Matt Bellamy just bought Jeff Buckley’s guitar

From the NME.

Muse frontman Matt Bellamy has revealed that he’s bought a guitar owned by Jeff Buckley and that he plans to use it on Muse’s next album.

In an upcoming interview with Guitar World, Bellamy revealed that he bought the 1993 blonde USA Fender Telecaster which Buckley used to record his acclaimed album, ‘Grace’. Buckley recorded famed song ‘Hallelujah’ using the guitar.

Speaking to Guitar World, Bellamy said: “I’ve gotta say, I just bought Jeff Buckley’s guitar that he used to record the ‘Grace’ album.

“I had a whole team of people doing due diligence on it to make sure it was absolutely the right one, interviewing his family and all sorts. I managed to get it verified, and I’ve got his Telecaster that he recorded the whole Grace album with, and the song ‘Hallelujah’.”

He continued: “I haven’t bought it to hang it on the wall with a picture of Jeff saying, ‘Look what I’ve got.’ I’ve bought it to actually attempt to use it and integrate it, and keep this guitar part of music. I’d like to believe that’s what he would have wanted.”

Speaking about the sound of the guitar, Bellamy added: “It sounds so weird – it doesn’t sound like any other Telecaster. I’ve had all the electronics analysed – nobody’s changed anything – but the pickups, they think the neck pickup was a mistake by the manufacturer because for some reason it’s slightly out-of-phase, and there’s also something weird about the wiring.

(Image credit: Jolyon Holroyd/Manson Guitar Works Ltd)

“To cut a long story short, it’s got an extremely glassy, bright sound, and it doesn’t really sound like any other guitar I’ve used before.”

Bellamy says that he discovered the guitar originally belonged to Buckley’s best friend at the time, Janine Nichols, who he lived with for a time New York. Nichols lent the Telecaster to him after his apartment was robbed.

He continued: “It was actually her guitar – Jeff didn’t have a really good guitar at the time and when he started touring, she lent this Telecaster to him.

“She wrote a long letter with the guitar, saying she really wanted it to go to someone who’s actually going to play it, not just put it on the wall,” Bellamy continued. “So that’s what I’m doing – I’m trying to adhere to the letter she wrote to make sure it gets some play.”

Bellamy also revealed that he’s already recorded with the guitar and intends to use it on the next Muse album. “I’ve already used it, actually. It’s on a cover song that we’re doing with the Jaded Hearts Club. But I’m hoping to use that a little bit here and there on the next Muse album as well.

Speaking to NME, Bellamy revealed that he was planning to release more solo songs this year.

He said: “I can imagine myself putting out more songs this year. I don’t have any plans to get a record deal or do an album. I don’t have any plans to really heavily market anything. It’s just me tinkering about on my own at home.”

In the same interview, Bellamy also revealed that Muse may return to their roots in Devon to record their next album. The band are originally from Teignmouth in Devon.