George Michael’s original 1940s Gretsch Synchromatic 160 guitar, famously played in the video for his 1987 solo hit “Faith”, is heading to auction with an estimated value of more than £100,000.
The guitar will be offered by UK auction house Sworders on 29 October 2026 as part of Faith & Fame: A Personal George Michael Collection, a sale featuring memorabilia from the late singer’s longtime personal assistant, Siobhan Bailey.
George Michael’s Faith guitar could fetch £100,000
The vintage Gretsch became closely associated with Michael’s transformation from Wham! frontman into a solo artist.
In the “Faith” video, Michael is seen wearing the leather jacket and aviator sunglasses that became central to the era’s visual identity while playing the Gretsch guitar. The 1940s instrument’s vintage appearance contrasted sharply with the polished pop production surrounding his first solo campaign.
The guitar comes with its original hard-shell case, which still features stickers including “Rockabilly rebel”.
Sworders chairman Guy Schooling has described the instrument as the standout item in the collection.
“The Faith guitar is the jewel in the crown.”
Schooling added:
“The sale will offer avid fans around the globe, the chance to own not just pieces of music history, but objects that capture the spirit and ambition of one of pop’s greatest and most-loved artists.”
The Gretsch is expected to sell for at least £100,000.
The guitar was used during George Michael’s Faith era
Several replicas of the guitar were subsequently made for Michael’s Faith tour, helping cement the instrument’s association with the period.
There is, however, an important distinction between the guitar seen in the video and the instrument heard on the “Faith” recording itself.
The guitar featured on the record was reportedly a different instrument, an old metal-bodied acoustic guitar found in the studio by session guitarist Hugh Burns.
Burns used his own Roger Griffin custom Strat-style guitar for the celebrated solo on “Faith”, rather than the Gretsch being auctioned by Sworders.
That distinction makes the auction lot particularly significant as a piece of George Michael’s visual history rather than simply an instrument connected to the recording of his biggest solo hit.
What else is in the George Michael auction?
The Gretsch is part of a wider collection belonging to Bailey, who worked as Michael’s personal assistant for more than 20 years before her death from natural causes in 2014.
Among the other lots are tour itineraries from Wham! and Michael’s solo career, including material relating to Wham!’s historic 1985 trip to China.
Those itineraries are expected to sell for between £300 and £600.
A gold disc marking 500,000 UK sales of Wham!’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” is also being offered, with an estimate of at least £200.
Sworders expects the complete collection to raise more than £200,000.
George Michael’s Faith jacket already sold for £176,400
The auction follows another major sale of memorabilia from the Faith era.
Earlier this year, the leather jacket worn by Michael in the “Faith” video sold for £176,400 at an auction organised by Hertfordshire-based Propstore.
The sunglasses Michael wore during his 1988 Faith Tour are also due to go under the hammer at Propstore. The two-day auction begins on 1 October, with the Ray-Ban sunglasses expected to fetch at least £15,000.
The latest sale therefore gives collectors another opportunity to acquire an item directly associated with one of the defining visual eras of Michael’s career.
When is the George Michael Faith guitar auction?
Sworders’ Faith & Fame: A Personal George Michael Collection auction takes place on 29 October 2026, with the auction scheduled to go live at 2pm BST.
The sale includes the original 1940s Gretsch Synchromatic 160, its hard-shell case and a range of other items documenting Michael’s career.
George Michael’s Faith album, released in October 1987, went on to sell more than 25 million copies worldwide and established him as a major solo star following his years with Wham!.
For collectors, the Gretsch offers a direct connection to the moment Michael reshaped his public image and launched one of the most successful solo careers in British pop.
