A Bermuda resident won a red-hot bidding war on Internet reseller eBay when he managed to buy a guitar autographed by the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers for more than $10,000.

The Fender Squire Stratocaster guitar autographed by the popular rock and funk band behind hits such as ?Californication?, ?City of Angels? and a cover of Stevie Wonder?s ?Higher Ground? was auctioned by a Michigan-based radio station as a fundraiser for tsunami relief.

?That?s really why I did it,? local resident James Gerry said. ?There was no way I would have paid that amount of money for a guitar. No matter how big a fan I am.?

He said he had not received the guitar yet and it was being shipped from Grand Rapids, Michigan to his sister in New York, who is also a Chilli Peppers fan. ?She is going to babysit it for a while,? Mr. Gerry said. ?I heard about it on the website. They sent out a mass e-mail.?

And Mr. Gerry ? or pepperfan2005 ? as he was known on eBay, has seen the band many times, including seven times on their last tour. He paid $10,100 for the Chili Peppers guitar after a global bidding war was sparked when the band endorsed its auction on its website.

?The item is a one of a kind, mint-condition Fender Squire Stratocaster guitar autographed by bassist Flea, singer/rapperAnthony Kiedis, drummer ChadSmith and guitarist John Frusciante,? the Red Hot Chilli Peppers? website said.

The cheque for $10,100 will go to the American Red Cross tsunami relief. This model of guitar can generally be bought for around $300.

The guitar, and another one autographed by the members of San Francisco punk rockers Green Day, were donated for the auction by 97.9 WGRD of Grand Rapids.

The Green Day guitar, also a Stratocaster, earned a far less handsome price, however. Chad Hood from Minnesota won its auction with a bid of $710.

Greg Daniels, of WGRD 97.9, told yesterday the radio station?s goal was ?a few thousand dollars for both?. He added that the fierce global bidding war began after Red Hot Chilli Peppers? Anthony Kiedis? father heard about the auction on the radio.

?It worked out well,? Mr. Daniels said of the $10,810 raised. ?We planned on giving them away.?

The Peppers are also known for performing wearing only socks over their private parts.