GuitarRef
The legends

Artists & their guitars

From Clapton's Beano Les Paul to Hendrix's Woodstock Strat — the guitars that made history.

A

Albert CollinsBlues

American

Nicknamed 'The Master of the Telecaster' and 'The Iceman'. Playing a Telecaster in an open minor tuning with a capo — without a pick, using only his fingers — he produced a piercing, aggressive tone unlike anyone else. His slow-burning blues and sudden explosive runs made him one of the most exciting live performers in blues. Trash Talkin' (1969) and his later Alligator Records albums introduced him to rock audiences. His influence on younger guitarists including Gary Moore and Robert Cray is direct.

  • Telecaster 1966

    1966 – 1993

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    1966 Custom Telecaster with a Gibson humbucker at the neck, played in open F minor tuning with a capo and picked with bare fingers. His unmistakable Texas blues tone.

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    Fender signature model reproducing his 1966 Telecaster, with a humbucker in the neck position. Same configuration for his distinctive Texas blues sound.

Albert Hammond Jr.Indie Rock

American · 1998-present

Rhythm guitarist of The Strokes and son of songwriter Albert Hammond, Albert Hammond Jr. has played the same Olympic White Fender Stratocaster, a 1985 reissue of a 1972 model, since buying it for $400 in 1999. It became his primary instrument on nearly every Strokes record and his solo work, including Francis Trouble. Fender later honored the guitar with an official Albert Hammond Jr. Signature Stratocaster.

Albert KingBlues

American

One of the three Kings of the Blues alongside BB and Freddie. A left-handed player who played a right-handed Flying V upside down without restringing — creating a unique string tension that made his bends unlike anyone else's. His tone on Born Under a Bad Sign (1967), recorded with Booker T & the MGs at Stax, directly shaped Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and almost every blues-rock guitarist of the 1970s. His influence is heard every time a guitarist bends up to a note.

Alex TurnerIndie Rock

British · 2002-present

Frontman and guitarist of Arctic Monkeys since their 2002 formation, Alex Turner shifted his sound significantly around the band's 2009 album Humbug, adopting a sunburst Fender Jazzmaster (likely an AVRI 1962 reissue) that became synonymous with his live sound for roughly five years across Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets performances. Earlier in his career he was known for a Fender Bronco and various Stratocasters.

Andy SummersRock

British · 1977-present

Guitarist for The Police from 1977 to 1986, Andy Summers shaped one of rock's most distinctive sounds through a study in contrasts: a red Fender Stratocaster delivering shimmer, and a heavily modified 1963 Telecaster serving as his secret weapon. Bought for $200 in 1972, the Telecaster arrived already customized with a Gibson humbucker, an onboard overdrive, and a phase switch, and went on to cut "Roxanne," "Message In A Bottle," "Don't Stand So Close to Me," and "Every Breath You Take." Both guitars are what Summers calls "major historical items," and Fender honored the Telecaster with a 250-unit Custom Shop tribute model in 2007.

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    Bought for $200 in 1972 already customized with a Gibson humbucker, onboard overdrive, and phase switch; Summers' primary Police guitar on their first four albums; later replicated as a 250-unit Fender Custom Shop tribute model in 2007

    Notable: Roxanne, Message In A Bottle, Don't Stand So Close to Me, Every Breath You Take

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    The guitar Summers is most widely known for, alongside the modified Telecaster; called a "major historical item" by Summers himself

Angus YoungHard Rock

Australian

Lead guitarist of AC/DC since 1973 and one of rock's great showmen. He has played Gibson SG exclusively throughout his career — in a schoolboy uniform — channeling pure Chuck Berry energy into hard rock. His tone, built on a plexi Marshall, is deceptively simple: no effects, no pedals, just guitar and amp. Back in Black (1980) is the best-selling rock album of all time, and his riffs on Highway to Hell and Thunderstruck are among the most recognizable in rock history.

B

BB KingBlues

USA · 1947–2015

King of the Blues and the most influential electric blues guitarist of the 20th century. He developed a uniquely personal style built around a singing vibrato — achieved entirely with his fretting hand, never with a slide — and precise, economical phrasing. Every one of his semi-hollow Gibson ES-355s was named Lucille, after a woman he once risked his life to save. His tone and approach shaped virtually every electric blues and rock guitarist that followed, from Clapton to Mayer.

  • Lucille (ES-355)

    1980 – 2015

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    Black ES-355 without f-holes. Several guitars carried the name Lucille.

    Notable: Live at the Regal (1965), The Thrill is Gone

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    B.B. King's signature semi-hollow electric, played throughout his career and named "Lucille." Custom Gibson Lucille models feature his name inlaid at the headstock and "Lucille" engraved on the truss rod cover.

    Notable: The Thrill Is Gone

Billy CorganRock

American

Founder and primary guitarist of Smashing Pumpkins. His approach — layering dozens of guitar tracks to create a massive, orchestral wall of sound — defined the band's breakthrough on Siamese Dream (1993), recorded almost entirely on Stratocaster. Despite the grunge era's preference for simplicity, Corgan embraced complexity and maximalism. Cherub Rock, Soma and Mayonaise are landmarks of 1990s guitar production. He has also played Reverend and custom guitars in later years.

Billy GibbonsBlues Rock

American · 1969-present

The lead guitarist and singer of ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons has played "Pearly Gates," a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, on every ZZ Top album since the band's formation. Acquired for $250 in the late 1960s, the guitar is considered one of the most legendary Les Pauls in existence.

Bo DiddleyRock & Roll

American

Inventor of one of the most influential rhythms in rock and roll history. His syncopated 'Bo Diddley beat' — a variation on the clave rhythm from African and Afro-Cuban music — was the foundation of Who Do You Love (1956) and influenced the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen. He played a series of rectangular custom guitars, most famously his Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird, which became as iconic as his sound. His contribution to rock's rhythmic vocabulary is incalculable.

  • ES-335 1958

    1958 – 1975

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    ES-335 used before he adopted his signature rectangular guitar. Distinctive syncopated rhythm playing.

Bob DylanRock

American

The most important songwriter in American popular music, and a guitarist whose influence is felt more through rhythm and feel than technique. His early recordings on a Martin 00-17 and later a Martin D-28 — played with a flat pick and a capo — defined the sound of 1960s folk-rock. Blonde on Blonde (1966) and Blood on the Tracks (1975) are the twin peaks of his electric and acoustic work. His 1963 Martin D-28 accompanied him through the Rolling Thunder Revue and remains one of the most storied acoustics in rock.

Bruce SpringsteenRock

American · 1972-present

One of rock's most iconic frontmen, Bruce Springsteen has been inseparable from a single guitar for over 50 years: a hybrid instrument nicknamed "The Mutt," combining a Fender Esquire neck with a Telecaster body, purchased in 1973 for $185 from New Jersey luthier Phil Petillo. The guitar appeared on the cover of his breakthrough 1975 album Born to Run and has anchored nearly every studio and live performance since, described by Springsteen as "an extension of my body." It was displayed as the centerpiece of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Play It Loud exhibit.

Buddy GuyBlues

American

Chicago blues legend and a direct influence on Hendrix, Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan — all three have cited him as a primary inspiration. His wildly expressive, almost reckless Stratocaster playing — bending strings to the limit, playing behind his back — predated Hendrix's showmanship by years. Largely overlooked in the 1970s, his album Damn Right I've Got the Blues (1991) introduced him to a new generation. He has run his own club, Legends, in Chicago since 1989.

Buddy HollyRock & Roll

American

One of the founding fathers of rock and roll and a figure of extraordinary influence for his brief career. He was among the first rock artists to write his own songs, use the Stratocaster as a rock instrument, and perform with the classic guitar-bass-drums lineup. His Fender Stratocaster — chosen when most rock guitarists were playing hollowbodies — helped define the electric guitar's role in popular music. That'll Be the Day and Peggy Sue (1957) remain landmarks. He died in a plane crash in February 1959 at 22.

