The Edge auctions his favourite guitar

The world of celebrity auctions is a pretty personal realm, where the likes of William Shatner auctions off a kidney stone for charity and no one bats an eyelid.

So embarrassing ´80s hats off, then, to U2´s The Edge , who is going way beyond the call of duty by auctioning off his most famous and beloved guitar for the Music Rising charity, which the guitarist co-founded to replace instruments lost during Hurricane Katrina.

The 1975 Les Paul Custom in question has featured on many U2 albums and is one of his favourite touring guitars, and when he told the Associated Press why he was doing it, the twinge of pain in his voice was almost palpable: “I wanted to give something really significant that would really mean a lot for me to give. It deserved something that I would miss.”

The Edge's 1975 Les Paul, which is being auctioned for charity by Julien's Auctions, on 12 April at the Hard Rock Café, New York

Fair play to the man… But it makes you wonder: what is the Holy Grail of guitar-playing memorabilia? Michael Schenker´s hair clippers? Yngwie Malmsteen´s disused laser-eyed rubber dragon stage props (which would look great in the office, come to think of it…)

Let us know your suggestions…