John McVie’s “Rumours” Alembic Bass Sells for $100,000

Back in October, we announced that many of Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie’s personal instruments were going to auction. The results of the sale are in, and McVie’s basses were some of the top-selling items of the event.

Many readers were drooling over his 1976 Alembic bass that was used to record the smash hit album Rumours, including the iconic breakdown on “The Chain.” The instrument, which features a stainless steel fretless fingerboard, had been estimated to sell for $40,000 to $60,000 but ultimately pulled in $100,000 at the auction.

Another 1976 Alembic that was one of the first ever to have a graphite neck sold for $28,800. Other highlights include a 1960 Fender Precision that took in $25,600, a 1953 Gibson EB1 that sold for $10,240, and a 1962 Fender VI that was gifted to McVie by Peter Green, which sold for $22,400.

A portion of the full auction, entitled “Fleetwood Mac: Property From The Lives And Careers Of Christine McVie, John McVie, And Mick Fleetwood,” was given to MusicCares, which is a non-profit that provides health, financial, and rehabilitation resources to music industry people.

While $100,000 is a lot of money for a bass guitar, it doesn’t come close to the record. Paul McCartney’s “Wings” played Yamaha BB-1200 sold for $496,100 last December, beating the previous record of Bill Wyman’s 1969 Fender Mustang, which sold for $384,000 in 2020.