Museum officials at The Metropolitan claim to have unraveled the long-standing mystery regarding Mick Taylor's alleged lost 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, belonging to the Rolling Stones.
In the world of rock 'n' roll, few guitars hold as much historical significance as the 1959 Gibson Les Paul, famously used by The Rolling Stones during their groundbreaking Ed Sullivan Show appearance in 1964. Known as the "Keithburst" due to its association with Keith Richards, this iconic instrument is now at the centre of a heated dispute between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor.
The Les Paul's journey since leaving Richards' possession in 1971 has been a winding one. The guitar was first acquired by record producer and manager Adrian Miller, who later loaned it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Play It Loud exhibition. The exhibition was later moved to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
The Les Paul's history suggests it was traded for a Gretsch Country Gentleman in late 1962 at Selmer's Guitar Store. However, the exact transactional details between Richards and Miller remain unclear. Following Miller, the guitar passed through several owners, including Cosmo Verrico, Bernie Marsden, Mike Jopp, and Swedish producer Peter Svensson, before finally being acquired by billionaire Dirk Ziff in 2019.
Mick Taylor claims he received the guitar as a gift from Richards in 1967 and that it was subsequently stolen in 1971 during the Rolling Stones' recording sessions at a mansion on the French Riviera near Nice. However, the Met's records indicate the guitar was owned by others after 1971, conflicting with Taylor's claim.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art insists on documented provenance from 1971 onward through multiple owners, disputing Taylor's claim. Mick Taylor's representatives have asked the museum to make the guitar available for inspection to confirm its provenance.
Richards himself was involved in the exhibition, sitting for an interview and loaning other instruments and gear. The Les Paul, now part of Ziff's collection, was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2024, where it can be found today.
This ownership dispute highlights the complexity of the guitar’s provenance, with the museum disputing Taylor's claim and insisting on documented provenance from 1971 onward through multiple owners. The exact transactional details between Richards and Miller remain unclear, leaving a tantalising mystery for rock 'n' roll enthusiasts to ponder.
[1] The Rolling Stones' legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar at the center of a dispute between Mick Taylor and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
[2] The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Acquisition of the Rolling Stones' Iconic Gibson Les Paul "Keithburst" Guitar
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[6] Gibson Les Paul Guitars: Enter the Battle Between Rolling Stones' Members and the Metropolitan Museum of Art
[7] From Keith Richards to Dirk Ziff: The Nightmare Journey of the Rolling Stones' Legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul Guitar
[8] Celebrities, Rock 'n' Roll History, and the Gibson Les Paul: The Rolling Stones' Iconic Guitar Caught in a Provenance Tussle
[9] The Rolling Stones' 1959 Gibson Les Paul's Contentious Battle for Historical Validity: A Case of Gadgets and Technology
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