Keith Richards enters the NFT fray, auctioning off a signed Gibson ES-335 guitar and digital asset in aid of charity

Keith Richards has offered up a signed Gibson ES-335 electric guitar as part of an auction that aims to raise money for musicians’ charity MusiCares.

The lot from the Rolling Stones guitar legend also comes complete with a hardcase and an NFT – minted on the Tezos blockchain by NFT platform OneOf – which incorporates imagery of the signed guitar and includes a four-second video of Richards signing the instrument at Germano Studios in New York.

The auction is currently in progress over at Julien’s Auctions and closes on January 30 at 1 p.m. PST. It carries an estimate of $6,000 to $8,000 and bidding currently stands at $4,500.

The event represents Richards’ first foray into the world of NFTs, but he is by no means the first guitar-wielding megastar to get involved with the technology.

Notably, Muse’s Matt Bellamy raised $26,000 auctioning an NFT of a song recorded using Jeff Buckley’s Grace Telecaster, while blues rock giant Joe Bonamassa put his ’59 Burst Les Paul and a 1963 Fender Vibroverb alongside an NFT of a song written on the instruments up for auction last July. 

Richards’ ES-335 is not the only instrument of his to go under the hammer in recent months, although it is one of the only recent ones to have come direct from the guitarist. 

Back in December, a stunning 1957 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Mickey Baker model (which Richards once traded to Gram Parsons) sold for $240,000; while in August a 1952 SJ Southern Jumbo formerly owned (and shot at) by Richards went on sale, complete with bullet holes, though it did not reach the specified $150,000 minimum bid.

If you’re interested in taking part in the Keith Richards signed Gibson ES-335 guitar and NFT auction, head to Julien’s Auctions.