Ronnie Wood spends $18,000 on Jimi Hendrix's guitar for Russian girlfriend

Rolling Stone Ron Wood reportedly dropped over $18,000 on a vintage guitar once belonging to Jimi Hendrix as a starter axe for 20-year-old Russian girlfriend Ekaterina Ivanova, according to planetradiocity.com. A source close to Ivanov told Britain's The Sun, "She fell in love with the guitar before Christmas, but rather than buying it while she was with him, Ronnie wanted to wait and surprise her. He loves to treat her with gifts and tokens of his affection. He has been spending a small fortune on her which she is more than happy to take."

Wood had the guitar inscribed with a plaque featuring the couple's initials and the dedication, "Sweet as a daisy, sweet as a pearl, you'll always be my little kitten."

The Rolling Stones guitarist met the Russian waitress at an after party for the band's recent film Shine A Light in April. Wood, who's 40 years older than Ivanova, embarked on an alcohol bender last summer and moved in with her to the chagrin of Jo, his wife of 23 years, as well as his adult children, and close friends Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Rod Stewart. The consensus was that after Wood finished his latest bout in rehab, he would "come to his senses" and return to his family. Yet Wood, who is rumored to have once again fallen off the wagon, remains with Ivanova.

Wood says that publishing his 2007 memoir Ronnie has whetted his appetite for more books: [ Click to listen if you have a backstage pass] "This is part one. I'm not finished yet. I like books -- I mean, it's a headache getting it together, and years and years of work, but I think now I'm getting the hang of it. I've remembered a lot more since (I published Ronnie), 'Oh, I wish I'd put that in the book!' You could go on forever like that. Y'know there's already a book two kind of kicking over in the back burner, if I wanted to do it. Also, on the front side, I'd like to write a novel or a mystery or something."

Wood will reunite later this year with Rod Stewart, Ian MacLagan, and Kenney Jones as the Faces for their first tour since 1975.