4 Iconic Rock Guitars and the Musicians Who Made Them Famous

Some believe a musician is only as good as the guitar they wield. We’re not so sure that’s true, because plenty of musicians have made killer music with notably cheap (or homemade) instruments. And these four rock musicians managed to make their unique guitars famous, rather than the other way around. Let’s take a look at some iconic guitars that have historically been used by some of the biggest names in rock music!

1. Frankenstrat (Eddie Van Halen)

Any self-respecting Van Halen fan knows what the Frankenstrat looks like from memory. This guitar is custom-made, and it gets its name from the fact that it is made up of a Fender Stratocaster body, some Gibson pickups, and a tremolo by Floyd Rose. It’s been customized further through the years, though it has sounded largely the same since it was first put together. Today, a copy of the original Frankenstrat can be seen on display at the Smithsonian.

2. The Backwards Fender Stratocaster (Jimi Hendrix)

Jimi Hendrix was famously left-handed, but not everybody has the money or the time to find a left-handed guitar. They were in even shorter supply during the 20th century. So, naturally, this famous guitar god simply played a Fender Stratocaster backwards (or upside down, depending on how you view it). Few guitarists today, even the greats, can manage to play a guitar backwards with ease.

3. Twang Machine (Bo Diddley)

Out of all the famous rock guitars on this list, Bo Diddly’s twang machine is definitely the most unique-looking. This rock and roll blues iconic famously played a cigar box-shaped guitar for years. Diddley actually built his instrument by himself and used it throughout his career, though musical instrument company Gretsch later developed a fancier one for him.

4. Old Black (Neil Young)

Neil Young’s favorite guitar is a 1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop that he’s been playing for decades. According to Young, he got the guitar in a trade with Jim Messina (of Buffalo Spingfield) back in 1969. The pretty, dark-hued classic guitar has been featured on almost every one of Young’s albums since the 1970s. It’s had its fair share of modifications through the decades, as well as repairs, but it’s still kicking today.

Photo by Ross Marino/Getty

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