Alex Lifeson never considered himself a guitar collector during Rush's career — he was a professional touring and studio musician, after all, so every new guitar was acquired with a purpose in mind.
As the guitars have continued to arrive six years since Rush's retirement, and just a few years since Geddy Lee published his Big Beautiful Book of Bass, Lifeson has had to face the facts — he's a collector.
But Lifeson tells Make Weird Music that he doesn't intend told hold on to the lion's share of his guitars too much longer.
"In fact, what I'd like to do sometime in the near future is to sell my collection," he said. "I would keep a handful of instruments, but I'd love to sell my collection for some charities that I'm involved with.
"I think that would be really a great way for these fabulous instruments that have been so sweet and dear to me to carry on and do something very powerful and positive for the world. So that's something that I've been exploring in fact in the last few days."
Lifeson didn't elaborate on what charities he would like to support with the sell-off or when he would be putting the instruments on the market.
In 2019, Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour sold 120 guitars from his collection to benefit various global environmental charities. The affair raised more than $21 million, and Gilmour's iconic black Fender Stratocaster — which appeared on all of Pink Floyd's classic '70s tours and albums — fetched a record $4 million.
While Lifeson doesn't feel very motivated to go on tour again, he hasn't ruled out a few performances sometime in the future. He's insisted on several occasions that Lee and himself are "eager" to work together on some new music.
"I don't know if Geddy feels quite the same way that I do, I think he'd be up for doing something live in whatever form that is," Lifeson said. "But we haven't really gotten to that point in a conversation."
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