  • Stratocaster 1955

    1957 – 1959

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    Buddy Holly's first Stratocaster, bought new in 1955 at Adair Music in Lubbock. His main guitar on That'll Be the Day and Peggy Sue.

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    Custom Shop equivalent of Holly's Strat. Reproduces the specs of a 1955 Strat, as in the Custom Shop Buddy Holly signature model (2010-2011, limited to 50).

C

Carl BaratIndie Rock

British · 1997-present

Co-frontman and guitarist of The Libertines alongside Pete Doherty, Carl Barat's main guitar carries deep family history: a Gibson Melody Maker that belonged to his father, which Barat obsessed over as a child despite being forbidden from touching it. His father eventually relented and gave it to him as a gift. The guitar was stolen in 2022 and recovered just in time for Barat to play it at that year's Glastonbury festival and The Libertines' Up the Bracket 20th anniversary shows.

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    Originally belonged to Barat's father; given to him as a gift after years of childhood fascination; stolen and recovered in 2022 in time for Glastonbury and The Libertines' Up the Bracket anniversary shows

Carlos SantanaLatin Rock

MEX · 1966–présent

Pioneer of Latin-rock-blues fusion whose tone — warm, singing, with seemingly infinite sustain — has been instantly recognizable since his legendary Woodstock set in 1969, played on a Gibson SG. Through the 1970s he favored various Gibson models before transitioning to PRS in the 1980s, co-designing his signature model which he has played ever since. Abraxas (1970) and Supernatural (1999) bookend a career defined as much by his sound as his playing.

  • SG 1968

    1969 – 1972

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    Cherry 1968 SG, used at Woodstock. Characteristic sustain.

    Notable: Santana (1969), Abraxas (1970)

Cat StevensFolk

British · 1966-present

One of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 1970s, Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf) purchased a black Gibson J-180 in 1969 from London's famous Selmer's Music Shop. Its percussive, distinctive tone became central to landmark albums including Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for the Tillerman, and Teaser and the Firecat, on which he wrote and recorded "Wild World," "Peace Train," and "Father and Son." He sold the guitar along with the rest of his equipment at the end of the 1970s, donating the proceeds to charity, and was reunited with it decades later. Gibson honored the instrument with a limited-edition Collector's Edition replica in 2022.

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    Purchased in 1969 from Selmer's Music Shop in London; sold in the late 1970s with proceeds to charity, later reunited with the original instrument

    Notable: Wild World, Peace Train, Father and Son

Charlie ChristianJazz

American

The pioneer of jazz electric guitar. Before Christian, the guitar was a rhythm instrument in jazz. Playing a Gibson ES-150 with Benny Goodman's orchestra from 1939 to 1941, he demonstrated that the guitar could be a lead voice — fluid, hornlike, harmonically sophisticated. His after-hours sessions at Minton's Playhouse with Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk helped birth bebop. He died of tuberculosis in 1942 at 25, having transformed the instrument in just three years.

Chet AtkinsCountry

American

Nicknamed 'Mr. Guitar' and the architect of the Nashville Sound. His fingerpicking style — thumb handling bass lines while fingers played melody and chords simultaneously — redefined what a solo guitarist could do, influencing Merle Travis, Mark Knopfler and countless others. He played Gretsch guitars throughout his career, most famously the 6120 Nashville that bears his name. His production work at RCA Nashville in the 1950s and 60s shaped the sound of country music for a generation.

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    Chet Atkins' signature 6120 Nashville. Defined the sound of modern country fingerpicking.

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    Atkins' true preferred instrument, despite being more commonly photographed with the 6120; he had significant direct input in its design from the outset, and it is heard on the majority of his most celebrated recordings

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    Atkins' own nylon-string electro-acoustic design, developed in collaboration with Gibson after leaving Gretsch; the realization of a concept he had long wanted to build

Chris IsaakRockabilly

American · 1978-present

Known for the 1991 hit "Wicked Game," rockabilly-inspired singer-songwriter Chris Isaak has owned and relied on a Gibson J-200 as his primary songwriting instrument since the late 1980s. He used it on the vast majority of his 2011 Sun Records tribute album Beyond the Sun, telling Guitar World he played it on roughly 89% of the record.

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    Isaak's primary songwriting guitar since the late 1980s

    Notable: Beyond the Sun (2011, ~89% of the album)

Chris StapletonCountry/Southern Rock

American · 2001-present

A former Nashville songwriter turned solo artist, Chris Stapleton is known for his powerful voice and deep commitment to vintage instruments. His main acoustic, a 1953 Gibson J-45, has been with him since the start of his career, alongside a 1962 Fender Jazzmaster and a modified 1969 Martin D-28 nicknamed "Magdalen."

Chuck BerryRock & Roll

USA · 1953–2017

The father of rock and roll. His double-string riffs on a Gibson ES-350T defined the template for every rock guitarist that followed. Johnny B. Goode (1958) is the most covered guitar riff in history. His showmanship — the duck walk, the one-armed playing — established the visual language of rock performance. His influence on the Beatles and Rolling Stones is incalculable: Keith Richards has called him "the beginning and end of rock and roll guitar".

  • ES-335 1958

    1958 – 1975

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    Semi-hollow 335, his "duck walk" sound. Father of Rock and Roll.

    Notable: Johnny B. Goode (1958), Roll Over Beethoven

D

Dave GrohlGrunge

American

Former drummer of Nirvana turned founder and frontman of Foo Fighters. As a guitarist he favors simplicity and power over technicality, playing a Gibson EDS-1275 doubleneck live for songs requiring both six and twelve-string parts. His main guitars have included various Gibson and Trini Lopez models. Nevermind (1991) as Nirvana's drummer and The Colour and the Shape (1997) as Foo Fighters' leader are his two defining records.

Dave MatthewsRock

South African/American

Founder of the Dave Matthews Band and one of the most distinctive acoustic guitarists in rock. His fingerpicking style — combining jazz voicings, African rhythms and folk strumming on a Taylor acoustic — is entirely self-taught and immediately recognizable. Under the Table and Dreaming (1994) and Crash (1996) established the DMB as one of the biggest live acts in America. His acoustic guitar work, heard most clearly on Crash Into Me and The Space Between, defies easy categorization.

David GilmourRock

British

Guitarist of Pink Floyd from 1968 and one of the most celebrated tone architects in rock. His sound evolved from a battered 1969 Stratocaster — used on Dark Side of the Moon (1973) and Wish You Were Here (1975) — to a more refined approach on The Wall (1979). His Black Strat, sold at auction for $3.9 million in 2019, is the most valuable guitar ever sold. His solos on Comfortably Numb and Shine On You Crazy Diamond are widely considered the most emotionally powerful in rock history.

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    Gilmour bought this 1969 Martin D-35 in 1970 in New York, from a man selling it on the street outside Manny's Music Shop, as a second acoustic for Grantchester Meadows. It stayed his main steel-string acoustic for decades and appears on Pink Floyd and solo records from 1972 to 2015.

    Notable: Wish You Were Here (title-track solo), Obscured by Clouds, Animals (Dogs), The Wall, A Momentary Lapse of Reason, About Face, On An Island, Rattle That Lock

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    Fender signature model reproducing the Black Strat. With custom EMG pickups and a Floyd Rose.

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    Custom Shop equivalent of the Black Strat. Reproduces the specs of a 1969 Strat.

  • Black Strat 1969

    1969 – present

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    Black 1969 Stratocaster, the main guitar of Pink Floyd. Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here.

Duane AllmanHard Rock

USA · 1965–1971

Widely regarded as one of the greatest slide guitarists in rock history. Co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, he played his Gibson Les Paul Goldtop slide work on the landmark live album At Fillmore East (1971), considered the pinnacle of Southern rock. That same year, Eric Clapton invited him to play on Layla — his slide parts on the title track are among the most emotional in all of rock. He died at 24 in a motorcycle accident in October 1971, just as his genius was fully flowering.

