The Mysterious Case of the Keithburst: Unraveling the Tale of the Rolling Stones' Stolen Guitar

The 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, affectionately known as the "Keithburst," has been making headlines after its recent donation to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The guitar, which once belonged to Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, has a rich history, with various accounts suggesting it was stolen from a villa in the South of France in 1971. However, the Met disputes this, claiming the guitar's ownership is well-documented and it was not stolen. As the mystery deepens, it's clear that the truth behind the Keithburst's past is far from certain.

Key Takeaways:

• Mick Taylor claims to have owned the 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar since 1968, purchasing it from Rolling Stones road manager Ian Stewart.
• The Met disputes this, citing a long and well-documented history of ownership by Keith Richards, who bought the guitar in 1964 and owned it until 1971.
• The Met's research suggests the guitar was never at Villa Nellcôte in France, where the Rolling Stones recorded their album Exile on Main St. in 1971.
• The post-1971 ownership of the guitar is disputed, with the Met claiming it was bought by Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden in 1974, while Marsden's autobiography suggests he bought a different guitar in the same year, known as "The Beast."
• Marsden's family still owns "The Beast," which has a similar appearance to the Keithburst but is a different instrument.
• The Met's chain of ownership is questioned due to inconsistencies in the story, including Marsden's claim of selling the guitar after owning it for only a week.
• The ultimate proof of ownership and the truth behind the Keithburst's past remains a mystery.

Statistics:

• *54 years* have passed since the alleged theft of the Keithburst in 1971.
• The guitar has changed hands numerous times, with each owner contributing to its complex history.
• The Met's research lists the following chain of ownership:

+ Cosmo Verrico (acquired from Adrian Miller in 1971)

+ Bernie Marsden (bought from Verrico in 1974)

+ Mike Jopp (bought from Marsden in 1974)

+ Memorabilia company (bought from Jopp in 2003)

+ Peter Svensson (bought in 2006)

+ Dirk Ziff (acquired in 2016)

• The guitar's sale at Christie's in 2004 was unsuccessful.

Sources:

• James Hall, "The curious case of McCartney's lost bass guitar -- and other musical mysteries" (article)
• Mick Taylor, as quoted in Page Six
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, as cited in the article
• Marlies Damming, Mick Taylor's manager
• Victor Bockris, Keith Richards' biographer
• Adrian Miller, as cited in the Met's research
• Sid Bishop, as cited in the Met's research
• Bernie Marsden, Whitesnake guitarist and owner of "The Beast"
• Dave Brewis, guitar expert
• iorr.org (The It's Only Rock 'n' Roll website)
• Dominique Tarlé, photographer and guitarist