Mike McCready has Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). He’s open about it. He once said his stage-dancing looks “like a spastic chicken.” Why? Because the adrenaline helps his condition. His wild moves are medical. That’s hilarious and inspiring.
He’s obsessed with Hendrix. He plays a left-handed Fender Stratocaster, just like Jimi. He even bends his guitar strings with his teeth. At 58 years old. It’s a beautiful, weird tribute.
He once auctioned a guitar solo. For charity. He played a private solo for a fan who bid $100,000. That fan got a one-man show. Mike literally played for cash in a living room. Legendary move.
The good and bad news about Pearl Jam's Mike McCready finally getting a
The Secret Sauce: His Guitar Collection
Mike collects vintage guitars. He owns a 1959 Gibson Les Paul worth over $250,000. He has dozens of Strats. His collection is worth millions, but he doesn’t brag. He calls them “tools.” You’d think they were old hammers.
Here’s the funny part: he gifts guitars to young musicians. He gave a rare Martin acoustic to a kid in his neighborhood. The kid didn’t even know who Pearl Jam was. Mike said, “Learn to play it.” Peak humble brag.
He also rents his guitars to museums. That earns him passive income. It’s like a vacation home, but for guitars. He’s a financial wizard in flannel shirts.
Mike McCready | Guitar.com | All Things Guitar | Guitar.com