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    1959 Les Paul Standard acquired in September 1970 in exchange for his Goldtop. Played until the end of his career, notably on At Fillmore East.

    Notable: Layla (1970), At Fillmore East (1971)

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    1957 Goldtop, his main guitar for his first 18 months with the Allman Brothers Band. Played on their first two albums and on the Layla sessions, and often re-tuned between songs to play slide in open E. Traded in September 1970 for a 1959 Les Paul Standard.

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    Accessible equivalent of Duane's Goldtop. A Custom Shop model reproducing the specs of 1957-1960 Goldtops.

E

Eddie CochranRock & Roll

American

One of the founding fathers of rockabilly and a guitarist of extraordinary natural ability. His orange Gretsch 6120 Nashville — heard on Summertime Blues and C'mon Everybody (1958) — became the visual symbol of 1950s rock and roll. He was also a gifted studio craftsman, overdubbing multiple guitar parts years before it became standard practice. His death in a car accident in 1960 at 21, on tour in England, deprived rock of one of its most promising early talents.

Eddie Van HalenHard Rock

American

The most influential rock guitarist of his generation. His two-handed tapping technique, showcased on Eruption (1978), rewrote the rulebook for electric guitar overnight — every rock guitarist in the world had to reckon with it. He played a self-built 'Frankenstrat' — a hybrid of Fender and Gibson parts — on Van Halen's early records, later developing his own signature models with Kramer and then Peavey. Eruption, Panama and Jump defined the sound of 1980s rock. He died in October 2020.

Eddie VedderGrunge

American

Frontman and rhythm guitarist of Pearl Jam since 1990. A committed collector of vintage Telecasters — favoring their directness and roots feel — his rhythm playing underpins Pearl Jam's sound without ever drawing attention to itself. Ten (1991) and Vs. (1993) are the band's defining records. His solo acoustic work, including the Into the Wild soundtrack (2007), showcases a more intimate side built around Martin acoustics and baritone ukulele.

Eric ClaptonBlues Rock

UK · 1963–présent

British blues-rock legend nicknamed 'Slowhand'. He first came to prominence with the Yardbirds before defining the British blues sound on the John Mayall Bluesbreakers album (1966), where his 1960 Les Paul Standard 'Beano' produced the tone that made him a legend. He sold the Beano before forming Cream, where he played a Gibson SG. His most iconic period came with Derek & The Dominos, where his composite Stratocaster 'Blackie' — assembled from three battered Strats bought for $100 each — remained his main guitar from 1970 to 1985. Since 1988, his Fender signature Stratocaster with active Lace Sensor pickups has been his primary instrument.

  • Beano Les Paul

    1965 – 1966

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    LP Standard 1960 bought second-hand for £150. Sold before Cream.

    Notable: Bluesbreakers (1966), Layla

  • Blackie Strat

    1970 – 1985

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    Assembled from three Strats bought for $100 each at Sho-Bud in Nashville.

    Notable: Slowhand (1977), Journeyman (1989)

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    Purchased by Clapton in 1964 and used across his career with The Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, and his solo work. Used alongside a Gibson Firebird I during Cream's 1968 farewell shows, on Badge (1968), throughout Blind Faith's 1969 sessions and tours, and as a key stage guitar on the 1994 Nothing But the Blues tour (documented in Martin Scorsese's tour film). Featured on the cover of Live in Hyde Park (1996). Per longtime guitar tech Lee Dickson, this guitar accompanied Clapton to nearly every recording session for 25 years.

    Notable: Badge, Have You Ever Loved a Woman (Nothing But the Blues), Live in Hyde Park

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    A 1964 Gibson SG Standard hand-painted in psychedelic designs by Dutch art collective The Fool (Marijke Koger and Simon Posthuma). Clapton's primary guitar during the Cream era, alongside various Les Pauls.

    Notable: Disraeli Gears (Cream)

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    One of only 19 original 1958 Explorers made. Clapton purchased it via his manager Roger Forrester from a fan in Austin, Texas, circa 1983, and played it on stage, notably at the ARMS charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall, September 21, 1983.

    Notable: ARMS Concert, Royal Albert Hall (1983)

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    Purchased by Clapton as a tribute to Chuck Berry, who was closely associated with the ES-350T. Clapton played it on stage alongside Berry himself in 1986, and used it extensively for studio recording.

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    Used extensively by Clapton for stage work, including performances of Can't Find My Way Home. After the exhausting 1990 tour, he reportedly told guitar tech Lee Dickson he never wanted to see it again, but changed his mind and kept it in his collection.

    Notable: Can't Find My Way Home (live)

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    The accessible equivalent of the 1960 Beano Les Paul. The Custom Shop R0 faithfully reproduces the 1960 specs.

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    Fender signature model since 1988, with a locking system and active pickups. His main choice for 30 years.

F

Frank ZappaRock/Jazz Fusion/Avant-garde

American · 1963-1993

A prolific composer, guitarist and bandleader, Frank Zappa moved through a wide range of vintage instruments over his career, including a 1953/54 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, a Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster, a Gibson ES-355 used on his 1970 tour, a genuine Gibson SG nicknamed "Roxy," and a vintage Martin D-18 with a 12-fret slotted headstock traded from bandmate Mark Volman.

Freddie KingBlues

American

One of the three Kings of the Blues and one of the most influential instrumentalists in blues history. Playing a Gibson ES-345 with a thumbpick and a metal fingerpick, his instrumental recordings — Hideaway (1961), San-Ho-Zay — defined the Texas blues guitar style. Eric Clapton's Beano album (1966) was largely built on Freddie King arrangements. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mick Taylor and countless others have cited him as a primary influence.

G

Gary MooreBlues Rock

British/Irish

Irish guitarist known for one of the most emotionally raw tones in blues-rock. He famously acquired Peter Green's 1959 Les Paul 'Greeny' — the guitar's out-of-phase pickup becoming central to his sound on Still Got the Blues (1990), the album that defined European blues-rock. He played the Greeny until selling it to Kirk Hammett. His early career in Thin Lizzy and his heavy metal period with Ozzy Osbourne contrast sharply with his later blues work, making him one of rock's most versatile guitarists.

George HarrisonRock

British · 1958-2001

The Beatles' lead guitarist and "the quiet Beatle," George Harrison shaped the band's sound with his melodic guitar lines and later brought Indian classical influences into rock music. His guitar work spans from the jangly Rickenbackers of the Beatlemania years to the slide guitar that defined his solo career, including All Things Must Pass.

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    Used extensively by Harrison from 1966 to 1968, spanning the Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's era of the Beatles.

    Notable: Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

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    Harrison was given one of the first Rickenbacker 360/12 twelve-strings ever made, and its chiming sound became central to the Beatles' evolving guitar tone from 1964 onward, notably on A Hard Day's Night.

    Notable: A Hard Day's Night

H

Howlin' WolfBlues

American

One of the great giants of Chicago blues. His huge voice and raw, physical guitar playing — alternating between slide and standard technique on a Telecaster — created an atmosphere of barely controlled menace that no one has matched. Smokestack Lightnin' (1956) and Spoonful (1960) were covered by the Rolling Stones and Cream, introducing him to rock audiences. His influence on Led Zeppelin — who covered several of his songs — is profound and not always fully credited.

J

Jack JohnsonFunk / Pop

American

Singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist whose surf-folk sound defined a certain strain of early 2000s pop. He plays almost exclusively Martin acoustics, favoring their warm, open tone. Brushfire Fairytales (2001) and In Between Dreams (2005) are his most celebrated records. His unplugged, laid-back approach — rooted in Hawaiian surf culture — makes him one of the rare major artists whose sound is entirely defined by an acoustic guitar.

