Watch Bruce Springsteen explaining the story behind his 'Born To Run' guitar

Back in 2021, Bruce Springsteen appeared on the Stephen Colbert show, bringing out his legendary Born To Run Fender Telecaster, and telling the story of how he came by the guitar.

As well as being well-played it also appears on the Born To Run album cover.

“I’ve played this guitar for 50 years. I bought it when I was 22 years old for $185 on Highway 34, I think in Belmar, New Jersey, from a great guitar man named Phil Patillo, and I’ve had it ever since.

“It’s kind of a mutt. It’s made up of two guitars but this guitar has been in every club, theatre, arena and stadium across America, and most of the world,” he said, before adding: “It’s been around a bit,” while showing off the extensive wear across the guitar’s body.

Colbert then asked how Springsteen feels when he plays other guitars, ones that he hasn’t been playing for half a century. 

“This [guitar] feels like my arm,” Springsteen explained. “If I have this guitar on, I don’t have anything on. Anything else I pick up, it’s a guitar. I’ve played this for so long that it just became part of [my] natural physique.”

“I don’t play it as much these days because… I’ve sort of put it a little bit out to pasture, as it’s done so much good work for me.”

Watch Springsteen tell the story below.