Metropolitan Museum of Art declares resolution of the long-standing mystery regarding Mick Taylor's claimed missing 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar from The Rolling Stones.
In the halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a legendary piece of rock and roll history resides - the 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar that graced the stage during the Rolling Stones' groundbreaking performance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Known as the "Keithburst," this iconic instrument is currently under a dispute between former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor and the museum.
The guitar was reportedly owned by Keith Richards before August 1964 and was in his possession until 1971. After this period, the guitar changed hands, passing through record producer and manager Adrian Miller, before being acquired by Dirk Ziff in 2008.
Mick Taylor claims he owned the guitar and asserts that it was stolen from him during the "Exile on Main St." recording sessions in 1971. Taylor and his legal representatives have asked the Met to allow an inspection of the guitar to confirm its provenance. However, the museum disputes Taylor's ownership claim, insisting that he never owned it, despite Taylor having played it.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art maintains that the guitar has a well-documented history of ownership, starting from its purchase at Farmers Music Store in Luton, England in March 1961. The guitar was later traded for a Gretsch Country Gentleman in late 1962 at Selmer's, before ending up in the hands of Keith Richards.
Richards himself was involved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Play It Loud exhibition, sitting for an interview and loaning other instruments and gear to the exhibit. The guitar was donated by Ziff to the museum in 2024, where it can be found today. In 2019, Ziff loaned the guitar to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Play It Loud exhibition, which was later moved to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
This dispute between Mick Taylor and the Metropolitan Museum of Art remains unresolved, with Taylor's representatives yet to comment on the matter. The guitar, the "Keithburst," continues to be a symbol of the enduring allure of the Rolling Stones and the golden age of rock and roll.
The 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, known as the "Keithburst," originally belonged to Keith Richards before August 1964 and was later used by Mick Taylor during the Rolling Stones' performances. This iconic instrument is currently under dispute between former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with Gary's gadgets like amplifiers and other music gear featured in the museum's Play It Loud exhibition. Taylor and his legal representatives have asked for an inspection of the guitar to confirm its provenance, but the museum argues Taylor never owned it. The guitar, now in the hands of Dirk Ziff, was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2024 and can be found in the exhibition alongside other gadgets representing technology, entertainment, and music. The dispute between Taylor and the museum remains unresolved, with celebrities and music enthusiasts continuing to show interest in this legendary piece of rock and roll history.
