OVER the past five decades, the electric guitar has arguably been the most influential – and frequently played – instrument in all of popular music worldwide. It is safe to conclude that its arrival marks a crucial turning point in the history of music, altering both its sound and direction, pacing the way for rock and roll.
There are a great number of iconic guitarists and rock performers who came to prominence during the golden age of rock and roll. In fact, they could still be capable of rocking the entire world even today.
There are also a few guitars in existence that have a fascinating history, and remain historically significant to this day, as these guitars are deeply connected to the careers of some of the greatest guitarists to have ever performed onstage.
Many of the most prominent musical instruments wielded by these artistes have left an impact in pop culture that went beyond the unforgettable sounds they produced.
Here are the five most iconic guitars in musical history:
-> Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster
Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster is one of many guitars that can be linked to him, as it’s the most widely recognised instrument he played throughout his entire career. This guitar has earned a place on this list for a singular reason, namely, that its reputation was built around one singular incident that made music history.
At the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, Hendrix wrapped his performance with an extended version of Wild Thing, during which the left-handed player knelt next to his Fender Stratocaster and set it on fire, creating one of rock’s most iconic moments.
-> Kurt Cobain’s Martin 1959 D-18E
Nirvana is widely regarded as one of the most legendary bands of all time, and their performance on MTV Unplugged in 1994 is generally perceived as one of the most legendary live shows of all time.
The fact that the Martin acoustic guitar used by Kurt Cobain has now become the most expensive guitar ever sold is therefore not surprising. It was one of the early Martins with electric pickups, and was produced for a single year during the late 1950s.
After Cobain’s death in 1994, his daughter Francis Bean inherited the guitar and stored it in a hidden vault in Seattle with the rest of Kurt’s stuff. Isaiah Silva, Francis’ ex-husband, received the guitar as part of their 2017 divorce settlement.
Eventually, the legendary instrument was auctioned off, and ended up being bought by Peter Freedman, the founder of RODE Microphones, at US$6 million (RM26,547 million), making it the most expensive guitar ever sold in the entire world.
-> Eddie Van Halen’s Frankenstrat
Lovingly dubbed ‘Frankie’, this guitar was built sometime during the late 1970s by none other than the rock legend himself. At the time, Van Halen was attempting to merge the sound of a Gibson with the physical attributes of a Stratocaster.
The ultimate guitar for tone, playability, reliability, and functionality was always a goal for Van Halen. Not only does the guitar represent his avant-garde and eccentric playing style, but it also represents his creativity in terms of both design and engineering.
Frankie is surely one of the most recognisable custom guitar sever made, and has prompted countless reproductions from other manufacturers – most notably the range of guitars knows as the Superstrat – and a new generation of guitar makers.
-> Slash’s 1959 Gibson Les Paul Replica
There are no guitar players who suit the Les Paul mahogany body better than Slash from Gun N’ Roses. Slash is undoubtedly one of the most well-known Les Paul guitarists in rock. He owns a vast collection of Les Paul guitars, but his most famous is a 1959 replica created by one of the best luthiers, Kris Derrig.
In late 1986, Slash’s manager bought a guitar for the recording of the album Appetite For Destruction. The guitar equipped with Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 pickups became Slash’s primary studio instrument.
Other than Slash, Led Zeppelin’s guitarist Jimmy Page also was notably known for playing this iconic Les Paul guitar. Slash is also recognised for playing his 1987 Les Paul Standard, which has been utilised on multiple tours.
-> Tom Morello’s ‘Arm The Homeless’ Mongrel Custom
Rage Against The Machine (RATM) guitarist – and Guitar Hero icon – Tom Morello has his own signature custom-made guitar dubbed ‘Arm The Homeless’, and is probably the most unconventional addition to the list. Morello had it built to his exact specifications by a Hollywood custom guitar shop, and it was, in his opinion, “the worst instrument in the world.”
Morello eventually re-assembled the guitar and replaced almost every single piece himself. The guitar is equipped with EMG pickups in both neck and bridge, an Ibanez Edge Floyd Rose Tremolo, a toggle switch, and a locking nut on a 22-fret Kramer Carrera neck.
The iconic guitar is also the only instrument that can match Morello’s unpredictable playing style – from unplugging the guitar jack and holding it against the bridge, to using a pencil and a delay pedal to create the sound of a helicopter.
As for the name, Morello said he came up with it himself, and enjoys the contrast between the provocative phrase and the images of laughing hippos he sketched himself.