Jack WhiteBlues Rock

American

Co-founder of The White Stripes and one of the most influential rock figures of the 2000s. A fierce minimalist, he stripped rock back to its raw essentials — guitar, drums, nothing else. His main guitar with the White Stripes was a red 1964 JB Hutto Montgomery Ward Airline, chosen for its cheapness and refusal to stay in tune. He later favored various Gretsch hollowbodies with The Raconteurs and solo. Elephant (2003) and its single Seven Nation Army contain one of the most recognizable riffs of the 21st century.

James BurtonCountry

American

One of the most influential session and touring guitarists in rock and country history. He defined the chicken-pickin' style on Telecaster — a hybrid of picking and fingerpicking that gave country guitar its characteristic snappy, percussive attack. He played on Ricky Nelson's early hits in the late 1950s before becoming Elvis Presley's lead guitarist from 1969 until Elvis's death in 1977. His pink paisley Telecaster is one of the most iconic guitars in country music.

Jared James NicholsBlues Rock

American · 2010-present

A Gibson global ambassador known for his raw, single-pickup blues rock style, Jared James Nichols is rarely seen without one of two guitars: his signature Epiphone "Old Glory" or his vintage original 1953 Gibson Les Paul, nicknamed "Ole Red."

Jeff BeckBlues Rock

British

One of the most technically gifted and stylistically restless guitarists of his era. His early work with the Yardbirds and on Truth (1968) with Rod Stewart established him as a British blues-rock pioneer, playing a Les Paul. By Blow by Blow (1975) — recorded on Stratocaster — he had invented jazz-fusion guitar almost single-handedly. In later years he abandoned the pick entirely, using only his fingers and the whammy bar for an expressiveness no one has matched. He died in January 2023.

Jerry GarciaRock

American

Founder and lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead, and the defining voice of American jam band music. His early playing on a Gibson ES-335 evolved toward a series of custom guitars — most famously 'Wolf' and 'Tiger', built by luthier Doug Irwin — which he used for the extended improvisations that defined Dead shows from the 1970s onward. His playing drew on bluegrass, blues, jazz and psychedelia in equal measure. American Beauty (1970) and Live/Dead (1969) are essential documents.

Jim HallJazz

American

One of the most harmonically sophisticated guitarists in jazz history. Playing a Gibson ES-175, his spare, melodically inventive style influenced virtually every jazz guitarist who came after him — most notably Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny, who has called him the most important influence on his playing. His duo recordings with Bill Evans (Undercurrent, 1962) and his work with Sonny Rollins and Art Farmer represent the quiet peak of cool jazz guitar.

  • Gibson ES-175

    1955 – 2013

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    ES-175 played throughout his career. His sophisticated harmonic playing influenced generations.

Jimi HendrixRock

USA · 1963–1970

The most revolutionary electric guitarist in history. A left-handed player who restrung right-handed Stratocasters upside down, Hendrix redefined what the guitar could do through feedback, whammy bar and fuzz. His white 1968 Stratocaster, played at Woodstock for his iconic Star-Spangled Banner performance, is the most famous guitar moment in rock history. Are You Experienced (1967) and Electric Ladyland (1968) document the full arc of his genius. He died in 1970 at 27, leaving a legacy that every rock guitarist since has had to reckon with.

  • Woodstock Strat

    1968 – 1970

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    1968 Olympic White Strat played at Woodstock, played left-handed on a right-handed guitar with standard stringing.

    Notable: Electric Ladyland (1968), Live Woodstock

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    Fender signature model reproducing the 1968 Woodstock Strat, with reversed tuning machines for a left-handed player using a right-handed guitar.

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    Custom Shop equivalent of the Woodstock Strat. Reproduces the exact specs of a 1968 Strat.

Jimmy PageHard Rock

UK · 1962–présent

Founder and lead guitarist of Led Zeppelin, and one of the most influential guitarists in rock history. In Led Zeppelin's early years he favored a 1958 Telecaster, but his sound became defined by his 1959 Les Paul Standard 'Number One' — acquired in 1969 — which he used throughout Led Zeppelin II, III, IV and Physical Graffiti. On stage he famously played his red Gibson EDS-1275 doubleneck for Stairway to Heaven. A master of studio craft and the cello bow, his riffs and arrangements set the template for hard rock.

  • Number One

    1969 – 1980

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    1959 Standard acquired in 1969, heavily faded sunburst. Original PAFs.

    Notable: Led Zeppelin II/III/IV, Physical Graffiti

  • EDS-1275 Doubleneck

    1971 – 1975

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    Red Gibson EDS-1275, used for Stairway to Heaven in concert.

    Notable: Stairway to Heaven (live)

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    Jimmy Page's signature double-neck electric, famously used to perform "Stairway to Heaven" live with Led Zeppelin, requiring both 6-string and 12-string necks in the same song.

    Notable: Stairway to Heaven (live performances)

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    Accessible equivalent of the 1959 Number One. The R9 reproduces the exact specs of the 1959 Bursts.

Joe PassJazz

American

Considered the greatest solo jazz guitarist of all time. His Virtuoso series of albums (1973-1991), recorded entirely alone on a Gibson ES-175, demonstrated that a single guitar could simultaneously carry melody, harmony, bass line and rhythm — a feat previously thought impossible outside of classical guitar. His playing combined Charlie Parker's bebop vocabulary with a warmth and swing that made even the most complex passages sound effortless.

Joe PerryHard Rock

American

Lead guitarist of Aerosmith since 1970 and one of the defining voices of American hard rock. His raw, instinctive Les Paul playing on Walk This Way, Sweet Emotion and Dream On defined the Aerosmith sound of the 1970s. After a turbulent split from the band in 1979, the reunited Aerosmith became one of the best-selling rock acts of the 1980s and 90s, with Perry's tone — always centered on a Les Paul or his signature model — remaining instantly recognizable across five decades.

Joe StrummerPunk Rock

British · 1974-2002

Frontman, rhythm guitarist, and lyricist of The Clash, Joe Strummer built one of punk's most enduring legacies around a single guitar: a 1966 Fender Telecaster, purchased in 1975 and refinished in black and grey automotive paint by a mechanic friend. Covered in stickers accumulated over decades, it remained his main instrument through The Clash's entire run and beyond, right up to his death in 2002. Fender later honored it with an official Joe Strummer Telecaster signature model.

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    Purchased in 1975, refinished in black/grey automotive paint by a friend, covered in stickers; Strummer's main guitar at nearly every show until his 2002 death

John FruscianteRock

American

Guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and one of the most distinctive Stratocaster voices of his generation. Deeply influenced by Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles and funk, his playing on Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) — recorded on a battered 1962 Sunburst Strat — created the template for the RHCP sound. After leaving and rejoining the band, his work on Californication (1999) and By the Way (2002) showed increasing melodic sophistication. His vintage Stratocaster collection is among the most celebrated in rock.

John Lee HookerBlues

American · 1948-2001

A foundational figure in American blues, John Lee Hooker is known for his hypnotic boogie style. Though later associated with a signature Epiphone, he was documented playing several vintage Gibsons over his career, including a 1952 Les Paul Goldtop and a Gibson ES-330.

John LennonRock, Pop

British · 1957-1980

John Lennon (1940-1980) was a founding member of The Beatles and a leading songwriter of the 1960s and 1970s. His early sound was built on Rickenbacker 325s, bought in Hamburg in 1960 and then in 1964. From 1965-66 his main electric was the Epiphone Casino, stripped of its finish in 1968. His Gibson J-160E, a flattop with a pickup, carried most of his acoustic recordings until 1980.

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    A 1963 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins in orange with Filter'Tron pickups and Bigsby tailpiece, used by John Lennon during the 1966 recording sessions for The Beatles' single "Paperback Writer" / "Rain" and pictured in The Beatles Book in June 1966.

    Notable: Paperback Writer / Rain (1966)

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    Lennon bought his first Rickenbacker 325, a 1958 model, in Hamburg in 1960 and played 325s until the mid-1960s. The black 1964 model was his main stage guitar for the Ed Sullivan Show appearances. When it was damaged in December 1964, he briefly used a replacement.

