In the summer of 1972, the Rolling Stones launched their legendary Exile on Main St. tour — a series of wild, unrestrained nights both on and off the stage. But amid the gleaming electric guitars and pounding drums, one image left fans puzzled: Keith Richards standing next to a guitar… with no strings.
This guitar wasn’t meant to be played. It was a special prop Keith requested to be placed in full view on stage. At the time, fans speculated it was a “retired” instrument he kept as a memento, or perhaps a way for Richards to challenge the idea of traditional performance. In reality, the guitar had been badly damaged on a previous tour, and instead of repairing it, Keith chose to keep it as it was — his “old friend” that had witnessed all the highs and lows of his journey.
Years later, he laughed as he recalled: “I wanted people to remember that sometimes music doesn’t come from the strings — it comes from the player.” That stringless guitar became part of the Stones’ lore, a symbol of defiance and boundless creativity.