ZapGossip

Green Day sell off used equipment

Green Day are selling off their old equipment.
The ‘American Idiot’ hitmakers – Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt – have teamed up with Reverb to offer fans the chance to own a piece of the band’s history, with 44 guitars used by frontman Billie, including the one he smashed up at the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival – which has been lovingly restored – up for grabs.
Speaking to the online marketplace for new, used, and vintage music gear, Billie, 36, said: "Used guitars, in particular, come with a history to them.
"I love the character you can see looking at a fretboard that’s been used.
"After 30 years of collecting odds and ends and really good stuff, I have to sell some of it off.
"Every guitar has its own character and each one reflects who you are."
Whilst Billie is happy to get rid of some of us older pieces, drummer Tre isn’t so thrilled, so he’s only selling a "wee bit" of the stuff he has hoarded over the years.
He said: "If you hoard the right s**t long enough, they call you a collector.
"So I’m selling off just a wee bit of the collection. I’m not doing it any justice sitting around when someone could be using this stuff."
These include unopened snares and toms and the Pearl Kit he used for the ‘Warning’ group’s ’21st Century Breakdown Tour’ in 2009 and 2010.
The 46-year-old sticksman joked that his therapist was making him get rid of his precious equipment.
He quipped: "I haven’t really sold anything ever – this is the first time. My psychiatrist said I have to do this."
But he will be happy if his stuff goes to a good home.
He added: "In all seriousness, I hope whoever buys this stuff gets some enjoyment out of it.
"I really hope they just don’t sit around and get dusty."
Before joking: "Except for the burned stuff. Don’t even try and fix that – it’s not going to work. It’s just burned."
Bassist and backing vocalist Mike has 20 piece up for grabs, including amps and his Mesa Boogie Basis M-2000 used between 1997 and 2003.
Of all the items, perhaps the most special is the Harmony Stella Parlor acoustic, the first guitar Billie owned,which he played on the track ‘F.O.D.’ on their seminal 1994 LP ‘Dookie’, which turns 25 this year.
The Official Green Day Reverb Shop opens on February 7.