    Notable: Early Beatles recordings and television appearances, including The Ed Sullivan Show (1964)

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    Lennon's Epiphone Casino became his main electric guitar after the Rickenbacker 325. In 1968 he had its sunburst finish stripped, the pickguard removed and the tuners replaced with gold Grovers. He kept using it as a solo artist.

    Notable: Revolver sessions; the Beatles rooftop concert (1969)

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    Lennon played Gibson J-160E acoustic-electrics from 1962 to the end of his life. His first, a 1962 model, was later sold at auction in 2015 for USD 2.41 million. A 1964 replacement became one of his primary guitars.

    Notable: Most of his acoustic recordings; the Bed-In for Peace (1969)

John MayallBlues Rock

British

Founder of the Bluesbreakers, the most important finishing school in British blues history. His 1966 album with Eric Clapton — Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton — launched Clapton's career and defined the sound of British blues. He subsequently gave similar platforms to Peter Green and Mick Taylor. Playing a variety of guitars including Telecaster and acoustic, Mayall himself was less a guitar virtuoso than a talent spotter and bandleader of extraordinary instinct.

John MayerBlues Rock

American

One of the most gifted blues-influenced guitarists of his generation, deeply shaped by Stevie Ray Vaughan and BB King. His early career on Stratocaster — documented on Continuum (2006) and Where the Light Is (2008) — established him as a serious blues player beyond his pop success. He later co-designed the PRS Silver Sky, a Stratocaster-influenced instrument that has become his primary guitar. His tone and technique are widely studied by younger guitarists.

John McLaughlinJazz

British

One of the most technically demanding and spiritually driven guitarists in jazz-fusion history. He first came to international attention on Miles Davis' Bitches Brew (1970), playing a Gibson ES-335. He then founded the Mahavishnu Orchestra, where he played a custom Gibson double-neck at blistering tempos that no one has matched before or since. His integration of Indian classical music and his devotion to Sri Chinmoy set him apart from every contemporary. The Inner Mounting Flame (1971) remains the defining album of jazz-fusion guitar.

Johnny CashCountry

American · 1955-2003

One of the most influential figures in American music, Johnny Cash built his stage persona as "The Man in Black" around a guitar to match: a custom all-black Martin D-35, the first Martin guitar ever finished in polished black. He played it on stage for nearly two decades, alongside a Martin D-28 that accompanied most of his career, including landmark releases like At Folsom Prison (1968) and the American Recordings series (1994-2003) with Rick Rubin. Martin later honored the instrument with commemorative D-35 and D-42 Johnny Cash signature editions.

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    The first Martin ever built with a polished black finish, played on stage for nearly two decades

    Notable: At Folsom Prison (1968), American Recordings series (1994-2003)

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    Cash's primary Martin from 1961 to 1982, when he spray-painted it black to match his "Man in Black" persona; the guitar he famously played at his 1968 Folsom Prison concert

    Notable: At Folsom Prison (1968), I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire

Johnny MarrAlternative Rock

British · 1982-present

Guitarist and co-founder of The Smiths, Johnny Marr is renowned for his intricate, jangly guitar work across four decades with the Smiths, The The, Electronic, Modest Mouse, and his own solo career. His black Rickenbacker 330 was his primary instrument during the Smiths' formative years, featured on tracks like "What Difference Does It Make?" His Fender Jaguar became so central to his identity that Fender released an official Johnny Marr signature model. And his 1977 Gretsch Atkins Super Axe, acquired around 1981 in trade for his Gibson Les Paul, was the guitar on which he wrote The Smiths' debut single "Hand in Glove" and played at the band's first-ever live show at The Ritz, Manchester, in October 1982.

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    Marr's primary guitar during the formative years of The Smiths, defining the jangly sound of the band

    Notable: What Difference Does It Make?, Reel Around the Fountain

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    Purchased from Denmark Street; used to record the tremolo riff on "How Soon Is Now?" and to write "Nowhere Fast"; played live at Glastonbury 1984, visible on the cover of Hatful of Hollow

    Notable: How Soon Is Now? (1984), Nowhere Fast (1985)

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    Bought from A1 Repairs in Manchester and immediately used to record The Smiths' Meat Is Murder; became Marr's most-used guitar of his career, played at The Smiths' final concert and used across The The, The Pretenders, and The Cribs; Gibson later released a 20-unit signed replica in his honor

    Notable: Meat Is Murder (1985), The Headmaster Ritual, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore, What She Said, I Want the One I Can't Have

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    Acquired around 1981 in trade for his Gibson Les Paul; the guitar on which he wrote The Smiths' debut single "Hand in Glove" and played at the band's first-ever live show at The Ritz, Manchester, October 1982

    Notable: Hand in Glove (1983)

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    Purchased for Marr by Sire Records boss Seymour Stein in New York in 1984 as part of the deal that brought The Smiths to the label; Marr wrote "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" and "Girl Afraid" within hours of getting the guitar back to his hotel room; played live at Glastonbury 1984 and on Top of the Pops

    Notable: Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Girl Afraid

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    Marr's stated primary guitar with The The, quoted directly saying "My main guitar with The The is a standard gun-metal blue Fender Stratocaster." Played extensively on the 1989-1990 "The The Versus the World" tour, including the Royal Albert Hall

    Notable: Mind Bomb (1989)

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    Featured on the cover of Uncut magazine, May 2018; described by Marr as one of his favorite guitars

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    Marr's own official signature model, released by Fender in 2012 and still in production; central to his identity as one of the few guitarists in Fender's modern signature lineup

Johnny WinterBlues Rock

American · 1968-2014

A Texas blues rock guitarist known for his blistering slide playing, Johnny Winter was closely associated with the Gibson Firebird throughout his career, using its distinctive tone across decades of recordings and live performances.

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    Winter's primary electric guitar throughout much of his career, defining his slide-driven Texas blues rock sound.

Jonny GreenwoodRock

British

Radiohead's guitarist and film composer, and one of the most unconventional voices in rock. On Pablo Honey (1993) and The Bends (1995) he played a fairly conventional Telecaster, but by OK Computer (1997) he was using the guitar's kill-switch to create the stuttering rhythm of Airbag — a technique that redefined what a guitar could do in a rock context. He later moved toward prepared guitar, orchestral scoring and lap steel, making him one of the most restless and hard-to-categorize musicians of his generation.

Josh HommeRock

American

Founder of Queens of the Stone Age and one of the defining voices of 2000s rock. His tone — built on a Gibson ES-335 played through Orange amplifiers — created the hypnotic, heavy groove of Songs for the Deaf (2002) and ...Like Clockwork (2013). His approach combines Sabbath-influenced heaviness with a desert-rock lope that is entirely his own. Also known for his work with Them Crooked Vultures alongside Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones.

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Keith RichardsRock

UK · 1962–présent

The rhythmic backbone of the Rolling Stones since 1962 and one of rock's greatest rhythm guitarists. His early work with the Stones on Satisfaction and Jumpin' Jack Flash was defined by a battered 1950s Telecaster. From Honky Tonk Women (1969) onward, he developed his signature open-G 5-string tuning, heard most clearly on his 1953 Telecaster 'Micawber'. Brown Sugar, Start Me Up and Tumbling Dice are among the most recognizable riffs in rock, all built on that deceptively simple open-G approach.

  • Micawber

    1969 – present

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    Five-string 1953 Tele tuned to open G. The Stones' signature sound.

    Notable: Honky Tonk Women, Brown Sugar, Start Me Up

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    First used by Richards in 1969, on the road and in the studio for Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. Has been a staple of every Rolling Stones tour since 1997. In 2026 Gibson Custom released a Collector's Edition replica of this exact guitar, built from 3D scans.

    Notable: Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St.

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    Custom Shop equivalent of the five-string 1953 Micawber. Reproduces the specs of an early 50s Tele.

