As Made Famous By
1982 Fender Precision Bass,
Natural,
as made famous by Nick O'Malley
Natural P-Bass stunner, with all the chiming treble and punch that you could wish for from a high-grade ash body. Which is just perfect if you're in a band putting a rocket up British guitar indie in the noughties. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what he was thinking.
1988 Gibson ES-335 Dot,
Cherry Red,
as made famous by everyone!
The ES-335, seen in the hands of so many of the guitar greats ever since it was first introduced in 1958. This cherry beauty from 1988 takes you right back to the same design as the original dot inlay ES-335s, before the block inlay version came in in 1962. A classic!
1989 Gibson Les Paul Custom,
Ebony "Black Beauty",
as made famous by Les Paul
I know, I know. Any guitar with the Les Paul moniker was made famous by Les Paul. But this one more than most deserves that special mention. The executive-class, high-gloss, 24-carat gold, mother-of-pearl inlaid, split-diamond sparkler that is the Black Beauty. Guitar of dreams!
1990 Gretsch 7594 White Falcon,
White Duco,
For Goths, Rockers & Lovers
The White Falcon. Quite simply, an icon. Beautifully crafted, lavishly finished in white and gold, the sound of rock and roll, rockabilly, and goth. One name, so many varieties, so many rock gods. Just let this double-cut, tremolo beauty loose, and they're all yours!
1996 Fender Pink Paisley Telecaster,
Pink Paisley
as made famous by James Burton
Most famous in the hands of Elvis Presley's chicken-picking maestro James Burton, and since then anyone from Noel Gallagher to Taylor Swift. An eye-catching beauty, let alone a great player. "Play it, James".
1984 Epiphone Sheraton,
Natural,
as made famous by The Edge
Well, to be honest, you could point to almost any guitar and find a picture of The Edge playing it. But this one's about different memories - bought shortly after seeing and being blown away by a Bourbon Street guitarist playing his heart out in 2002.
1988 Martin D-35 P,
Natural,
as made famous by David Byrne
A man in a suit walks onto a bare stage, he starts up his boombox, and, almost possessed, launches into Psycho Killer. One of the most iconic openings to any concert video, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense. With David Byrne playing his heart and soul out on a Martin D-35. Not his, but as close as it gets!
1989 Rickenbacker 330/12,
Fire-glo,
as made famous by Johnny Marr
Not quite as old as Johnny Marr's 60s model, previously owned by Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music. But with that timeless design and that instantly recognisable sound, the choice of the decade is completely yours!
1993 Fender U.S. 52 Vintage Telecaster, Butterscotch Blonde,
as made famous by Graham Coxon
Really, as made famous by so many, but this one the original spec and year of Blur's Modern Life Is Rubbish, and Graham Coxon's most iconic guitar from the Britpop years.
1996 First-Run Fender Jag-Stang,
Sonic Blue,
as made famous by Kurt Cobain
Not only as made famous by, but also as designed by Kurt Cobain, shortly before his untimely death - the Fender Jaguar/Mustang hybrid that became an icon across the world
1985 Rickenbacker 330,
Jet-glo,
as made famous by Johnny Marr
What difference does it make? The forensic experts will point to the 1983 model for the perfect match - narrower headstock, different tuners. But play it and you'll be jumping in front of flying bullets for this one.
1988 Rickenbacker 325 V63,
Jet-glo,
as made famous by John Lennon
The short-scale, three pick-up 325 that Rickenbacker presented to John Lennon when The Beatles first landed in the States in 1964, immortalised live and in the studio on A Hard Day's Night, Help! and Rubber Soul, and beautifully recreated in this Rickenbacker 325 V63 from 1988.
1990 Gibson Les Paul Custom,
Alpine White, as made famous by
James Dean Bradfield
He may have broken the neck on his twice, and changed the pick-ups four times, but it's an Alpine White 1990 Les Paul Custom that has defined James Dean Bradfield's image and sound across every Manic Street Preachers album for some 30 years. A design for life.
1993 Gibson J-200 100 Years,
Sunburst,
as made famous by Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison, because it's only a few years after he gave a sunburst J-200 a memorable spin with The Travelling Wilburys. Really, anyone from Elvis Presley to Alex Turner could take the accolade. The "king of the flat-tops", built for guitar gods.
1997 Fender 62 Reissue Jazzmaster,
Three Tone Sunburst,
as made famous by Thurston Moore
OK, it's not an original 60s Jazzmaster, and it isn't black and covered in stickers, but it just feels right to pay tribute to one of the world's most adventurous sonic experimenters and influencers, permanently on the playlist of any grunge or indie hero that followed.