED TO VARIETY THE INSTRUMENT WAS NOT A CERTIFIED OFFICIAL GUITAR USED BY THE SINGER.

VARIETY REPORTED THE GUITAR CAME WITH A SIGNED CD INSERT – BUT THE GUITAR ITSELF WAS NOT SIGNED.

ESTES TOLD TMZ THAT, IN FACT, THE GUITAR WAS NOT SIGNED BY SWIFT, BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER ITEM ATTACHED TO THE GUITAR WITH THE MUSIC SUPERSTAR’S SIGNATURE.

HE SAID IT ALSO CAME WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY. HOWEVER– TMZ POINTS OUT THERE IS NO SEAL ON THE CERTIFICATE WHICH IS TYPICALLY FOUND ON THESE TYPES OF DOCUMENTS.

ACCORDING TO THE EBAY LISTING THE SIGNATURE WAS MADE ON AN ALBUM COVER, CUT INTO THE SHAPE OF A PICK GUARD AND THEN ADDED TO THE GUITAR.

DESPITE THE CONTROVERSIES AND QUESTIONS, THE GUITAR SOLD FOR SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS ON EBAY TUESDAY WITH THE MONEY GOING TO CHARITY.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.

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