Keith Richards’ Lost Gibson Les Paul Found at New York Met
Mick Taylor’s Stolen Les Paul: A Rock and Roll Mystery Unfolds
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The search is on for a legendary Gibson Les Paul guitar,once wielded by Rolling Stones guitarists Keith Richards and Mick Taylor,and famously used during the band’s pivotal 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. The instrument, nicknamed the “Keithburst,” was recently reported stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, sparking a rock and roll whodunit.
A Guitar Steeped in Rock History
No instrument embodies the spirit of early rock and roll quite like this 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard. Its provenance reads like a who’s who of guitar gods. Keith Richards was the first owner, acquiring it in the early 1960s.It was with him when the Rolling Stones exploded onto the American scene on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 – a performance the Met describes as “igniting interest in this legendary model.”
But the “Keithburst’s” story doesn’t end there.The guitar found its way into the hands of other iconic players. Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page both played the instrument,adding to its already substantial legacy. Mick Taylor received the guitar directly from Richards in 1967, two years before officially joining the Rolling stones, replacing founding member Brian Jones, who tragically died in 1969.
The “Can’t You Hear Me knocking” Connection and the Theft
Taylor’s tenure with the Stones, from 1969 to 1974, saw him put his own indelible mark on the band’s sound. According to Jeff Allen,Taylor’s long-time manager and publicist,Taylor specifically used the Les Paul for one of his most celebrated solos. “Mick told me he got it as a present from Keith,” Allen revealed, “and also mentioned the theft.” He further stated that the iconic guitar solo on Can’t You Hear Me Knocking was recorded using the very Les Paul that has now vanished.
The guitar’s journey after Taylor’s departure from the Stones is complex.The Met’s records indicate Richards owned the instrument until 1971, when it was sold to record producer and manager Adrian Miller, who passed away in 2006. As then, the “Keithburst” has changed hands multiple times, resurfacing publicly on a few occasions.
A 2004 auction at Christie’s failed to find a buyer, but in 2016, collector Richard Ziff purchased the guitar. Ziff generously loaned the instrument to the Met in 2019 for the acclaimed exhibition Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll, where it was a centerpiece of the show. It was during its time at the museum that the guitar was stolen.
What’s Next for the “Keithburst”?
The theft has sent ripples through the music world, and the search for the guitar is ongoing. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is cooperating with authorities in the inquiry. The museum plans to open a new gallery dedicated to its collection of American guitars,but the future of this particular piece remains uncertain.
As of now, the Met reports it has not been contacted by Mick Taylor or his representatives regarding the stolen instrument.The recovery of the “Keithburst” would not only be a victory for the museum but a return of a vital piece of rock and roll history to the public eye. The guitar represents more then just wood and strings; it’s a tangible link to a golden age of music and the legendary artists who defined it.