Kirk HammettHeavy Metal

American · 1981-present

Lead guitarist of Metallica since 1983, Kirk Hammett is the current owner of "Greeny," one of the most storied Les Paul Standards ever made. Originally owned by Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green, who used it on early hits like "Black Magic Woman" and "Albatross," the guitar was sold to Gary Moore in 1971 and played for three decades through his solo career and Thin Lizzy. Hammett purchased it in 2014 for a reported sum under $2 million and has used it extensively in the studio and on stage since. The guitar's distinctive out-of-phase tone, caused by a reversed neck pickup magnet, became so influential Gibson added a permanent "Greeny" model to its core line-up in 2023.

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    Originally owned by Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac), sold to Gary Moore in 1971 who played it for 30 years, purchased by Hammett in 2014; distinctive out-of-phase tone from a reversed neck pickup magnet

    Notable: Black Magic Woman, Albatross (Peter Green era), Waiting For An Alibi, Parisienne Walkway (Gary Moore era)

Kris KristoffersonOutlaw Country

American · 1965-2020

A founding member of The Highwaymen alongside Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson is one of the most celebrated songwriters in American music. He wrote classics like "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Help Me Make It Through the Night" on his beloved 1954 Gibson Southern Jumbo, an instrument so central to his songwriting legacy that Gibson later released a limited-edition 300-unit Kristofferson Southern Jumbo signature model in tribute.

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    The guitar on which Kristofferson wrote many of his most famous songs; Gibson later released a limited-edition 300-unit signature model in tribute

    Notable: Me and Bobby McGee, Help Me Make It Through the Night

Kurt CobainGrunge

USA · 1987–1994

Grunge icon and frontman of Nirvana. Deliberately favored cheap, unloved guitars as a statement against rock excess: early recordings used a battered Fender Mustang and Jaguar, while his main studio guitar on Nevermind (1991) was a heavily modified Stratocaster. His left-handed 1969 Competition Mustang — used extensively on In Utero (1993) and the MTV Unplugged session — has become one of the most sought-after guitars in rock history. He died in April 1994 at 27.

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Larry CarltonJazz/Session

American · 1968-present

Nicknamed "Mr. 335," Larry Carlton is one of the most recorded session guitarists in history, having played on hits for Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell and countless others. His 1968 Gibson ES-335 has remained his primary instrument for over five decades, including the famous solo on Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne."

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    Carlton's primary instrument for over five decades, featured on the guitar solo for Steely Dan's Kid Charlemagne. Gibson released a signature "Mr. 335" model based on it.

    Notable: Kid Charlemagne (Steely Dan)

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    The jazz archtop Carlton used before acquiring his 1968 ES-335, when he wanted an instrument with a proper jazz box feel.

Lenny KravitzRock

American · 1989-present

Since his 1989 debut Let Love Rule, Lenny Kravitz has built a career on vintage-inspired rock tones, drawing on a collection of 1950s-70s instruments including Les Pauls, Stratocasters, and ES-series Gibsons. But he is most closely identified with the Gibson Flying V, an association strong enough that Gibson released two limited-edition Kravitz signature models: a 2002 Custom Shop run of just 125 units, and a later 1967-spec Flying V edition built to his personal specifications.

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    Kravitz's signature instrument, closely enough associated with him that Gibson released two limited-edition Kravitz Flying V models (2002, 125 units; and a later 1967-spec edition)

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    Cited by Kravitz as part of his core studio guitar lineup alongside his Flying Vs

Lightnin' HopkinsTexas Blues

American · 1946-1982

One of the most recorded bluesmen in history, Lightnin' Hopkins played a Gibson J-50 fitted with a DeArmond soundhole pickup for much of his career, influencing generations of blues and rock guitarists including Billy Gibbons and Johnny Winter.

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Malcolm YoungHard Rock

Australian · 1973-2014

The rhythm guitarist and co-founder of AC/DC, Malcolm Young built the band's driving sound around a 1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird nicknamed "The Beast," given to him by his brother George. He modified it extensively over the decades, using it on nearly every AC/DC recording.

Marcus KingSouthern Rock/Blues

American · 2014-present

A third-generation guitarist from South Carolina, Marcus King plays a 1962 Gibson ES-345 nicknamed "Big Red," a family heirloom passed down from his grandfather to his father and then to him. The guitar became the basis for a Gibson Custom Shop signature model in 2021.

Mark KnopflerBlues Rock

British

Founder of Dire Straits and one of rock's most distinctive fingerpickers. Playing without a pick — using his bare fingers directly on the strings — he created the crystalline Stratocaster tone heard on Sultans of Swing (1978) and Money for Nothing (1985). His main guitar on the early Dire Straits records was a 1961 Stratocaster. He has since moved toward a broader palette including National resonators and various acoustics, but his fingerpicked Strat tone remains immediately recognizable.

Mick JonesPunk Rock

British · 1976-present

Co-founder, lead guitarist, and a chief songwriter of The Clash, Mick Jones's guitar choices tracked the band's evolution. Their raw 1977 debut was built almost entirely on a cherry-finished Gibson Les Paul Junior Doublecut, driving tracks like "White Riot" and "Complete Control." As The Clash moved into the mainstream, Jones switched to a black 1959 Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty," played on hits like "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and at their legendary 1982 Shea Stadium show. A black 1978 Fender Stratocaster, sent to him alongside Paul Simonon's new bass, became his main studio guitar on nearly every record from London Calling onward.

Muddy WatersBlues

American

The father of Chicago electric blues and the single most important figure in the transition from Delta blues to rock and roll. He brought the slide guitar of the Mississippi Delta to Chicago, electrified it, and created the template for every blues-rock band that followed. Playing a Telecaster through a small amp at full volume, his recordings for Chess Records in the late 1940s and 1950s — Rollin' Stone, Hoochie Coochie Man — directly inspired the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and virtually every British blues band.

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Neil YoungRock

Canadian

Nicknamed the Godfather of Grunge for his influence on Cobain and the Seattle scene. His primary guitar since 1969 has been a 1953 Les Paul Goldtop 'Old Black', heavily modified with a Bigsby tremolo and a single humbucker. Its worn, feedback-prone tone defines his work with Crazy Horse on Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969) and Rust Never Sleeps (1979). He also plays a battered Martin D-45 acoustically, heard on Harvest (1972) and After the Gold Rush (1970).

Nick ValensiIndie Rock

American · 1998-present

Lead guitarist of The Strokes since the band's formation in 1998, Nick Valensi built the sound of landmark albums like Is This It and Room on Fire around a 1995 Epiphone Riviera, acquired from bandmate Albert Hammond Jr. in 1999. Valensi modified the guitar by removing its stock humbuckers and installing two hotwired P-94 pickups, creating the bright, cutting tone at the core of his lead guitar work. The original was briefly lost by an airline in 2016 and recovered damaged; Epiphone later released an official Nick Valensi Signature Riviera in tribute.

Nile RodgersFunk / Pop

American

Co-founder of Chic and one of the most influential rhythm guitarists in popular music. His 1960 Stratocaster 'Hitmaker' — its neck pickup tone instantly recognizable — underpins some of the most successful records of the past five decades: Le Freak (1978), David Bowie's Let's Dance (1983), Madonna's Like a Virgin (1984), Daft Punk's Get Lucky (2013). His percussive, chord-based approach — built on muted 16th-note strumming — is the foundation of funk and disco guitar.

Noel GallagherBritpop/Rock

British · 1991-present

The principal songwriter and lead guitarist of Oasis, Noel Gallagher built the band's definitive sound on a series of vintage Gibson and Epiphone hollow-bodies, including a 1960 Gibson ES-355 and a 1964 Epiphone Casino used across Oasis' biggest records.

