Jerry Cantrell’s Iconic G&L Guitar Found, Wasn’t Actually Stolen

UPDATE: In a new video shared on Instagram, Jerry Cantrell confirms he has possession of his G&L guitar. It was not stolen, but "misplaced" while in transit "between photo shoots and the studio." He also noted he is "working on a record right now." See the full video further down the page.

Jerry Cantrell's iconic G&L guitar was reportedly stolen from his car last weekend, according to a post on his social media.

The instrument was apparently inside a black G&L gig bag inside of the Alice In Chains guitarist's vehicle in either the Los Angeles or San Bernardino/Highland areas in Southern California. Known as the "Blue Dress," the guitar is Cantrell's original 1984 G&L Rampage, and the serial number is G016467.

"If you have seen the guitar or have any information regarding its whereabouts, please contact info@velvethammer.net immediately," the caption of the post reads. "We’re offering a reward to anyone who can help us locate the guitar. We sincerely appreciate your help."

Jerry Cantrell's Misplaced Guitar Found

Cantrell Used the 'Blue Dress' on Most of His Recordings

The "Blue Dress" was nicknamed after a sticker the musician put on the instrument, which showed a pinup woman in a blue dress. The geometric paint pattern was inspired by Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar and Randy Rhoads' polka dots Flying V, because Cantrell wanted his own signature design too.

"That guitar has been on everything I've ever recorded, pretty much — 98.9 percent of every song that you’ve ever heard [from me], that guitar is on there somewhere," the rocker told the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, where the instrument was on display for a time.

It also has a sticker promoting Soundgarden's 1989 album Louder Than Love on the back of it, as well as some others that were representative of the Seattle rock scene.

Jerry Cantrell's G&L 'Blue Dress' Guitar at the Museum of Pop Culture

Was Cantrell Recording New Music With the 'Blue Dress' When It Was Stolen?

Cantrell's post didn't state why he had the instrument with him in the Los Angeles area, but it's possible he was working on new music with it.  In 2021, he told Total Guitar that he had to request the "Blue Dress" back from the MoPOP in order to work on his latest solo album Brighten, which came out in October of that year.

READ MORE: 21 Active Bands That Haven't Released an Album in Five Years

"Funnily enough, I’ve semi-retired that guitar," he said at the time. "It’s up at a museum in Seattle right now. When we started making this record, and maybe even the last AIC album, I had to request them to send it back to me for the studio sessions."

Alice In Chains' Last Album Came Out in 2018

It's been almost six years since Alice's latest album Rainier Fog came out. There haven't been any recent updates regarding the band's plans for new music, but in March of 2023, vocalist William DuVall said that there was nothing in the works at the time.

"There's no plans in the offing right now, because we're all kind of doing other things," the singer explained to 105.5 WDHA. "But inevitably it seems to kind of circle back."