Elvis Presley’s Guitar From Last Concert In Phoenix Museum
I think many around the world know the images from the final Elvis concert. Some memories are engraved for a lifetime. Center stage at The Market Square Arena, in Indianapolis on June 26th 1977 the King took his last bows before his fans.
Now the famed guitar from that last concert will be on display. The 1975 “Martin D-28″ acoustic guitar will be part of a new exhibit at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix Arizona. There will be a special showcase for the musical legend that rocked the world.
Presley’s Martin D28 guitar is just one part of a much larger Elvis Presley exhibit at MIM, scheduled to open in the gallery on August 6. The exhibit is permanent and will constantly have new items over the years. The museum’s working with Elvis Presley Enterprises on the exhibit, which will cover the three phases of Presley’s career: his ’50s rock period through his Army years, his ’60s movie years, and the ’70s Las Vegas comeback-era. In addition to hosting items from Presley’s career, MIM has also been contracted to restore the Martin D28.
The guitar, di Perna explained, was found in an upstairs closet at Graceland in 1982. Irene Peters of MIM will restore the guitar, including fixing cracks near the top and bottom of the body, a crack by the strap pin, and removing excess glue from a pick guard that was re-glued sloppily. She’ll also restore the finish worn off the guitar surface, where it looks like Presley’s guitar strap slipped and scraped the finish. Peters estimates restorations — including documentations — could take about ten hours total.
