Billboard has released its list of the 100 Greatest Guitars of All Time, and it includes a fair few surprising – and at times questionable – rankings.
The guitar, Billboard says, “is probably the most pivotal instrument of the 20th century, serving as a centerpiece for a variety of genres that changed the course of culture in America and around the world”.
But, it asks, which instruments are the most iconic? We’re not just talking makes and models here – that would surely be a shootout at dawn between the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster. Instead, it’s highlighting specific artist-owned instruments.
A panel made up of big-name guitarists, journalists, and industry experts was assembled to compile its definitive list. Guitar World's own Damian Fanelli was part of the panel, alongside Billy Gibbons, Duane Betts, Joe Perry, Orianthi, and Sweetwater's Nick Bowcott. Together, they settled on quite the list.
The top three spots aren't too surprising, though, with the iconic guitars of Jimi Hendrix, Willie Nelson, and Eddie Van Halen taking the podium spots.
Jimi Hendrix's "Monterey" Stratocaster took the top spot. This was the guitar the trailblazing guitar legend spectacularly set aflame at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, a moment Billboard says is “frozen in rock history”.
The instrument survived the flaming send-off of Hendrix's performance, “surviving for generations in film, dorm-room posters”, and limited edition replicas.
Willie Nelson's time-savaged 1969 Martin N-20 acoustic guitar, nicknamed “Trigger”, follows closely behind. The gaping hole near its bridge takes relic'd guitars to a whole new level, but its presence is no wonder: Trigger has been by Nelson's side for every album and gig since 1969. Few guitars can boast such longevity.
The hole, Billboard explains, “is a result of Nelson’s forceful picking style, with his plectrum constantly scuffing the guitar’s body”.
In fact, it bears the scars of tireless, politically charged playing all over its body. Over the years it's been glued back together, braced, lacquered, and modified and yet – 55 years after it was crafted out of Sitka spruce and Brazilian rosewood – it still lives on.
Eddie Van Halen “revolutionized not only how people played the guitar but also the very guitars they played,” Billboard says. “Few, if any, guitars in rock n’ roll have inspired more adulation and imitation.”
That’s why his Frankenstein guitar takes third place on the list, falling behind Nelson's acoustic. The guitar is notable for its unhinged mod look, with the middle pickup cavity empty, save for exposed wires. The original bridge was swapped out for Eddie's preferred Floyd Rose and, at some point, a 1971 quarter was screwed onto the face of the guitar to add to its DIY job chic.
The Frankenstein became an extension of Eddie and the embodiment of his innovation when it came to both playing and building six-strings. Indeed, Eddie's influence on the guitar world is just as strong today as it was at the height of Van Halen's powers.
Other notable guitars on the list include B.B. King’s beloved Lucille, Angus Young’s Gibson SG, and David Gilmour's 1969 Black Strat. Robert Johnson's Gibson L-1 is the only other acoustic to make the top 10.
However, there are a few glaring omissions in the top 10, most notably Brian May's Red Special, which has had to settle for a rather lowly 14th place finish. It's a strange one, for sure, and one that will probably be hotly contested.
And Greeny – perhaps the most iconic Les Paul of them all – also just misses out on the top 10, cropping up in 11th. In fact, there isn't a single Les Paul in the top 10, which is certainly curious. As mentioned, the Les Paul is arguably the most iconic guitar model of them all – and plenty of legendary artist-played examples exist – so to see it totally absent from the top 10 is a bold choice.
Head to Billboard to see the list in full.
