The Guitars of Keith Richards: the 70's and Beyond

[@EdHeinzelman]

Mr. Richards now owns my 1967 Telecaster, butterscotch with white pick guard. I keep watching for videos of him playing it!

[@marions.120]

Was it stolen?

[@jltrem]

Although I don't consider myself a Stones guy, I was listening to early Stones last night after falling down a guitars of Brian Jones rabbit hole. The clairvoyance of the Emperor of five watt world.

[@davidfreiboth1360]

Nicely done Keith. Personal update. Your "Finding Inspiration" piece inspired me, after forty five years, to find a group to play live with. Recalling of how Brian Jones found Mick and Keith, I place a Craig's List post titled, "Retiree Looking for Jam Partners". Two guitars and a bass player responded (I'm a drummer) and we have just scheduled our third session. What a guift your videos have been. Thank you.

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks David

[@chriskethan5952]

Keith was the reason I started playing guitar in the mid 80's. The first guitar I bought was an 86 ESP 400 series strat. After reading about Keith's use of the open G tuning in Guitar World Magazine, I found an old Squier Tele and set it up to play Open G 5 string licks. I still have both guitars and the Squier tele has never been setup or played as a 6 string..😆

[@afrocoolio25]

The research and accurary of your video essays is truly remarkable. Thank you for your content.

[@stephenhope7319]

Great job . My 21 year old son sits in with us "older folk "and plays Mick Taylors lines to Dead Flowers and Keef's parts on Tumbling Dice and Start Me Up, with his 2019 Gibson Les Paul Standard and Marshal DSL40. Good Kid. Thank you so much for all these great videos.

[@WickSounds]

Any fans of Keef should read his autobiography! Alot of insights into the mind of the rockstar.

[@ryangunwitch-black]

Dude. That book rules. It’s like the Bible: Part Deux

[@Chiller11]

Some amazing guitars passed through Keith’s hands. I overlooked his writing talents for quite awhile. Great video.

[@NoobToob2014]

Ahh yes, nothing better on a Saturday morning than nice weather, no work, a cup of coffee, and a new FWW video to watch. Great video Keith!

[@ricksrealpitbbq]

Great video. I actually built my own Macawber clone. It stays in open G and the Low E string and saddle are removed. Love the feel and sound and it's probably my favorite guitar I own.

[@onefastmini]

I did the same with a blonde tele partscaster I purchased as a breakup consolation years ago.

[@misterknightowlandco]

He really just played whatever someone handed him that he liked. He played new and modern and old vintage guitars. His collection really is just whatever was new and interesting at the time with a few classics thrown in the mix. When you think of him you just think classics cuz well he made them classics lol but it’s really a diverse collection. Great video.

[@VAR1423]

Just another great video. I'm still hoping to see one about the gear of Ritchie Blackmore.

[@richarde3378]

Great mini-doc! I've always liked Keef's 70s guitars. Thank you!

[@Kevin-the-Just]

Keef is a genuine legend. Many thanks to you, Keith, for putting this together.

[@Yougotadollar]

Great video. LONG LIVE KEEF!!

[@ptrgreeny]

Great video! I was a kid in the 70's so the Tele Custom is the one I first associate with him. The Stones Gear Book is a must...even if you're not a Stones fan.

[@ryangunwitch-black]

That book has been on my Christmas list three years running. Pray for me. Lol

[@ptrgreeny]

I gave it a friend who's not really much of a Stones, but love anything gear related. He loves the thing too. Regardless of what your think of their music, they had GREAT taste in gear.

[@scottpickett9779]

Excellent video about one of the best R&R guitarist. If you haven’t read Keith’s book Life, I highly recommend it. Thanks For all you do.

[@dikinebaks]

Hooray another Keith on Keith video 🎉

[@scottsempeck3422]

Thanks!

[@sixstringstruggle6508]

Always a pleasure thank you for your efforts

[@leokimvideo]

Apart from seeing how many amazing guitars Keith had over the years I could see the years being etched onto his face and hands. I'm really surprised the 5 strings never took off considering how Keith used them with amazing effect

[@frankwolfe7641]

I missed the '75 tour. No one wanted to drive to Buffalo. Bill's Stadium '78 was lookin' like a repeat so I hitch hiked by myself. Saw them again in Orchard Park and then home in the the Dome in '81. Some of the best show's I ever saw for this long time 'stones fan."Keef" is my favorite guitarist of all. I Like lots, and not sayin' he's the best... ...just my favorite. So thank you for the video Kieth. Nice Job. You sir, make some of my favorite Videos.