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Pat MethenyJazz

American

The most Grammy-awarded jazz guitarist in history, with an extraordinary range spanning jazz, fusion, classical and world music. His early work on Gibson ES-175 established his lyrical, melodic voice on records like Bright Size Life (1976). He later embraced guitar synthesis, the Pikasso 42-string guitar and orchestral settings, always maintaining a melodic accessibility rare in jazz. His Pat Metheny Group albums — especially Still Life (Talking) (1987) — brought jazz-fusion to a wide audience.

Paul McCartneyRock, Pop

British · 1957-present

Paul McCartney (born 1942) is a songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the bassist of The Beatles and Wings. On guitar, he bought an Epiphone Casino in 1964, which became his main electric and is still his first choice, and a Martin D-28 in the late 1960s, which he used for songs such as Blackbird. His basses are not listed here, as the catalogue is guitar-focused for now.

  • Epiphone Casino (1962)

    1964 – present

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    McCartney bought his 1962 Epiphone Casino in 1964, on the advice of bluesman John Mayall. It has a factory Bigsby vibrato and was restrung left-handed. It was his main electric guitar with The Beatles and he still plays it today.

    Notable: Taxman solo, Drive My Car, Paperback Writer

  • Martin D-28 (1967)

    1967 – present

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    McCartney acquired a Martin D-28 in 1967-68 and used it as his main acoustic from the White Album sessions onward. He has since owned other D-28s, including an older 1964 model kept at home.

    Notable: Blackbird, Two of Us (White Album sessions)

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    McCartney bought this Epiphone Texan FT-79 in the summer of 1964 and restrung it left-handed. He used it for songwriting, studio work and the live performances of Yesterday in 1965. The Martin D-28 replaced it as his main acoustic for Beatles recording sessions from 1968, but he still plays it for Yesterday in concert.

    Notable: Yesterday (studio recording and live performances, 1965)

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    McCartney took up a left-handed Yamaha BB1200 for the recording of Back to the Egg with Wings, and played it on stage and in the studio into the mid-1980s. The Broad Bass, a neck-through Japanese bass, became the instrument that bridged the end of Wings and his early-1980s solo work.

    Notable: Back to the Egg (Wings, 1979); Tug of War sessions (1981-82)

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    McCartney's second Höfner 500/1, given to him by the company in October 1963, was his main bass on stage until the Beatles' last concerts in 1966 and appeared on the rooftop in 1969. He used it with Wings and still plays it today. His first Höfner, bought in Hamburg in 1961 for about 30 pounds, was stolen in 1972 and returned to him in 2024.

    Notable: Beatles live career 1963-1966; the Let It Be rooftop concert (1969)

Pete DohertyIndie Rock

British · 1997-present

Co-frontman of The Libertines, formed with Carl Barat in 1997, Pete Doherty has cycled through numerous instruments across a chaotic career including Babyshambles and Peter Doherty and the Puta Madres. But he has singled out one guitar as his mainstay: a cherry red vintage Epiphone Coronet, which he described directly as "my live guitar" in a 2024 interview, reaching for Gibson J-45s and J-60s when writing acoustically at home.

Pete TownshendRock

British

Guitarist and primary songwriter of The Who since 1964. His windmill strumming technique — huge, sweeping arm movements across the strings — created a wall of sound from a single guitar that defined the Who's live power. He played a succession of Gibson SGs and later Rickenbackers, frequently destroying them on stage as a statement of performance art. My Generation (1965), Won't Get Fooled Again and Baba O'Riley — from Who's Next (1971) — are his defining works.

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    The accessible equivalent of Townshend's SG, for the powerful sound of The Who.

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    Townshend smashed a Rickenbacker at the Railway Hotel in September 1964, the founding moment of his signature guitar-destroying stage act, later cited by Rolling Stone among the "50 Moments That Changed Rock & Roll"; he continued using and occasionally destroying Rickenbacker 12-strings for decades, including a documented 1989 tour incident

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    SG Special played and destroyed on stage by Townshend. Symbol of The Who's destructive rock.

Peter GreenBlues

UK · 1965–1998

Co-founder of Fleetwood Mac and one of the most gifted blues guitarists of his generation. His tone was defined by a unique accident: the neck pickup on his 1959 Les Paul Standard 'Greeny' was wired out of phase, producing an unmistakable hollow, singing sound heard on Albatross and Oh Well (1968-69). He sold the Greeny for a fraction of its value before withdrawing from music due to mental illness. The guitar later passed to Gary Moore, then to Kirk Hammett, and inspired an official Gibson replica in 2023.

  • Greeny

    1966 – 1970

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    Reversed bridge pickup for a unique out-of-phase tone. Sold to Gary Moore, then to Kirk Hammett.

    Notable: Fleetwood Mac (1968), Oh Well

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    Equivalent of the Greeny. An R9 with a reversed bridge pickup reproduces the characteristic out-of-phase sound.

  • Kirk Hammett Greeny

    2023 – present

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    Gibson released an official replica in 2023 of the Greeny that Kirk Hammett bought from Gary Moore.

PJ HarveyAlternative Rock/Art Rock

British · 1988-present

A two-time Mercury Prize winner known for her genre-defying work, PJ Harvey played a 1970s Gretsch Broadkaster hollow-body throughout much of the 1990s before switching to a vintage Gibson Firebird as her main guitar in the 2000s, featured prominently on Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea.

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    Harvey's main guitar throughout much of the 1990s, both in the studio and live.

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    Harvey's main guitar starting in the 2000s, prominently featured on the Mercury Prize-winning Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea.

    Notable: Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

Popa ChubbyElectric Blues

American · 1994-present

Born Ted Horowitz, Popa Chubby is a New York blues guitarist known for his explosive live performances and serious vintage guitar collection of over 20 instruments. His main guitar for more than two decades has been a 1966 Fender Stratocaster in Fiesta Red, self-modified over the years.

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Randy RhoadsHeavy Metal

American

Prodigy guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, killed in a plane crash at 25. Playing a custom polka-dot Gibson Flying V and a white Les Paul Custom, he brought a neoclassical sensibility — rooted in Bach and Paganini — to heavy metal on Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981). His solos on Crazy Train and Mr. Crowley remain benchmarks of the genre. His death cut short a career that was just beginning to define a new direction for rock guitar.

Ritchie BlackmoreHard Rock

British

Founder of Deep Purple and Rainbow, and one of the architects of heavy metal guitar. Playing a Fender Stratocaster through a Marshall stack, he brought a neo-classical, Bach-influenced sensibility to hard rock on Smoke on the Water and Highway Star (from Machine Head, 1972). His fast, minor-key runs and aggressive picking technique defined European heavy metal for a generation. He later returned to his Renaissance and medieval music interests with Blackmore's Night.

Robert JohnsonBlues

American

The most mythologized figure in blues history. His 29 recordings made in 1936-37 — including Cross Road Blues, Sweet Home Chicago and Love in Vain — laid the foundation for Chicago blues, British rock and modern popular music. Playing a Gibson L-1 and later a Kalamazoo, he developed a style so advanced that early listeners assumed there were two guitarists. The legend of selling his soul at the crossroads has cemented his status as the ultimate blues archetype. He died in 1938 at 27.

  • Gibson L-1 1929

    1929 – 1938

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    L-1 archtop seen in the only known photo of Johnson. Instrument of the original Delta blues.

Rory GallagherBlues Rock

Irish · 1963-1995

An Irish blues rock guitarist revered for his raw, energetic playing, Rory Gallagher was almost never seen without his battered 1961 Fender Stratocaster, one of the most iconic and heavily worn Stratocasters in rock history, its finish stripped bare by decades of sweat and use.

Roy BuchananBlues/Telecaster Virtuoso

American · 1958-1988

Widely regarded as one of the greatest Telecaster players of all time, Roy Buchanan built his reputation on pinch harmonics and volume-swell technique using a 1953 Fender Telecaster nicknamed "Nancy."

Rudolf SchenkerHard Rock

German · 1965-present

The rhythm guitarist and co-founder of Scorpions, Rudolf Schenker is one of the most dedicated Gibson Flying V collectors in rock history, owning more than 70 vintage and collectible examples, including three original 1958 Flying Vs and three from 1967-1969.

