Stolen during the making of Exile on Main St., the legendary Les Paul makes an unexpected return
A Rock and Roll Mystery Resurfaces
A long-lost piece of music history has turned up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York: a 1959 sunburst Gibson Les Paul Standard, once owned by Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor. Stolen in 1971 during the band’s Exile on Main St. sessions in France, the guitar has remained missing for over five decades—until now.
Taylor had purchased the guitar from Keith Richards in 1967. It had already made history—Richards played it during the Stones’ debut on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and Taylor later used it at the infamous Altamont Free Concert in 1969. Legends like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page reportedly played it as well.
Stolen in Broad Daylight
The theft happened at Villa Nellcôte, the French mansion where the Stones were recording. According to accounts, a group of Marseille-based drug dealers—possibly tied to debts owed by Richards—broke in while the band and their entourage were distracted by TV. Nine guitars were taken, along with Bill Wyman’s bass and Bobby Keys’ saxophone.
The trail went cold, and the guitar’s whereabouts remained a mystery—until May 2025, when the Met announced a massive new collection of over 500 vintage guitars. Among them: Mick Taylor’s Les Paul, mentioned specifically for its appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Taylor Wants Answers
Taylor’s business partner Marlies Damming identified the instrument based on its unique “flaming” wood grain—a trait as distinctive as a fingerprint. “There are numerous photos of Mick Taylor playing this Les Paul, as it was his main guitar until it disappeared,” she said.
Taylor is reportedly “mystified” as to how the Met acquired the stolen guitar and has yet to receive any compensation. The museum has not commented publicly on the matter, leaving many to wonder what happens next in this decades-old rock and roll saga.
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