10 Iconic Rock Stars' Guitars

Jimi Hendrix must be the most influential guitarist of all time. It is impossible to estimate how many Fender Stratocasters have been sold as a result of his use of Leo Fender's greatest invention. Although Hendrix did use a Gibson Flying V on occasion, the Strat was his primary axe of choice.

It is interesting that we are in an age which reveres vintage '50s Strats and disparages the model Hendrix played with the big headstock and the three bolt neck. Hendrix was proof that it is the player and not the instrument that matters. He bought his Strats straight off the shelf, often from Manny's guitar shop in New York and did little to modify them unless you count smashing them to pieces and setting them on fire.

Hendrix did seem to prefer the white finish, although he has been pictured with sunburst and black models. Given the paucity of left-handed guitars in the sixties, he had to resort to stringing the guitar 'upside' down'. There is a school of thought that believes that this contributes to his unique sound although in reality the difference would be absurdly minimal cranked through the maxed out Marshalls that Hendrix used.