Kean’s GuitarMania Item Sells for $7,000

Avon Lake artist Judy Kean’s GuitarMania 2012 piece, Saltwater Taffy, sold for $7,000 at this month’s auction.

It garnered the highest bid of all GuitarMania 2012 guitars.

“Out of 46 guitars mine was number 44 in auction,” Kean said. “The number two highest guitar that sold was for $6500.”

Kean created the 10-foot tall Fender Stratocaster for this year’s GuitarMania project in a donated Avon Lake storefront in Learwood (Giant Eagle) Plaza. The public was invited to watch the project as it progressed.

Funds generated from GuitarMania support United Way.

The larger-than-life guitars were auctioned at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum gala on Oct. 20.

In addition to the $7,000, the guitar’s sponsor, law firm Baker Hostetler,        contributed a $7,500 sponsorship.

“I was quite surprised because some of the guitars were not going for higher sales,” Kean said.

She told her husband, Les, she would consider buying my guitar if a reasonable amount was not bid.

“Since the guitar was number 44 out of 46, I knew people would be leaving and thought there might not be someone interested in staying till the end to bid. When the sale was over I approached the winner. I congratulated him and told him I would make any necessary repairs after guitar was transported with chipped grout.”

Four individuals actively bid on the item.

“I asked that I be able to photograph on site,” Kean said. “We then went outside on plaza and took photographs together with Saltwater Taffy.”

Kean said she was “thrilled” to have her guitar earn the highest bid.
“I am happy that I was able to help United Way with the top dollar (bid),” she said. “I know the guitar is going in a private home on the west bank. The owner told me he saw the guitar in the spring and planned on buying it when he saw it so he anticipated the purchase and loves it.”

The item is the second guitar Kean created for GuitarMania. In 2007, she created another 10-foot guitar, The Glass Parrot, that was similarly auctioned off.