57 - ROGER HODGSON – SUPERTRAMP

ROGER HODGSON – SUPERTRAMP Roger Hodgson’s Guild F-412 12-string – from the *Breakfast in America* era Used by Roger Hodgson during Supertramp’s golden age, then given to Alan Simon in 2000 This Guild F-412 twelve-string belonged to Roger Hodgson, co-founder of Supertramp and songwriter of many of the band’s greatest hits, during the period that saw the release of *Even in the Quietest Moments…*, *Breakfast in America*, and *…Famous Last Words…*. Manufactured in the United States in 1976, it bears the serial number 131411. According to Alan Simon, the instrument belonged to Hodgson as early as the second half of the 1970s and remained with him until 2000, when it was given to him following the *Open the Door* sessions. The F-412 holds a special place among Hodgson’s instruments. In an interview with Acoustik magazine, he referred to his “old Guild F-412” as his primary 12-string and described it as an “extension of myself” when he composes. He also mentions using a Guild 12-string on stage during his time with Supertramp. The interview and its cover are included in the documentary file accompanying the lot. On November 15, 1976, at Caribou Ranch in Colorado, Hodgson recorded the basic take of “Give a Little Bit” using a Guild 12-string. To achieve the desired resonance, the instrument was placed in the studio’s freight elevator, lowered between two floors, and recorded using a Neumann U87 microphone. The guitar shown here came out of the Guild workshops that same year. Guild 12-string guitars remained central to his work during the *Breakfast in America* sessions. Peter Henderson, the album’s co-producer and sound engineer, describes in particular the recording of “The Logical Song” using two layered Guild twelve-string acoustics, combined with two Gibson Les Pauls to build the texture of the choruses. The known archives do not currently allow us to distinguish the different instruments used by Hodgson throughout these sessions; nevertheless, this F-412 dates precisely to the period when the twelve-string became one of the hallmarks of his songwriting. On stage, this combination accompanied Supertramp’s international heyday. The 1979 world tour took the band to Madison Square Garden in New York, followed by the concerts filmed and recorded in Paris that would give rise to *Paris*, and later to *Live in Paris ’79*. The setlist featured some of Hodgson’s most iconic songs: “Give a Little Bit,” “The Logical Song,” “Breakfast in America,” and “Take the Long Way Home.” The twelve-string guitar had by then become as much a part of his musical vocabulary as it was of his stage persona. In 1998, Roger Hodgson met French composer and producer Alan Simon to work on the Excalibur project. Their collaboration continued with *Open the Door*, Hodgson’s first studio album in thirteen years. Reflecting on this period in 2000, Hodgson described four months of work that sometimes lasted up to fifteen hours a day and summed up their relationship in a few words: “We became real friends! ” From 2000 to 2026, this Guild guitar, in turn, accompanied Alan Simon’s work, both in the studio and on stage. According to Simon, it features notably on *Gaïa*, in the *Excalibur* cycle, and on *The Brotherhat*, across tracks featuring Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues), Jon Anderson (Yes), Alan Parsons, Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), John Wetton (King Crimson), and Fairport Convention. Simon highlights the depth and instantly recognizable tone of this instrument, which he continued to play for over twenty-five years. Originally played by Roger Hodgson during Supertramp’s golden age, passed directly to Alan Simon, and then played for more than two decades, this F-412 has never ceased to be a working and stage instrument. Guild F-412, twelve-string acoustic guitar, United States, 1976. Serial No. 131411. Spruce top, maple back and sides, maple and walnut neck, ebony fingerboard, gold-plated tuners. Unamplified acoustic instrument. Shows signs of use and age. Instrument recently inspected and serviced by Vincent Jannot, a luthier in Baden. Comes with its original case and a collection of photographs, press clippings, and audiovisual archives related to Roger Hodgson, Alan Simon, and the history of the instrument. Alan Simon wishes to donate a portion of the proceeds from this sale toward the construction of an earthquake-resistant school in Nepal. This project continues his commitment to the country, to which he had dedicated a benefit concert held on May 24, 2015, at the Cité des Congrès in Nantes. Additional information: Alan Simon wishes to donate a portion of the proceeds from