This is the most iconic guitar of all time, according to Billboard
If there’s one thing we can all agree about lists, it must be how no one ever agrees on them. Nonetheless, Billboard has released its own take on the 100 Most Iconic Guitars of All Time curated by a panel of industry experts, journalists and accomplished guitarists from various genres.
While defining “the greatest” isn’t easy, Billboard says that all of the guitars on the list are important to the instrument’s “history and ongoing evolution”.
So, grab your picks and let’s dive into the top three guitars that made the cut, along with a few surprising rankings that might just make you scratch your head.
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Taking the crown is none other than Jimi Hendrix’s legendary 1965 “Monterey” Stratocaster. This guitar isn’t just a pretty face; it was the very instrument Hendrix set on fire – and smashed – during his iconic performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
“The moment is frozen in rock history, surviving for generations in film, dorm-room posters and a limited-edition Fender replica,” says Billboard of the axe’s importance.
In second place we have Willie Nelson’s well-worn 1969 Martin N-20 acoustic guitar, affectionately named Trigger. With a gaping hole near its bridge — thanks to Nelson’s vigorous picking style, with his pick “constantly scuffing the guitar’s body” — Trigger has been by his side for every album and performance since 1969.
As you can imagine, Trigger takes the term relic’d to a whole new level, having been broken apart, glued back together, braced, lacquered, repaired and modified countless times over the years. It’s like the guitar equivalent of a well-worn pair of jeans, except it’s made of wood and strings and has a hole (or two) in it.
Rounding out the top three is Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstein guitar, a true game-changer in the world of rock. This guitar is a DIY masterpiece, famed for its iconic red-white-black colour scheme and ingenious mods that would go on to inspire countless rock guitarists decades on. The Frankenstein was originally fitted with a Fender Stratocaster bridge, though Van Halen later on swapped it out for a double-locking Floyd Rose tremolo.
As Billboard aptly puts, “With it, Eddie revolutionised not only how people played the guitar but also the very guitars they played.”
Other notable inclusions include David Gilmour’s Black Strat, Angus Young’s Gibson SG, Peter Green’s “Greeny” Les Paul Standard, and Brian May’s beloved Red Special, the latter two narrowly missing out top 10, ranking just 11th and 14th place respectively.
Check out the full list at Billboard.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
