A love-letter to one of the coolest guitars of all time, hand-signed by Keith Richards and limited to just 50 examples globally

Is there a more iconic guitar player on Earth than Keith Richards? For more than six decades, the “Human Riff” has been the heartbeat of The Rolling Stones, inspiring millions of fans and musicians the world over to get out of their seats and rock ’n’ roll. It’s difficult to imagine the popular music landscape without the monolithic presence of Keith Richards looming over it with impossible cool, godlike nonchalance, and, of course, impeccable taste in guitars. Ask any guitarist which instrument of Keith’s they desire the most, and we’re willing to bet his black 1960 Gibson ES-355 is top of the list. Keith first used an ES-355 back in 1969, taking it out on the road and into the studio during the legendary recording sessions for Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. His black 1960 model has been a staple of each and every planet-straddling Rolling Stones tour since 1997.

Now, Gibson Custom is proud to present the Keith Richards 1960 ES-355 Collector’s Edition guitar, an exacting replica of the Gibson ES-355™ he made famous. Handcrafted in the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee, it’s not just a tribute to Keith’s original guitar; it’s effectively a clone, employing new 3D scanning technology, identical materials and construction methods, and meticulous Murphy Lab aging. The devil is in the details, and this guitar captures every nuance of the original, right down to the sonics.

The Gibson Custom Keith Richards 1960 ES-355 Collector’s Edition features a multi-ply bound, three-ply maple/poplar/maple body with red spruce bracing and a weight-relieved maple centerblock for sustain and feedback resistance. The mahogany neck has a Custom Keith Richards neck profile taken from 3D scans of the original guitar, measuring approximately .801” at the first fret, .905” at the 12th fret, and 1.625” wide at the nut. The bound ebony fretboard features mother-of-pearl block inlays and the same Medium Wide fretwire as the original guitar. Hardware includes a Bigsby® B7 vibrato tailpiece and Grover® Rotomatic® tuners with Milk Bottle buttons, and the metal parts, plastics, and Ebony nitrocellulose finish have been expertly aged by our Murphy Lab artisans to match the wear and aging that Keith has added to the guitar through decades of sessions and tours. The guitar’s unmistakable tone is powered by a pair of unpotted Custombucker pickups with Alnico 5 magnets, handwired to CTS® 500k audio taper pots and paper-in-oil tone capacitors. Together, they recreate the sonic majesty of the original.

This extraordinary instrument comes packaged in a Gibson Protector series case, along with a certificate of authenticity and guitar strap. Only 50 of these incredible guitars have been produced by the master craftspeople of the Gibson Custom Shop and hand-signed by Keith Richards on the back of the headstock and f-hole label as part of this very special limited Collector’s Edition run. Don’t miss your opportunity to own a legendary guitar that honors a music icon.

Highlights

Limited Collector’s Edition of 50 guitars hand-signed by Keith Richards on the back of the headstock and the f-hole label
Based on 3D scans of Keith Richards’ 1960 ES-355 Murphy Lab aged to match Keith’s original 1960 ES-355
Custombucker pickups
Bigsby B7 vibrato tailpiece
Includes hardshell case, guitar strap, and Certificate of Authenticity

ON HOLD Gibson Custom Keith Richards 1960 ES-355 Collector’s Edition, Signed Guitar and Label, Ebony (#18) ON HOLD