Two years after the passing of Dusty Hill, the bassist from ZZ Top, Julien’s Auctions, has unveiled “The Collection of Dusty Hill of ZZ Top.” This collection includes almost 1,200 lots of his personal belongings and will be available for bidding over three days from December 7th to 9th.
Among the items for sale are unique musical instruments, custom Western-style clothing, equipment, creative documents, souvenirs, and more. According to the auction house, the standout item is the fur-covered bass guitar famously featured in the “Legs” music video. It is expected to fetch an estimated $80,000 to $120,000.
The 1983 Dean Explorer-style bass, finished in sheepskin with the ZZ Top logo on the fretboard, was famously attached to a rig worn around Hill’s waist for spinning effects. Dean Zelinsky of Dean Guitars, who designed these instruments, recounted that he received a late-night call from Billy Gibbons while ZZ Top was touring in the UK. During their conversation, Billy asked Zelinsky to outfit some guitars with sheepskins he had bought in Scotland.
The sheepskins were delivered weeks later, and Zelinsky created a matching pair of Dean Z guitars and bass, painting them white, including the fingerboards adorned with the Eliminator album logo. Zelinsky remembered hastily applying the fur to the tuning keys as the FedEx driver arrived to pick up the guitars. They had to be rushed to the video shoot the next day.
In addition to the fur bass, Hill’s 1953 Fender Precision bass will be available for bidding, along with items such as an MTV Moonman award, a bald eagle jacket by Manuel, a black leather motorcycle jacket, and more. Part of the proceeds from the auction will go to MusiCares, an organization that supports musicians and music industry professionals through preventive, emergency, and recovery programs.
To explore the complete collection, you can visit Julien’s Auctions.