[@Aceroxx02]

The brass bridges Keith used on the Tele's were Schecter, Not Schaller. The red specials were cherry, like an SG....not wine red.

[@edkutschke814]

Another great video Keith. Appreciate the amount of work you put into these videos. Happy Holidays!

[@mariodriessen9740]

Man…, Keith is the coolest. Both of them! 😊❤

[@Thirsty_Deer_Studio]

That black L5-S is it. Thank you Keith....

[@ryangunwitch-black]

I am definitely late to the Stones because there was so much great current music when I was a kid. But I can’t believe nobody who saw me freaking out over Appetite for Destruction in ‘89 ever said “Yeah. You need to check out Exile….” Keef has quickly become one of my heroes in all his different forms. Thanks for these videos, sir. Great, well-researched stuff. ❤

[@kennethm.380]

You have some of the most engaging guitar stories of anyone in YT. Keep it up. Your sponsors on my A list.

[@alexwoolridge94aw]

I know it's a video about Keith Richard's but dude I just had to say thanks for the 5 watt World version BUSS overdrive. Killer overdrive brother. Big thanks. Love your channel and killer video

[@rocknrollguitar]

Freakin amazing! cant wait to see the list

[@gregrandallbtsr03]

Thanks Keith. Awesome as always. Really loved the way you showed the return to the Gibson ES guitars. Peace

[@monday6524]

Loved the video! A necessary follow-up to the first Keith Richards video. In my head I always thought of Keith as a Tele guy. Didn't realize he used such an eclectic set of guitars!

[@deadtothewxrld]

late 80s/early 90s with the Winos is my favorite Keef era. Those teles with a gunned Super Reverb/Vibroking was just magical tone.

[@picksalot1]

Interesting variety of guitars. Thanks

[@ethanhitchcock5431]

And I thought I knew the guitars of Kieth Richards , nope , not even close ! Thanks Kieth & 5-Watt !

[@Zootallures100]

Great episode. Richards' arsenal is amazing

[@scottgalupo]

Thanks so much for this. I’ll maintain to my dying day that Keith peaked as a lead guitarist on those Silhouettes.

[@shooterx9690]

“They visited the Gibson factory and walked out with the crappiest least iconic Gibson models ever….”

[@AuntAlnico4]

😂 I guess Kiss did as well !?

[@jasonremy1627]

Basically.

[@jasonmyers3847]

Something tells me Henry J. Kaiser talked them into selecting those crappy models. They weren't selling very well back then.

[@acemacgruber6593]

They were probably free.

[@stevee231]

I have an S-1 and love it

[@congoblast]

Thank you, Keith, so happy to see this one! Now - how about one about their amps? ;)

[@markrushton1516]

70s were Ampegs with the Boogies being added later. Latter years are high power Fender reverb but no doubt other amps have come and gone or are in storage

[@devans873]

Great show as always, i follow all of your videos and am happy to support you and always will that being said i saw them in 1973 with stevie wonder in Chicago for $15.00 a ticket (can you believe that, hell you can't even buy a beer now days at their shows for that price). it was one of the greatest shows i have ever been to and back then i saw all to the top bands in the mid 70's from Wings to Led Zeppelin and every other band you can you can name because they all played in Chicago but they stand out as one of the best.

[@thenovello-pugh]

Thanks again, Keith! Great content as always. I have a Musician Silhouette that I bought new when I was an undergrad in the early 90s. Under the radar guitars that you can still buy secondhand for reasonable money...

[@christophermckee7092]

really good piece, Keith! thanks

[@tidepoolbay]

As Always, Thank You Keith! WooF!

[@davisdeen-ty4so]

Love your Videos my friend❤ THANKS

[@cactus-mcjacktus]

There are certain guitarists that i’ve listened to along the way that, just by doing what they do, make doing weirder and weirder stuff okay. Almost like giving permission. The guys from the band Failure made it ok to be good at both bass and guitar, Swervedriver introduced me to alternate tunings and Keef introduced me to using less strings. And I haven’t really left that zone. Keef’s the #1.

[@Bona-Who]

Love y’all! Keep ROCKING !

[@GhostMlone]

I absolutely love these series!❤ will we ever get one on Billy Gibbons and his guitars? 😍

[@randall9000]

I’m in tatters!

