MUSIC lovers are being invited to live out their rock fantasies when a collection of top-of-the-range electric guitars go under the gavel, including some made by the late Stanley Doubtfire from Royal Wootton Bassett who died earlier this year.

Two lutes, each with an estimate of £500 to £800, and four violins, each with a £100 to £150 estimate, are among the instruments handmade by Mr Doubtfire to be included in the lot which will be auctioned by Moore Allen & Innocent on Friday, September 23.

The 94-year-old, who died in March, is famed for writing Make Your Own Classical Guitar back in 1983 and was a gifted artist and musician. He moved from London to Royal Wootton Bassett to retire.

Mr Doubtfire went to art school and served as an apprentice banknote engraver with Thomas De La Rue & Company at a time when he was playing violin in an orchestra and learning to play the piano.

Later he became a navigator after being called up in 1941 and during his training in Scarborough his musical skills on the ukelele were much appreciated among his colleagues in the Royal Air Force.

The auctioneers, will also be offering a Gibson Les Paul in black which is expected to achieve between £2,000 and £3,000.

The guitar was produced in 1991 to mark the 40th anniversary of Gibson’s legendary Les Paul model, favoured by George Harrison, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton and Pete Townsend.

Meanwhile, a distinctive angular Gibson Explorer in sunburst effect, favoured by the likes of Def Leppard’s Pete Willis, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, and James Hetfield of Metallica is expected to achieve £1,000 to £1,500.

A flame red Gibson Herb Ellis semiacoustic guitar, named in honour of the American jazz guitarist, commands an estimate of £1,000 to £1,500, while a José Ramírez acoustic guitar is expected to achieve £200 to £300.

"The selection also features a Russian balalaika with communist CCCP label (£50 to £80), a mandolin by Domenico Zanoni of Napoli, and a Spanish guitar by Danish luthier Harald Petersen, which commands an estimate of £200 to £300," a spokesman added.

For a full auction catalogue, go to www.mooreallen.co.uk.