The population of Keith Richards’ guitar collection is estimated to range between 1,000 and 3,000 but just like the rest of us he had to start somewhere. His mother got him a Rosetti acoustic when he was around 13. Ten Quid (Pounds) was a bit of money in 1959 but it proved a shrewd investment.
“The electric guitar? All they did was put a phone in it. But it was the right phone at the right time.” (K.R.)
The only black guitar supported by Keith Richards was the Gibson 335, while for many tracks he has been entrusted with the Fender Telecaster (several models, Micawber and Sonny in particular, with open tuning G, bass tuning, five strings or standard tuning) and the Gibson Les Paul Jr. TV, depending on the tunings and sounds you need: you have loved Les Paul for blues songs such as "Midnight Rambler" or "Ride on Em Down" and "Just Your Buddy" or " Simpathy for the Devil "," Happy "," Street Fighting "or the concluding" Jumpin 'flash jack "of a less well-known Telecaster, a Sherwood Green with a maple handlefor "As tears go by / With my tears a Martin 12-strings Finally, sound Stratocaster on" Miss You "
Sources are from : www.accordo.it - .tripod.com -equipboard.com -google- youtube- various.
1953 Fender Telecaster Blonde. Micawber is named after a Charles Dickens character, no one is exactly sure why. Keith’s had
this guitar since Exile On Main St. This guitar is kept in Open G tuning (G,D,G,B,D) low to high with no capo, and of course has the famous 5 strings with the 6th string removed (as do all his open G tuned guitars). "Micawber" is one of Richards' main stage guitars, and is often used to play "Brown Sugar", "Before They Make Me Run", and "Honky Tonk Women".•
Fender 1975 Telecaster Custom
In this video of The Rolling Stones performing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" live in 1981 at Hampton Coliseum in Virginia, Keith Richards plays his beloved black 1975 Fender Tele Custom. He acquired the guitar during the 1975 Tour of the Americas, and played it for a good decade (or more) afterwards.
Dice' is a 1957 Gibson Les Paul TV Model Yellow. Starbuck says it’s a double cutaway and is always used on Midnight Rambler with a capo on the 7th fret. This guitar is kept in standard tuning.
The ES-355 Mono Black Keith uses on Satisfaction, Oh No Not You Again, She's So Cold, Nearness Of You and Little T&A.
An article on Gibson's official site says, "His black 1959 ES-355 has been used for live versions of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Oh No Not You Again,” “She’s So Cold,” “Little T&A” and others." (source: http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/keith-richards-0502-2011.aspx)
This guitar, often referred to as the “Keith-Burst”, was first seen sometime on August 13, 1964 [The Rolling Stones Performing at the Palace Ballroom in Douglas Isle]. It was substantially seen in September 1964 during the Live at ABC Cinema gig (photo below), and at the band’s first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on October 25th, 1964.
This guitar appeared sometime in late 1965, possibly as a replacement for the Epiphone Casino that Keith played previously. One of the first gigs ever played with this guitar was The Ed Sullivan Show on February 13, 1966. The guitar was also seen on May 27th 1966 when the Stones performed on British TV’s Ready, Steady, Go.
From that point on, the guitar served as Keith’s main axe during the June–July 1966 North American tour. It was seen on numerous occasions, including Cleveland Arena on June 25th, 1966, and at Virginia Beach on July 4, 1966. This seems to be the last to feature the said guitar.
This is the guitar that Keith used for the recording of “Gimme Shelter” and “Midnight Rambler” from the 1969 album “Let it Bleed”. According to an interview Keith gave to Guitar World magazine in 2002, the guitar belonged to a guy who stayed at his London apartment for a while.
Keith’s third Telecaster used for five-string open-G playing. This one was made in 1967, and nicknamed after it’s sunburst finish (sunny). It’s set-up in the exact same way way as Micawber and Malcolm, so if you’re interested in the details read more about it above. Malcom is used on You Got Me Rockin’.
'Dice' is used on Midnight Rambler with a capo on the 7th fre 'Dwight' is heard on Let’s Spend The Night Together and Get Off My Cloud. Tele Custom is used on Jumping Jack Flash most of the time
Although Keith is not really a Strat player, he does have a few. One that’s most notable is a 1959 “Mary Kaye” model given to him by Ronnie Wood after the band’s 1982 tour. The guitar features blonde/white finish with maple neck and gold hardware, and it looks identical to the guitar that Mary Kaye was pictured with for the 1956 Fender promotional advertisement – therefore it’s nickname.
Keith plays this guitar in standard tune, mostly on-stage for songs such as “You Don’t Have to Mean It” and “Miss You”.
Around 1959, when I was fifteen, Doris bought me my first guitar. I was already playing, when I could get one, but you can only tinker when you haven’t got one of your own. It was a Rosetti. And it was about ten quid. [Keith Richards; Life (Kindle Locations 863-864)]
‘57 Stratocaster is used on Miss You and Under My Thumb. Keith, Mick and Ronnie all play Stratocasters on Miss You.
