Brian May – “The Red Special”

Back in the 1960’s electric guitars were still relatively expensive. A young Brian May yearned for one of these instruments but didn’t have the means to purchase one. Luckily, May is exceedingly intelligent, earning a degree in physics, and had a father who was an electrical engineer, carpenter, and handyman. Instead of buying a guitar, the father and son team decided to build one. May named this gem “the Red Special” and it would appear on the majority of Queen’s albums and tour the world multiple times. They used repurposed oak and mahogany wood for the body and neck and blockboard which was a cheaper alternative for the sides. The tremolo system or “whammy bar” on the guitar is the most impressive part as it was a unique design which reduced friction of the strings. This helps reduce the frequency of the guitar going out of tune, an issue that Fender guitars still have. The guitar is the result of painstaking hard work and it stayed in its original state until 1998 when it was refinished.

Eric Clapton – “Blackie"

The most iconic guitar in blues music behind B.B. King’s “Lucille” is most likely Clapton’s 1950’s Strat “Blackie.” The story goes that Clapton bought several 1950’s American Fender Stratocasters for a steal at a shop in Nashville. He divided three of the guitars between some of his closest friends, Steve Winwood, Peter Townshend, and George Harrison, who all may sound familiar. Clapton kept the remaining guitars and took the best parts from each to create a unique and stunning hybrid that became “Blackie.” The guitar was his go to instrument and was on most of his albums for over 12 years. In 2004, “Blackie” sold for $959,500 at an auction which broke world records for most expensive guitar at the time.

Joe Bonamassa – "Howard Reed Strat"

With a collection that includes well over 300 of some of the most rare and iconic guitars in history, how do you pick a favorite? Over the last thirty years, Joe has scoured the world on his guitar safaris, searching high and low for any guitar that tells a story and can assist him on his blues quest. Among his impressive collection is a 1955 Fender Stratocaster. Not only is this a remarkable early-era Strat, but it is “considered one of the very first if not the first black Stratocaster guitars ever made.” The Howard Reed Black Strat, which spent about seventeen years in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, holds a special place in Joe’s heart because he had a picture of the instrument hanging on the wall of his childhood bedroom and “longed after the guitar” since he was eleven years old. “I can’t believe it sits in my house to this day. It is a fantastic piece of Fender history and rock ‘n’ roll history.” - JB

Prince – "The Cloud Guitar"

Prince was known for his immense musical talent, elaborate stage performances, and his eye-catching masterpiece guitars. One of the most iconic guitars in history has to be Prince’s cloud guitar used in the classic 1984 movie “Purple Rain.” The guitar was constructed by Dave Rusan, a luthier who worked at a local music shop in Minneapolis close to where Prince grew up. After Prince had become a well-known talent, he returned to the music store and asked them to build him a guitar for his movie. With a few suggestions from Prince who wanted the guitar to be model after a bass owned by his childhood friend Andre Cymone, Dave Rusan presented Prince with the cloud guitar. He loved it so much that he had Rusan build three more.