The bass guitar is an instrument not just of heart-pounding rhythm and soul-shaking depth, but - in the right hands - a thing of beauty and style, too.
And U2 fans now have the chance to see, up close, just how beautiful and stylish some of Adam Clayton's personal guitars really are - in a three-week exhibition which starts today in Ireland's Museum of Style Icons. (Where else?)
It's the largest ever curated collection of his personal basses, 18 in all, which range from the 2014 Sherwood Green Fender Signature Jazz he played on the I+E tour, to the 200 Lakland Joe Osborn J sunburst which graced 'One' on the Vertigo Tour.
You can see first-hand the shimmer of his 2010 Gold Sparkle Fender Adam Clayton Precision bass, as well as the iconic shaping of the Warwick Gold Reverso basses which lent swagger to the U2: 360 tour. Plus (among others) his prized 60s and 70s Fender Jazz numbers in sunburst, ice blue metallic and Lake Placid blue.
The exhibition runs until November 9, after which the collection heads to Nashville for auction, along with a few other pieces of Adam's personal memorabilia.
All of which forms part of a much-anticipated wider auction of music memorabilia by Julien's Auctions, called "Played, Worn and Torn", at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville's historic Municipal Auditorium (on November 20-21). You can join in online here at juliensauctions.com.
Adam says: "I'm fortunate enough to have owned many wonderful instruments in my life and I have amassed a very personal collection of basses over the last 40 years. They have all become favourites for one reason or another, a reminder of a particular tour or recording session. I return to them time and time again, and it's a very special relationship. I can't really explain it…
"My only regret is that I don't get to play them all as often as I would like. A musical instrument needs time and attention. I'll be sad to see these basses go but this is an opportunity to give each and every one of them a new home in the care of a new owner. Then maybe they can become someone else's favourite, too."
Handle with care.
Exhibition Details:
When: October 20 – November 9, 2025 Where: The Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge Silverware Visitor Centre, Athgarvan Rd, Kilbelin, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland Opening Times: Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday and holidays 10am-5pm Information: Available here
(Pictured with Adam are Martin Nolan, Executive Director/Co-Founder of Julien's Auctions and, joining them in the group shot, William Doyle CEO Newbridge Silverware & Museum of Style Icons.)
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