Keith Richards is well known for his unique blues-style of playing the electric guitar. He has played a variety of different guitars throughout his career, but he is most often seen playing a 1955 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop with P-90 pickups. This type of guitar was popular among many rock and roll acts in the 1950s and 1960s, and Keith Richards has become synonymous with it. He also occasionally plays a 1959 Fender Telecaster which he received as a gift from fellow musician Eric Clapton in 1974.
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Keith Richards’ Early Guitar Choices
Keith Richards is a legendary musician and iconic guitarist whose career spans decades. Throughout his lifetime, he has played many different guitars but the one instrument that has been a constant in his life is the Fender Telecaster. As early as 1964, Keith had begun using the Fender Telecaster after growing tired of his Gretsch Chet Atkins guitar which he used for The Rolling Stones first few albums. He also experimented with other models such as Gibson ES-335s and Les Pauls before settling on his beloved telecasters.
Richards’ preference for a Telecaster came from its lightweight body and versatile sound. The two single-coil pickups offer bright tones with plenty of clarity that can be pushed further by cranking up the amplifier volume to create bluesy overdriven sounds. Thanks to its flat-top design and no sharp edges it makes playing leads comfortable even during long jam sessions.
The trusty Telecaster served as an integral part of Keith’s sound throughout the 70s when recording classic songs like “Gimme Shelter” and “Jumpin Jack Flash” in addition to countless live shows around the world alongside The Rolling Stones bandmates Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood. Even today at 76 years old, Keith still takes out his faithful companion on stage every time they perform or tour – an enduring testament to their timeless relationship together.
The Evolution of Richards’ Preferred Guitar Model
Since the 1960s, Keith Richards has been rocking out on a vintage Gibson Les Paul. Initially released in 1952, this iconic electric guitar was initially marketed as an answer to Fender’s Stratocaster and Telecaster models. While the Les Paul’s distinctive shape and sound quickly made it popular amongst blues players of the era, its increasing ubiquity convinced Richards that he needed something more unique to stand out from the crowd.
In 1964, Richards acquired a 1953 “Goldtop” model that had been modified by its previous owner. The modifications included two humbucker pickups, which allowed him to explore new tonal possibilities with his playing. With these new elements added to the traditional P90 pickups found on older Goldtop models, Richard was able to craft some of his most memorable riffs and solos over the years.
As time went on, Richards began adding further customizations to make his instrument truly his own. He famously replaced the original Grover tuners with Schaller replacements for better tuning stability during live performances – a feature he still swears by today. After decades of tinkering and refining, Richards settled on what is now known as “The Graffiti Guitar”. This one-of-a-kind piece features layers of multicolored graffiti spray paint along its body – reflecting Keith’s unique style and attitude towards music itself!
Specific Features of Keith Richards’ Signature Guitar
One of the iconic instruments used by Keith Richards is his signature guitar. The hallmarks of this remarkable piece are several, starting with its shape: the instrument has a single cutaway, asymmetrical double cutaway body with two humbucker pickups and rosewood fretboard. It also features two volume and two tone controls as well as a toggle switch for switching between pickup configurations.
The sound produced by this instrument is unique due to its combination of vintage elements and modern electronics, giving it a distinct sound which is ideal for blues and rock genres. Its design was meant to take advantage of the rolling lines that make up Keith’s playing style while still allowing him to reach notes in higher positions on the neck easily.
The craftsmanship that goes into making these guitars is also worth noting – they are constructed using premium components such as aged mahogany necks, ebony fingerboards and high-quality pickups for optimum performance. Keith’s signature guitar definitely stands out from other instruments due to its distinctive look and sound as well as its construction quality.
The Impact of Richards’ Playing Style on His Guitar Choice
Keith Richards’ style of playing the guitar is famously distinct and has had a major influence on his choice in guitars. His riffs and solos have become iconic and he needs a guitar that can withstand his aggressive approach. He favors instruments that are built for long-term, heavy use without compromising sound quality or performance.
The type of guitars Richards usually plays are either Gibson Les Pauls or Fender Stratocasters. These two models remain some of the most popular electric guitars ever made due to their unique shape and tone, as well as their versatility when it comes to different genres. Richards loves these two models specifically because they offer him just what he needs: a robust build that holds up against his frenzied strumming, all while providing him with an excellent sound quality.
Richards’ playing style is also heavily influenced by jazz, blues and rock ‘n’ roll which requires a certain level of expressiveness from the instrument itself – something these two models do exceptionally well. Each time Richards picks up one of these guitars, he’s able to bring out new nuances in his playing depending on how hard or soft he presses the strings, giving him more room for improvisation while still sounding great overall.
A Closer Look at the Current Guitars in Keith Richards’ Collection
Keith Richards, a legendary musician and iconic Rolling Stones member, is known to own an extensive collection of guitars. To take a closer look at what he has in his current roster, it can be seen that he mainly uses four different types of axes: Gibson Les Pauls, Fender Telecasters and Stratocasters, as well as Gretsch White Falcons.
The vast majority of his collection are various models from the Gibson Les Paul family. He commonly plays gold-top 1960 Les Paul Standard reissue and 1959 ‘Burst with ‘50s wiring for all live performances. His studio sessions often include Custom Shop Les Paul Reissues with modern features like locking tuners and sustain blocks that help maximize output volume and sustain during complex recordings. There’s also the 1957 Les Paul Junior single cutaway guitar which he plays occasionally when going on tours around the world.
Another mainstay in Keith Richards’ guitar arsenal are Fender Telecasters & Stratocasters – usually vintage models equipped with mid-50s specs such as two-piece alder bodies or ash bodies featuring three single coil pickups installed in maple necks with rosewood fretboards. It’s said that he owns almost 20 variations of these classic instruments including pre-CBS Strats made before 1965 era and custom shop limited editions based on them.
In recent years, Keith Richards added some Gretsch White Falcon hollow body guitars into his evergrowing collection; their unique aesthetic value and powerful sound have become one of many attractive factors for him to choose these rare pieces over other more traditional counterparts such as semi-acoustic Gibsons ES335/ES345 series or even solid body Rickenbacker guitars popularized by British musicians like John Lennon in early 60’s era. All considered; these are just few examples out of dozens of distinctively modified guitars owned by Keith Richards today – an impressive assortment that reflects decades worth of dedication towards preserving music history while continuously pushing boundaries within rock genre through new innovations enabled by advanced technology nowadays available to everyone who wishes explore beyond generic industry standards set forth since decades ago.
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