The “Keithburst” Guitar: A Rock & Roll Relic at the Center of a Heated Ownership Dispute
LONDON — A coveted 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, steeped in rock and roll history and once wielded by legendary musicians, has become the focal point of a heated ownership dispute. Former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor alleges that the instrument, currently on display as part of a significant donation to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was stolen from him over five decades ago.
A Legendary Instrument’s Pedigree and Disappearance
Dubbed the “Keithburst” for its distinctive “starburst” finish and association with Keith Richards, the guitar boasts an undeniable pedigree. Richards himself played it during the Rolling Stones’ pivotal 1964 appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” a moment credited by the Met for “igniting interest in this legendary model.” Beyond its Rolling Stones connection, the instrument was also reportedly played by guitar titans Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. Mick Taylor, who joined the Stones in 1969, replacing the late Brian Jones, claims Richards gifted him the guitar in 1967, two years prior to his official induction into the band. According to his former manager and publicist, Jeff Allen, Taylor explicitly stated he used this very Les Paul for his renowned guitar solo on the track “Can’t You Hear Knocking.”
Taylor’s team asserts that the guitar vanished in 1971 while the Rolling Stones were recording their seminal album, “Exile on Main St.,” at Keith Richards’ rented villa in the south of France. Amidst the well-documented chaos and prolific drug use during those sessions, several instruments were reportedly stolen. It was only when the Met announced in May the acquisition of over 500 significant American guitars from billionaire investor and collector Dirk Ziff that Taylor recognized the distinctive instrument.
Metropolitan Museum of Art Disputes Claim, Cites Provenance
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, however, firmly disputes Taylor’s claim. According to museum spokesperson Ann Ballis, their “provenance records show no evidence the guitar ever belonged to Taylor” and assert it has a “long and well-documented history of ownership.” The Met’s records indicate that the guitar remained with Keith Richards until 1971, when it was acquired by record producer and manager Adrian Miller, who passed away in 2006. Since Miller’s ownership, the guitar changed hands multiple times before Ziff purchased it in 2016. It was subsequently loaned to the Met in 2019 for the exhibition “Play it Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll” before becoming part of the recent landmark gift. The guitar also made a public appearance at a Christie’s auction in 2004, though it did not sell at that time.
Call for Independent Inspection as Dispute Continues
Marlies Damming, Taylor’s partner and business manager, has publicly called for the Met to make the guitar “available for inspection.” She stated to The Associated Press that “an independent guitar expert should be able to ascertain the guitar’s provenance one way or the other.” As of now, the Met, which is preparing to unveil a new gallery dedicated to its American guitar collection, states it has not been officially contacted by Taylor or his representatives regarding this matter. The fate of this rock and roll relic remains uncertain, poised between a rock legend’s memory and institutional documentation.
