“I sold this model guitar as a teenager and have regretted it for many years now”: Jack White reveals the one guitar he regrets letting go – and why he still hopes to be reunited with it
White reminisces on the one that got away...

Was there ever an electric guitar that you sold and later felt like it was the one that got away? Jack White knows that feeling all too well, as his biggest gear regret is selling a Gibson ES-120T “as a teenager” – a decision that he still deeply regrets to this very day.
“I sold this model guitar as a teenager and have regretted it for many years now,” White writes alongside an Instagram video where he's holding the exact same model that he had sold back in the day.
“It was given to me by my cousin Paul Ossy (or maybe I bought it from him? I can't remember) who is a multi instrumentalist (who also played electric violin on the Stripes album De Stijl).
A post shared by Jack White (@officialjackwhite)
A photo posted by on
“I sold it at Gordy's guitar show in Detroit in the early 90's so I could buy a 2 pickup Silvertone amp in case model,” he details. “And it's not a red burst version, it's the black burst version like this one I'm holding over at Carter Vintage, Nashville.”
White goes on to say that, on his original guitar, there was something he etched under the truss rod cover, which he didn't reveal in the video, to make it distinct from other Gibson ES-120s.
“One day, I'm going to find it and turn this plate over [and] it's going to have what I etched on and I'll know it's the guitar.” As one fan aptly put it in the comment section, “I hope the internet works its magic and you can find your guitar.”
In more Jack White news, the legendary guitarist has recently gifted one of his signature guitars to his “new favorite guitar player” – after swapping signature models with Vernon Reid during a chance encounter at Memphis Airport back in December.
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Janelle is a staff writer at GuitarWorld.com. After a long stint in classical music, Janelle discovered the joys of playing guitar in dingy venues at the age of 13 and has never looked back. Janelle has written extensively about the intersection of music and technology, and how this is shaping the future of the music industry. She also had the pleasure of interviewing Dream Wife, K.Flay, Yīn Yīn, and Black Honey, among others. When she's not writing, you'll find her creating layers of delicious audio lasagna with her art-rock/psych-punk band ĠENN.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.