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Rolling Stones quotes:Keith Richards Talks Playing Five-String Guitars
Keith Richards’ five-string guitars aren’t just tools—they’re extensions of his rock ‘n’ roll soul. Stripped-down and tuned like a five-string banjo, they let him channel the spirit of blues legends like Robert Johnson, whose riffs come alive only in this setup. For Keith, it’s not about flashy tricks; it’s about feel, groove, and a constant musical drone that keeps his rhythm alive from chord to chord. Every riff, every slide carries that raw, imperfect magic that has defined the Rolling Stones’ sound for decades. Simple? Yes. Genius? Absolutely. It’s Keef’s way of making rock ‘n’ roll speak.
“There’s no big secret, or mystery attached to them at all. They’re tuned the same as a five-string banjo and that’s a great tuning for playing slide guitar in. Robert Johnson used to use it on acoustic and there’s a lot of his riffs that I play that don’t work at all in a conventional tuning. And for the rhythm work, ordinarily, when you change chords, the previous chord is completely dead. With the five string you get kind of a drone going all the way through.”
Few guitar stories in rock ‘n’ roll are as distinctive as Keith Richards and his five-string guitars. While most players cling to the familiar six-string setup, Keith has consistently charted his own path, proving that sometimes less really is more. Since the late 1960s, he has been stripping down the standard guitar, removing the low E string, and tuning to open G (G–D–G–B–D). This simple adjustment transforms the instrument, creating that slinky, driving groove heard on Rolling Stones classics like Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar and Start Me Up.
Keith’s approach isn’t about flashy solos or technical showmanship; it’s about pure, punchy riffs, raw rhythm, and a feel that’s instantly recognizable. Inspired by early blues players, he embraced this minimalism early on, blending instinct, tradition, and a streak of rebellion into every note. Even today, he jokingly admits that the sixth string “just gets in the way.”
The Magic Behind the Strings
Keith’s go-to weapon for decades has been his battle-worn Telecaster, affectionately nicknamed ‘Micawber’—a hand-me-down of sorts from Eric Clapton. Loaded with heavy-gauge strings and tuned to open G, it’s basically made for those snarling riffs and driving rhythms that only Keith can pull off. There’s no fuss, no frills—just raw, unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll. Over the years, that stripped-down, straight-to-the-bone approach hasn’t just shaped his playing; it’s helped define the Rolling Stones’ sound itself. Every riff, every groove carries a bit of that gritty magic that makes a Stones track instantly recognizable. And honestly, you get the feeling that ‘Micawber’ has a personality of its own—always ready to kick in, scream a little, and keep the band rolling no matter what.
Influence and Uniqueness
The five-string setup might look a little quirky to most guitarists, but for Keith, it’s pure gold—endless inspiration packed into just a few strings. Plenty of players have tried to copy it over the years, but nobody quite nails that loose, messy, perfectly imperfect magic that only Keef can pull off. It’s not just a playing style; it’s a whole vibe, a philosophy really—keep it simple, trust your feel, and let the groove do the talking. That’s why, even decades later, the Rolling Stones still stomp harder, swing fresher, and sound unmistakably like themselves. All it takes is one man, his five strings, and a lifetime of turning minimalism into pure rock ‘n’ roll genius.
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