It seems unlikely that guitarist J Mascis need introduction to readers of this blog, but just in case: Mascis made his name in the 1980s with a massive, roaring guitar sound that all but obscured his twangy, mumbled, self-effacing vocals in the band Dinosaur Jr., becoming an 80s underground guitar hero for albums like You’re Living All Over Me, Bug, and Green Mind, though he had originally been a drummer. He kept the Dinosaur Jr band name going for several years after the departure of founding bassist Lou Barlow (also of Sebadoh) before retiring it in the late ‘90s, proceeding from there to play guitar on solo/solo-and-friends albums, with a new band called The Fog, with Cobra Verde, and with fellow Boston ‘80s/‘90s survivors The Lemonheads. He drummed with Upsidedown Cross, Witch, and the still-active Sweet Apple, but he will surely always be best known for the enormous guitar sound that inspired countless bands including My Bloody Valentine. Dinosaur Jr. effected their seeming inevitable 21st Century reunion in 2005 and they remain an active concern today, recording and releasing new music that stands up well to their initial burst of inspiration.
Mascis has long been known to prefer offset body guitars made by Fender, particularly Jaguars and Jazzmasters, a preference he shares with My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields—he even has an excellent and bargainously-priced signature model Jazzmaster, made by Fender’s budget subsidiary Squier. But his instrument collection is legendarily massive, and not restricted to just those models. And as it happens, he’s selling off a ton of it to make more room in his studio, and to make room for future acquisitions. This is a straight sale, not an auction, and he’s selling via the Reverb.com online marketplace. In addition to guitars there’s tons of drum gear and effects pedals, some priced quite affordably despite their famous provenance. You can see all the sale items at this link, but we’ve culled a gallery of guitar porn for your perusal here. A lot of this stuff sold rather quickly as soon as it went online, and surely more of it will have sold in the time between the writing and publication of this post, so see Reverb.com for the final word on the availability of these items. Clicking an image will spawn an enlargement.
Martin D-28S, 1968
Fender Jaguar, Burgundy Mist Refinish, 1965
Fender American Professional Jazzmaster, 2016
Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120-SH
Danelectro Baby Sitar
Pre-Gibson Epiphone Acoustic Flat Top FT-210, 1954
Gibson ES125T, 1959
Fender Stratocaster XII 12 String, 2006
Parker Parker Fly Classic Deluxe, 1999
Martin 0-18K Pre-War Parlor, 1929
Gibson Les Paul Pro, 1978
Martin New Yorker O16, 1971, smashed
Previously on Dangerous Minds:
Sweet Apple’s new video, filmed in a haunted train car
Dear Boy: Advice column for ‘Sassy’ teenagers from Dinosaur Jr’s J Mascis