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Lot #737
Bob Seger: Alto Reed's Mitchell Custom Case Guitar Vault - Used for Seger's 'Roll Me Away: The Final Tour' (2018-19)

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Estimate: $1000+
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Description

Tour-used Mitchell Custom Case guitar vault from the personal collection of Alto Reed, the longtime saxophonist for Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band, whose work on classic songs like ‘Turn the Page’ and ‘Old Time Rock & Roll’ helped define the sound of American heartland rock. This rolling guitar vault, 60˝ x 62.5˝ x 24˝, designed to house and transport eight guitars or bass guitars, was used by Reed throughout Seger’s last-ever large-scale concert series, the 2018-2019 Roll Me Away Tour (originally called the Travelin' Man Tour when first announced), which began at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on November 21, 2018, and concluded at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 1, 2019.

The front door features the logo for Bob Seger and Silver Bullet Band, as well as affixed sheets and labels marked “NO Beverages,” “Maplewood,” “Stage Left - Alto Horns, Guitars,” “The Golden Bar of Troy,” and “Row 3,” the latter of which is also on the right side; both sides of the vault bear labels marked “Offstage.” The interior includes its original straps and bungee cords. In fine, used condition.

Alto Reed became a defining part of Bob Seger’s sound when he joined the band as saxophonist on the 1973 album Back in ’72. What followed was a 42-year run touring with the Silver Bullet Band, where Reed’s saxophone grew into a second voice within the music. His playing wasn’t ornamental; it carried emotion and meaning, most famously on 'Turn the Page,' where his restrained, mournful tone captured a sense of loneliness and resilience. That sound helped shape an era of American rock, quietly bridging Seger’s storytelling lyrics with melodic depth. Beyond his long partnership with Seger, Reed performed with a wide range of artists across rock and blues, including Foghat, Grand Funk Railroad, Little Feat, Otis Rush, George Thorogood, Robin Gibb, and many others.

Following Reed’s death in 2020, Seger said the following about his late friend: ‘I loved him like a brother. I may have been the leader, but he was our rock star. He was the audience favorite, hands down. He was bold and worldly. I learned so much from the guy. And he was a great ambassador to the fans. He took time for everybody, any picture, anywhere. I can’t say enough good things about him.’


From the collection of Alto Reed, accompanied by a letter of provenance from Victoria Reed.

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