Led Zeppelin bassist and multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones is offering fans and musicians an unusual opportunity to own parts of his personal studio collection, with a major auction of gear running through mid-January 2026. Rather than memorabilia signed for display, this sale focuses on equipment Jones has used personally while writing, recording and performing throughout his long career — instruments and electronics he no longer needs but feels should “end up in the hands of people who will put it to good use.”
The auction is being handled by Soundgas, a UK company that specializes in vintage and exotic musical instruments and recording equipment, and features dozens of lots sourced directly from Jones’s private studio. According to the sale listing, the items do not have formal provenance linking them to Led Zeppelin’s heyday; they are instead tools Jones acquired and used independently over the years as part of his ongoing creative work.
Many of the pieces up for bid are classic studio staples: AKAI digital samplers, rack-mounted processors, digital delays, effects units and vintage speakers. Also included are rare and collectible pieces such as a Simmons SDS V electronic drum kit and classic Yamaha NS-10M speakers, both well-regarded in professional studio setups. A Guild Thunderbass amplifier once used by Jones with his later band Them Crooked Vultures is among the more intriguing lots; it was reportedly left at Dave Grohl’s house after being loaned out and returned with blown speakers. Even in its damaged state, that amp is expected to fetch a strong bid.
Unlike many auctions of rock history items, which focus on artifacts and stage-used memorabilia, this sale is about the craft of making music — the tools that helped Jones compose, arrange and record in his own creative spaces. Jones has never officially retired and continues to write, record and perform, but the sale reflects his intention to downsize his studio and allow younger musicians or collectors to put the equipment to work.
The auction kicked off with its first timed lots in December 2025 and is set to run through January 18, 2026, with more items regularly added to the catalog. Soundgas encourages interested bidders to check the auction site frequently, as new lots will appear over the coming weeks.
For fans of Zeppelin and gear enthusiasts alike, this auction represents a rare chance to own — and possibly use — the very tools of a musician whose fingerprints helped shape some of rock’s most enduring sounds.
