1973 Les Paul Custom
Pete used this 1973 Les Paul Custom guitar for perhaps only one show: Newcastle Odeon on 5 November 1973. However, it is immortalized in the promotional poster for The Kids Are Alright film soundtrack.
Sold by rockstarsguitars and currently on display in the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando, Florida. Hard Rock’s description:
Pete’s 1973 Gibson Les Paul custom guitar. It was smashed in concert by Pete Townshend at the New Castle Odeon, November 7, 1973. The story goes… 30 minutes into the show, it appeared that Pete threw the guitar into the air as part of the stage act, but was unable to catch it on its descent and the guitar suffered some damage. Because of this, Pete proceeded to demolish the guitar to the point you see it now.
1973 Les Paul Custom (destroyed), courtesy rockstarsguitars.com.
The Kids Are Alright poster (courtesy thewho.org): “This guitar has seconds to live.” Taken at the Newcastle Odeon show in November 1973, with the 1973 Les Paul Custom guitar.