[@fabieneldridge3414]

You did a very good job . 👍🎼. Thank you

[@20cencool]

Thank you for this great video. 👍🏻 I feel like writing a fan letter to Kieth to thank him for all the great songs he gave all of us to play. The best thing is seeing myself improving playing them over the years It boggles the mind how many great riffs he has written and still kicking ass today 👀 I saw a picture of some young kid playing a Parker guitar on one of your videos. Who was that young guy ? 🤔

[@fivewattworld]

Ha! Late 30’s then I was

[@Trial212]

A great part Two!!! WeII Done!!!

[@sgtmac62]

Excellent, per usual.

[@davidchase-lopes8413]

Thanks for a great video. Interesting how and why you wove Ron Wood's guitars into it. Keep it up Keith!!!

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks David. Wood was a big influence.

[@pierheadjump]

⚓️ Thanks Jason 🇬🇧 Keith 🎶

[@fivewattworld]

Thank you Keith

[@ptrgreeny]

9:44 useless trivia.... Ronnie's "Disk" Zemaitis ISN'T a bolt on. He requested it built that way....but Zemaitis built it with as a set neck and just added the neck place.

[@bobsteel6916]

Keefee Five it's always good to see a Keefee Arrrrr Richards guitar video.

[@shanewalton8888]

Those Zemaitis look so awesome.

[@buzzawuzza3743]

This is the coolest video. Rock on!

[@optilude]

At 15:53 there’s a photo titled “1979 Telecaster Deluxe Natural Finish”, but I think it’s a Custom (Wide Range in the neck, tele pickup in the bridge)?

[@davidfreiboth1360]

I think Keith mis-spoke. He referrs to the natural as a Deluxe, "similar to his black Deluxe" but both are Customs. The Deluxe model was also similar but replaced the bridge single coil with another humbucker. It's a common mistake. The rhythm player in my old band played a Custom but it was sometimes mistaken for a Deluxe.

[@fivewattworld]

Yeah, typo

[@JeffMcErlain]

Always excellent!!

[@fivewattworld]

Thanks Jeff

[@FlipSideCT]

thank you, Always great to hear deep about Stones. I need to understand your info more. Need to ask, I thought the first Tele Micawber was a 53' and Butterscotch and it was bought by Ted Newman at Gruhn guitars. The 54' blackguard you mention is the Wood stain from 54' called Malcolm? I could be wrong totally. also the Rickenbacker from Newman was given in 71 during Nellcote, nothing to do with Sticky. AM I missing something? I read this in Guitar World interview with Ted

[@robertiaccarino4363]

Good one 👍.

[@wildcolonialman]

Fabulous.

[@MrTimdriver]

Great stuff!

[@Coolbeans1492]

Not a crazy big stones fan but i appreciate them and Kieth as a guitar player. He wasn’t really a lead player but he could do them well. What he did very well was combine rhythm and lead. And he had an impeccable taste in guitars. He knew what was cool and he even started the Les Paul craze

[@dominiquecoladon8343]

As always great and interesting video

[@Peasmouldia]

FWW, accept no substitute. Nothing short of excellent, as we've come to expect. I watched an old Roy Orbison compilation recently. While Gibson Semis is really not my specialist subject, he had some interesting and I'm assuming custom guitars. Love to see FWW take on that. Thanks and blessings.

[@Nygle123]

Great content

[@richardclark.]

I have a set of tags I made with different tuning signs on them. If I put a guitar back in the rack that isn't in standard the tag goes in the neck.

[@ethanmullett4128]

Awesome vid, id love to see a vid about Mick Taylors guitars too

[@sharkman4928]

Got damn!!!! Just when I thought I had a lot of guitars!!!!!! WOW!!!

[@TheFlowNetwork]

Keith Richards' 70's guitars? Keith had a Gibson L-6S in the 70's! Could this possibly be the video when you finally discuss my beloved L-6S? (Even though it deserves a video of it's own😉)

[@danielstoddart]

Are not the tuners at 3:52 on the '59 "Exile" Les Paul burst Grovers, not Schallers as stated? I'm pretty sure those are Grovers because they look just like the ones on one of my guitars.

[@richprincipe749]

Great video!! Thanks for mentioning Keith's use of Joseph Jesselli guitars they are awesome! You should do a video on them!!

