What’s occurring?! Only one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most iconic guitars — missing for over five bloody decades — just casually resurfaced in a New York museum, like it had popped out for milk and forgot to come back until now. 😳

Yes, really. The 1959 Gibson Les Paul, famously wielded by Keith Richards during The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 and later owned by Mick Taylor, has turned up in the most unlikely of places — the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

🧳 A Rock 'n' Roll Mystery 50+ Years in the Making

Let’s rewind this chaotic rock soap opera:

- 🎸 1964: Keith Richards straps on this absolute beast of a Les Paul during the Stones' legendary Ed Sullivan appearance. Think screaming fans, suits, and pure attitude.

- 🎶 1967: The guitar passes to Mick Taylor, who joins the band and promptly helps usher in one of their filthiest and most brilliant eras.

- 💥 1971: Poof. While the band is holed up in the South of France recording Exile on Main St., the guitar mysteriously disappears. Gone without a trace — like a backstage rider in the hands of a roadie.

For years, rumours flew. Was it stolen by a dodgy tech? Swapped at a pawn shop for a bottle of Jack and a box of Marlboros? Traded to Jimmy Page for a dragon suit? No one knew.

Until now. 👀

🖼️ How the Hell Did It End Up in a Museum?

Here’s where things get proper bonkers, mun…

In May 2025, someone donated the guitar to The Met in New York. Just like that. No fanfare, no press, just casually chucked into their “Art of the Instrument” exhibit.

It was Marlies Damming, Mick Taylor’s partner and manager, who spotted the guitar while attending the exhibit. Her reaction? Something between “WTF?!” and “THAT’S OUR BLOODY GUITAR!”

She told Page Six:

“There are numerous photos of Mick Taylor playing this Les Paul, as it was his main guitar until it disappeared.”

Tidy detective work, that. 🔍

🎶 This Ain’t Just Any Guitar…

Let’s be clear — this isn’t just some dusty old plank with strings. This is rock royalty. This Les Paul:

- Featured in early Stones tours and legendary TV appearances

- Played on countless Exile sessions — which, let’s not forget, birthed “Tumbling Dice,” “Rocks Off,” and “Happy”

- Defined Mick Taylor’s slick, bluesy tone — the one that had fans screaming, “What wizardry is THIS?!”

It’s not just a guitar. It’s a time machine strapped with strings. A sweaty, soulful chunk of music history that vanished into the mists of rock ‘n’ roll excess — and somehow wandered into a museum exhibit like a drunk uncle at a wedding buffet.

⚖️ So... Who Owns It Now?

This is where things get murky. Legally? It may depend on how the Met acquired it and whether they knew it was stolen. Morally? C’mon — give it back to Mick Taylor, diolch. He played the damn thing like it was forged by the guitar gods themselves. 🛐🎸

Fans are now calling for the guitar to either be returned or, at the very least, acknowledged in the exhibit as “stolen Stones gear.” Imagine the exhibit card:

"On loan from history — and accidentally from Mick Taylor."

🧨 The Internet Reacts (Because of Course It Did)

You better believe rock Twitter lost its mind. Some highlights:

- “Keith probably thought he left it at a pub.”

- “This is the most Stones thing that could happen.”

- “Plot twist: It was Charlie Watts who hid it for a laugh and forgot.” 💀

Even conspiracy theorists jumped in. Was it stolen by a rogue groupie? A jealous bassist? Could this be why the Stones wrote "Rip This Joint"?

Only in rock, mun. 🤘

📸 The Legacy of That Les Paul

Beyond the chaos and confusion, this guitar represents an era — when rock was dangerous, lawless, and louder than your da snoring after six pints of Brains.

Keith Richards made it famous.Mick Taylor gave it soul.Some dodgy bastard nicked it.And now it’s hanging on a wall behind glass like a relic from some glorious, greasy temple of sound.

👀 What Happens Next?

We’ll be watching this one closely. If there’s any justice, that Les Paul will be handed back to Mick Taylor with a fresh pack of strings and a heartfelt apology from the museum staff. Or maybe it’ll stay there forever, as a reminder that even lost rock relics have a way of coming home... eventually.

If nothing else, it’s a bloody brilliant story. And the Stones? They just keep rolling, don’t they?

🗣️ Have You Ever Lost Something Legendary?

Tell us your best “I lost it and found it years later” story in the comments below — or tag us on socials @theriffreportuk. Bonus points if it involves guitars, gigs, or getting chucked out of a pub. 🍻

Until then, keep your gear close, your riffs loud, and your museum visits suspicious. 😈🎸

📰 Written by The Riff Report crew – powered by caffeine, vinyl, and eternal suspicion of “gifted” museum items. https://theriffreport.co.uk/15/07/2025/%f0%9f%8e%b8lost-found-the-rolling-stones-stolen-guitar-turns-up-in-new-york-museum%f0%9f%97%bd%f0%9f%a4%af/