This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/21/2021
Keith Richards owned and frequently played this Gibson 1952 SJ Southern Jumbo Sunburst acoustic guitar on stage during the Rolling Stones’ 1995 “Totally Stripped” tour. This guitar has a background and story as remarkable as the guitar itself. Richards used this guitar during every single live performance of “Shine a Light” during the tour, and his use and love for the guitar are heavily documented in both the Stones’ “Totally Stripped” documentary as well as in Jo Wood’s autobiography “It’s Only Rock’n’Roll: 30 Years Married to a Rolling Stone”.
At 56:00 in the “Totally Stripped” documentary Richards is playing this guitar. You can also find Richards playing this guitar on YouTube on their Amsterdam, Paris, and London shows off of the 1995 tour. Those concerts took place on May 26, July 3, and July 19 1995 respectively. Perhaps what is most notable about this guitar is that it has a bullet-hole from when it was shot by Richards while in Memphis, Tennessee. Jo Wood — ex-Wife of Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones — writes in her book about how Richards walks into Ronnie’s hotel room during the tour and he is jamming on Richard’s guitar. Richards asked where Wood got the guitar from, and Wood said he borrowed it from Mick Jagger. Richards was so mad that they took his guitar that he grabbed it, sandwiched it between two pillows, took out a gun and shot it. The guitar not only still has the hole, but also has remnants from one of the foam pillows used to silence it.
This guitar comes with a binder full of pictures, links, and timestamps providing provenance for the guitar and showing Richards playing it. These include measurements of the guitar, unique markings used to photo ID the guitar, photos of Richards on stage performing “Shine A Light” with it, and links to YouTube videos of performances from the Stones’ “Totally Stripped” tour. It also includes a passage from Jo Wood’s book about Richards shooting the guitar. Fair condition; body has a bullet-hole, guitar is still playable and can be repaired. Comes with a Gotta Have Rock & Roll Certificate of Authenticity.