LONDON: The first guitar torched on stage by rock legend Jimi Hendrix in 1967 was sold for $498,000 at a rock memorabilia auction in London on September 4.

The US guitarist, singer and songwriter, who died in 1970 at the age of 27,

set alight the Fender Stratocaster at the end of his show at the Astoria in Finsbury Park, north London, in March 1967.

Roadies put out the flames while Hendrix was being treated for minor burns, and his press officer Tony Garland stored it in his parents’ garage in southern Britain.

Hendrix later became famous for burning his guitars on stage but this instrument remained undiscovered until last year when it was unearthed by Garland’s nephew.

After tense bidding at the Fame Bureau’s ‘It’s More Than Rock And Roll’ auction at the Idea Generation Gallery in east London, the 1965 guitar was snapped up over the estimated price of 250,000 pounds.

It still bears the scorch marks of Hendrix’s performance.