He has been playing the iconic guitar model since 1969.

Keith Richards has partnered with Gibson to unveil a new Custom 1960 ES 355 guitar. Full details can be found below.

The collaboration between the Rolling Stones icon and the legendary guitar brand includes two versions. These are the Keith Richards 1960 ES 355 Collector’s Edition Signed Guitar and Label, limited to just 50 units priced at €29,999 (£25,989), and the Keith Richards 1960 ES 355 Signed Label, which is restricted to 100 guitars and costs €19,999 (£17,326).

Richards’ connection to the instrument stretches back decades. He first picked up the model in 1969 while recording ‘Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St.’ and has continued to use his black 1960 version on every Rolling Stones tour since 1997.

The newly released guitars are built as faithful recreations of Richards’ own ES 355. According to a press release, they were produced using “advanced 3D scanning, period-correct materials and construction techniques” alongside “hand ageing” to accurately reflect the original instrument.

 

“This is my standard-tuning six-string; this is the other side of my thing,” Richards said while discussing the collaboration.

“My six-string stuff has always been, you know, a great Gibson that’s where I feel the most comfortable. And also with the sound. Put it through just about any amp, and it will sound the way you want it, because this has so much more room for expression.”

Fans can visit the Gibson Garage locations in Nashville and London to see the guitars up close, or browse the full collection online via Gibson’s website.

Elsewhere, The Rolling Stones’ most recent album, the Grammy winning 24th studio release ‘Hackney Diamonds’, arrived in 2023 and marked their first full length project since the death of drummer Charlie Watts.

Last year, Ronnie Wood confirmed speculation that another album was on the way, telling The Sun’s Bizarre column: “Yes you will be getting a new album next year. It is done.”

While no official announcement has been made at the time of writing, it has been confirmed that the band will not be heading out on a major UK tour in 2026.

Over the past year, numerous reports suggested that the group planned to bring their ‘Hackney Diamonds’ tour to the UK and Europe, including comments from Wood himself, pianist Chuck Leavell and other figures close to the band.

Ultimately, those plans were abandoned due to Richards being unable to “commit”. The initial reports came from The Sun, which claimed the 82 year old guitarist did not feel ready for another run of shows. A spokesperson for The Rolling Stones later confirmed to NME that the reports were accurate.

Had the dates gone ahead, they would have marked the band’s first UK performances since 2022, when they played two major BST Hyde Park concerts followed by a stadium show at Liverpool’s Anfield.

They also would have been the group’s first live appearances since completing their ‘Hackney Diamonds’ US tour in 2024. That run sold close to one million tickets across 20 shows and reportedly generated around $235 million (£185.1 million), placing it at Number Six among the highest grossing music tours of that year.