[@christophermckee7092]

for sure. jesselli's look cool. love to know more

[@richprincipe749]

@@christophermckee7092they are all handmade and made out of rare woods… he currently produces his guitars on Long Island. Each one is unique. Joe is a true craftsman!!

[@macsarcule]

Hooray!!! ✌️😌🎸

[@MusicMike939]

Keef Williams. I love him.

[@booitsnick]

Keith…. I’m sorry but my love for Ampegs is just as deep as my love for Peaveys… Richards played a vt22 and a vt40 during most of the recording sessions of the seventies… and honestly the greatest underrated combo amps ever I have a 1971 top control vt40. Because Josh Homme😊

[@shawnmcvey7789]

The V series guitar amps are all incredible. I've owned a bunch of V4s and VT-22s and the weight is worth the tone. I just recorded a single with my band and used a V4 for cleans and crunch sounds paired with different amps. They record so well.

[@booitsnick]

@@shawnmcvey7789 man I have to say even the reverb which people dog on is magical in a weird slap back echo way. Hell man the only time in my life when I thought I would be physically sick from sound was when I plugged my 65 melody maker will a Bill Lawrence xl500 straight into the from over a 1977 svt powering a 8x10 cab. That is another amp that needs to be used for guitar more often rather than being pigeonholed into a bass amp

[@HexxHenderson]

The guy with the long hair in the photo with Keith and the Newman guitar is not Ted his name is Lance Keltner I used to play with him. He’s from Austin Texas. He’s a killer songwriter slide guy look him up he’s all over KZbin.

[@Thirsty_Deer_Studio]

Hope you tell us what the Gibson black single pickup Les Paul Shaped guitar, but a little bigger. Maybe gold hardware. Binding like a custom. I've seen both him and Ronnie with it beginning around Steel Wheels. Love that one

[@fivewattworld]

That’s the L-5S

[@markrushton1516]

L5S single pu. Only 2 made. Ron has a signature 2 pu but the original just looks rock.

[@Thirsty_Deer_Studio]

@@markrushton1516 yeah I love the single humbucker

[@samuelstanley7738]

What I find particularly interesting about these guitars is how many of them were passed around between Keith and Ronnie. It doesn't seem like Keith had that kind of dynamic with Brian or Mick Taylor. In fact, I don't see it in many of his contemporaries either. The Beatles didn't seem to trade their guitars around very much, aside from special cases, such as when George let Eric Clapton borrow "Lucy" for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful weekend Keith also if you could pick a favorite guitarist who would it be 😊❤

[@fivewattworld]

I’d have to say Robben Ford.

[@thehighlandhamster]

Perhaps I need to go back and rewatch the Part 1 video in case it was mentioned then but I was expecting you to mention the Dan Armstrong see through guitars that Keith used a lot in the 70's. Nevertheless, a great and very interesting video. Thanks

[@fivewattworld]

Yes, he got those earlier and continued to use them.

[@RedArrow73]

Now isn't the 1975 Tele Custom the one that famously doubled as a crowd control device?

[@johndaugherty4127]

How about the guitars of Mick Taylor? I bought a white tele in 1978 because I wanted one like Keiths'.

[@markrushton1516]

Ron also has a single pu L5S. The 56 strat was a gift from the record company. Doug Young also built Ron a gtr with I think woody woodpeckers on the neck. Did you touch on the Ampeg plexi or was that a 60s gtr. I saw the Stones in the 2000s and Keith had a Bolin Telecaster in chrome finish with I think purple anodized parts. Rumoured to have a 1000 gtr no doubt all in a database now but if they all come to market the values would be crazy. Many were gifts e.g. Gram Parsons. There is the ES290(?) that sits backstage. Too delicate for onstage. There are a few pics. Vintage guitars but with the Stones provenance must be worth double or triple esp those stage guitars we are familiar with. Wood also has a red Tokai strat from the early production.

[@fivewattworld]

The Ampegs were in the late 60s yeah.

[@danielstoddart]

At the end of this video, at around 21:12 or so, who is the maker of the Esquire clone that Jason Loughlin is playing, since it seems that it's not a Fender?

[@fivewattworld]

Reach out to Jason. He spec’s the neck w a builder I think.

[@caseylm100]

I never got the stones until my 40s. What was I thinking?

