![]() ![]() In 1972, Keith made further changes to this Telecaster. The open G tuning became something of a signature for Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones, appearing on all subsequent albums, as did “Micawber” itself. Richards removed the low E string from the guitar and tuned the guitar to open G (that is, G-D-G-B-D) to record the album, and liked the sound so much he never put an E string back on it. This was the form in which “Micawber” appeared on The Rolling Stones’ massive album Exile on Main Street. Richards took an immediate shine to the instrument, although at the time it still had two stock Fender single-coil pickups in it. Perhaps in recognition of the ‘59 Les Paul Richards lent him a few years beforehand, Eric Clapton gave Keith Richards this Telecaster for his 27th birthday. ![]() Richards initially picked up this Telecaster in 1970. If enduring over fifty years in Keith Richards’ hands isn’t a testament to the durability of Fender’s instruments, nothing is! It’s been in his possession since the 1970s and is one of Richards’ main stage guitars to this day. Nicknamed for a character in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, the “Micawber” Tele remains Keith Richards’ number one instrument to this day. ![]() This customized Telecaster is arguably the guitar most associated with Keith Richards. See the list below of the most notable Keith Richards guitars and gear below. Undoubtedly, Richards has played more guitars than anyone could count. Keith Richards is most know for playing vintage Fender Telecaster guitars, most notably his 1953 Butterscotch Tele, known as “Micawber”, which Richards was given as a birthday gift from Eric Clapton. It’s an incredible collection of instruments but I only play about 10 of them”. Of his massive collection, Richards says “I have 3,000 guitars and only one pair of hands. Supposedly, he owns over three thousand instruments. Keith Richards is an avid guitar collector. In this list, we take a look at the guitars and gear most associated with Richards over the years. Photo by Raph_PHįrom their humble early days in London’s blues clubs to the dizzying heights of the Stones’ juggernaut stadium tours, Keith Richards is perhaps rock and roll’s truest survivor. Forty years after the snide “steel wheelchairs” jokes have been long forgotten, the Rolling Stones endure, symbolic of the longevity of rock and roll itself. The Rolling Stones were one of the pioneer bands that defined early British rock and roll in the 1960s, to the point they were, laughably, considered too old for the game when they embarked upon the record-breaking Steel Wheels tour in the 1980s. ![]()
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