A 1977 Fender Telecaster-style guitar that was hand built for Keith Richards by his longterm guitar tech and luthier Ted Newman Jones is set to head to auction this Thursday (April 25).
The T-style build has been authenticated by Stones gear expert Andy Babiuk who confirmed it was the model used by Richards in the recording of 1978 album and Rolling Stones fan favorite, Some Girls.
Jones (aka Newman) built the instrument’s unique mahogany body and pickguard, then paired it with an authentic Fender rosewood neck, alongside Tele bridge bridge and neck pickups and a Fender bridge.
“The back of the body has a round pearl inlay with Newman's ‘N’ and a "77" for the year,” notes Babiuk in his appraisal.
The electric guitar was subsequently used in the Some Girls sessions and later on tour in support of the record – regarded by many as the quintessential Stones tour and the peak of their live powers.
As explained on the Newman Guitars site, Jones stood down from his position as Richards’ chief tech soon after, in order to focus on his burgeoning guitar store and luthiery business, which he had opened in Austin, TX. The business was founded with a $20,000 loan from Richards.
At this point it seems that Richards’ custom Tele underwent some significant changes, as Babiuk explains.
“In 1981, The Who's guitar tech Alan Rogan started working with the Stones as their new guitar tech for the Tattoo You tour,” writes the vintage expert.
“It was at the beginning of the tour that Rogan had David Schecter build a Telecaster body made of rosewood and took the neck off the Newman Custom Built Telecaster and made a new rosewood Telecaster guitar for Keith to use on the tour.”
The new, all-rosewood model left the Newman T-style body without a home, at which point it was given to Schecter (yes, he who founded Schecter Guitar Research), who brought it back to life with a maple Fender neck (with a rosewood board) and a new bridge and pickup set.
It was later sold to a ‘radio station executive’, at which point Richards’ signed the instrument with the message ‘To Doc, Love and prescriptions, Keith Richards’.
The Keith Richards Some Girls custom T-style guitar carries a minimum bid of $400,000 and will go on sale on April 25, via Nate D. Sanders Auctions.
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