Ry CooderCountry

American

Master of slide guitar, fingerpicking and musical cross-pollination. He played on the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers sessions in the early 1970s, favoring open-tuned Stratocasters and resonator guitars. Best known internationally for producing and playing on Buena Vista Social Club (1997), which brought Cuban son music to a global audience. His ability to inhabit any American roots style — blues, gospel, tex-mex, Hawaiian — makes him one of the most versatile guitarists of his generation.

Ryan AdamsAlt-Country

American · 1994-present

One of alt-country and indie rock's most prolific songwriters, Ryan Adams has released over 30 studio albums since leaving Whiskeytown in 2000 to launch a celebrated solo career with Heartbreaker. Though he has cycled through Fender Stratocasters and a Gibson SG over the years, his walnut Gibson ES-355, nicknamed "Peanut," is widely considered the guitar most associated with his sound. He also owned a 1967 Gibson Southern Jumbo, covered in Star Wars stickers, which he later donated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Scotty MooreRockabilly/Rock and Roll

American · 1954-1997

Elvis Presley's original guitarist, Scotty Moore is widely credited with inventing the vocabulary of rock and roll guitar on the Sun Sessions recordings of 1954-55. His clean, syncopated lead lines on songs like That's All Right and Mystery Train directly influenced generations of guitarists, including Keith Richards, Jimmy Page and George Harrison.

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    Purchased in January 1957 per a period receipt from Chicago Musical Instrument Co. explicitly noting "With Elvis Presley," and accompanied by a signed 1992 statement from Moore himself confirming its provenance.

SlashHard Rock

British/American

Lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses and one of the most recognizable figures in hard rock. His tone — built around a 1959 Les Paul Standard copy and a Marshall amp — defined the sound of Appetite for Destruction (1987), the best-selling debut album in history. His solo on Sweet Child O' Mine is one of the most instantly recognizable in rock. He has played various Les Paul models throughout his career, including his signature Gibson models, maintaining a tone rooted in the classic PAF humbucker sound.

Stephen StillsRock

American

One of the most versatile guitarists of the classic rock era. Co-founder of Buffalo Springfield, where his guitar work on For What It's Worth (1967) is among the most recognizable of the decade. With Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young he brought blues, country and folk together in a single style, playing a battered Martin acoustic alongside his electric work. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969) showcases his extraordinary range. Often overshadowed by his famous collaborators, he remains one of the most gifted guitarists of his generation.

Steve EarleCountry / Americana / Rock

American · 1970s-present

Steve Earle (born 1955) broke through with the 1986 album Guitar Town and has become as celebrated for his guitar knowledge as for his songwriting. He has an encyclopedic grasp of pre-war Martins and Gibsons, built a large vintage collection, and documented it in his 2020 video series Guitar Town. Martin issued a Steve Earle Custom Edition M-21 in 2008. His favorite guitar is a 1935 Martin D-28.

Stevie Ray VaughanBlues

USA · 1972–1990

Master of Texas blues and one of the most ferocious guitarists of his generation. His entire career was built around a single guitar: his battered 1963 Stratocaster 'Number One', strung with .013s and tuned half a step down, which he played on Texas Flood (1983), Couldn't Stand the Weather (1984) and In Step (1989). He overcame severe addiction in the late 1980s, and his death in a helicopter crash in August 1990 — just as he had reclaimed his powers — remains one of rock's great tragedies.

  • Number One

    1974 – 1990

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    1963 sunburst Strat, .013 strings, tuned a half step down.

    Notable: Texas Flood (1983), Couldn't Stand Weather

  • SRV Stratocaster

    1992 – present

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    Fender signature model reproducing the Number One: thick neck, .013 strings, tuned a half step down.

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The EdgeRock

Irish

U2's guitarist since 1976 and one of the most distinctive voices in rock. Rather than lead pyrotechnics, his signature sound is built on rhythmic delay, sparse open chords and layered atmospheric textures, primarily on Gibson Explorer and various Stratocasters. The intro to Where The Streets Have No Name, the chime of Sunday Bloody Sunday, the shimmer of With or Without You — all built on delay-drenched minimalism. The Joshua Tree (1987) is the fullest expression of his approach.

Tom BukovacSession/Rock

American · 1990s-present

One of Nashville's most in-demand session guitarists, Tom Bukovac has played on countless recordings and built a widely admired collection of vintage instruments, documented extensively in his own Rig Rundown features. His current favorite is a 1958 Gibson ES-335, alongside a rare 1965 Firebird I in factory Ember Red and a 1961 Gretsch 6120.

Tom MorelloHeavy Metal

American

Guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and one of the most inventive players of the 1990s. Playing a custom Arm the Homeless Stratocaster-style guitar through a heavily modified signal chain, he used toggle switches, kill-switches and turntable-inspired techniques to make his guitar sound like a hip-hop DJ or a machine. Killing in the Name and Bulls on Parade (1992) are the fullest expressions of his approach. His playing requires almost no conventional technique — and is completely unmistakable.

Tom PettyRock

American · 1970-2017

Frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty helped define the jangly sound of American rock over a four-decade career. His blonde Rickenbacker 360/12, purchased in 1980 from the famous Norman's Rare Guitars, became one of his primary instruments and his self-described favorite guitar. Its unmistakable chime anchored some of his most iconic 12-string parts. Rickenbacker later honored Petty with a limited-edition signature model, the 660/12TP, released in 1991.

Tony IommiHeavy Metal

British

Guitarist of Black Sabbath and the inventor of heavy metal. After losing the tips of his middle and ring fingers in a factory accident at 17, he tuned his guitar down to reduce string tension — accidentally creating the dark, detuned sound that defined Black Sabbath. Playing a modified SG with custom thimble fingertips, his riffs on Black Sabbath, Iron Man and War Pigs (Paranoid, 1970) are the foundation of every metal subgenre that followed. No guitarist has had a more consequential accident.

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Waylon JenningsOutlaw Country

American · 1958-2001

A pioneer of the Outlaw Country movement and a founding member of The Highwaymen alongside Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings was rarely seen without a Fender Telecaster in hand. Over his career he played five leather-clad Teles, hand-tooled with his initials and a "Flying W" logo, most famously a 1953 model gifted to him in the 1960s. His unmistakable Tele tone anchored hits like "I've Always Been Crazy" and "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," and Fender later honored the guitar with a $25,000 Custom Shop Masterbuilt recreation.

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    Hand-tooled leather-clad Telecaster, decorated with his initials and a "Flying W" logo

    Notable: I've Always Been Crazy, Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys

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    One of the earliest Fender solidbody guitars, predating the Telecaster name change; now owned by Keith Urban

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    Jennings' primary songwriting guitar at home and on the road for decades; one of the first D-28s built after WWII, blending pre-war herringbone styling with post-war construction. Preserved today in the Martin Guitar Museum

Wes MontgomeryJazz

American

One of the most revolutionary figures in jazz guitar history. Rather than using a pick, he played exclusively with his thumb — producing a warm, round tone unlike any other guitarist. His development of octave playing (doubling melodies in octaves) became one of the most imitated techniques in jazz. Playing a Gibson L-5, his recordings for Riverside and Verve — including The Incredible Jazz Guitar (1960) and Smokin' at the Half Note (1965) — remain the benchmarks of jazz guitar.

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Zach BryanCountry

American · 2020-present

One of the biggest breakout stars in modern country music, Zach Bryan built his sound on stripped-down, emotionally direct songwriting. Live, his Gibson J-45 has been his primary guitar for the majority of his sets, while a Guild F-55 jumbo acoustic appears frequently across his performances and recordings, both instruments suited to his raw, unpolished approach to Americana.

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    Bryan's main live guitar, used for the majority of his sets according to firsthand concert reports

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    One of Bryan's most frequently seen acoustics across performances and recordings