[@grimmertwin2148]

The Big Question for Five Watt World or anyone lol. The left-handed white Fender associated with Jimi Hendrix. In Keith's book Life he refers to Linda Keith ( Keith's girlfriend ) and her taking it to give to Jimi. She was a champion of Jimi in the early days possibly having seen him play in the States before he moved to the UK under Chas Chandler's management. Keith also mentions he discovered an old blues song that was working well on this guitar. The song? Hey Joe. However, I've also seen old Eric Clapton interviews ( not in the best shape ) where he becomes very emotional talking about Jimi's death. He says he had purchased a white left handed Fender for Jimi. He was planning to give it to him after attending an upcoming concert. But he was too late. I'm confused. Any ideas or knowledge on this mystery. It would be fair to say both Keith and Eric have unusual memory recall from so long ago. But then again guitarists tend to remember every single detail of their guitars don't they? Great vid btw. I also recommend Flipside Channel on KZbin for the most in depth awesome documentaries I've ever watched on the Stones. Especially the ' making of ' certain albums. He somehow accesses information no one else has. Sometimes I wonder if the Stones indirectly get incredibly in house and inner circle facts to him. He doesn't strike me as ever been in the Stones circle but who knows. Peace monkeys

[@victorbeebe8372]

Mahalo Keith another great video. Would you know the hard tail if more were made in the 50's or 60's? I'm interested in a hardtail Strat. Most I seen people play were the 50's. Robert Cray is the only 60's Strat player.

[@fivewattworld]

No idea. I’ll bet Zac knows though.

[@yazidmanou9371]

The 12 strings Zemaitis did not belong to Jimi Hendrix. It was lent to the filmaker (Peter Neal) by a friend of his for the 1967 recording. Do you know what happened to the Red Gibson Les Paul Junior Double Cutaway, the Keith's favorite guitar in the 70's ??

[@fivewattworld]

Never heard any stories about it. Wouldn’t surprise me c he still had it,

[@yazidmanou9371]

@@fivewattworld The late french guitarist Henri-Paul Tortosa (who played with Johnny Thunders) always claimed he had it since 1977.

[@franktaconelli9095]

another great video; I have one correction for you; George Harrison stopped playing his Country Gentleman in early ‘65…I have been a Stones fan forever; my first show was Philly ‘72 during their golden onstage era with Mick Taylor (Stevie Wonder was the opening act) I stopped paying attention after Bill Wyman left though I do purchase their records (CDs) my closest guitar buddy mastered the 5 string tuning; he & I have had decades of fun playing Stones songs together (sadly @ age 65 he cannot play anymore due to neuropathy) I have the very detailed (and very heavy) Rolling Stones Gear book and, just like that Stones guitar bible, this video sorta disturbs me; it must be nice to be a gazillionaire who can purchase hundreds if not thousands of guitars…yeah it’s cool & fun to collect them all but how many do you really need? And let’s be honest, Keith’s style hasn’t changed in 50 years, he doesn’t really need all those guitars…I am down to 2 electric guitars)

[@RonaldRowland-g9t]

I think Keith Richards should rename his modified tele "Sonny" to "Scratch". If you don't get the point, look it up under "Scratch nickname". So Keef...if you're seeing this... whaddya think? I mean, this one does have a very prominent scratch, doesn't it?

[@davidpepper442]

What a collection of famous guitars Keith has. Thanks for including the guitars of Ronnie Wood as well! Question: is it officially Cherry Red or Wine Red, or did Gibson use both names for a red color? Thanks Keith (Williams)!

[@fivewattworld]

Those are two different colors w the wine red being darker.

[@davidpepper442]

Thanks Keith, have a great weekend!

[@bryancollins6796]

The lesson here is you're never done collecting. You're always a searcher.

[@Debaser2421]

Ron Woods should get his own video

[@Abbynorml1979]

2:09 spot the bong...

[@fivewattworld]

Ha! Yeah, saw that.

[@buster52]

Think Keef has tried a Strandberg?

[@RedArrow73]

7:21 - (OT) Bill absolutely DESPISED that EB-3 he's seen with here. Neck pickup sound was too muddy for his tastes.

[@trapperjohn8481]

14,000 views on this video and barely 50 likes. Come on people.

[@Goomer]

I wonder how many he has? Good job.

[@markrushton1516]

Supposedly around a 1000. Gifts from e.g. Clapton or Gram Parsons will make them even more desirable. Have any come to market? What about the earlier ones eg Casino? Is Keith even a collector in the sense of Rock Nielsen or Bonamassa