Iconic Guitars

Abstract

The number of existing guitar designs is quite large, but a small number of them might be considered iconic. It’s a risky thing to attempt to define what an iconic instrument might be. It is perhaps riskier still to select a small group of instruments to be included in such a list. Nevertheless, what follows is an attempt to do just that. The list of instruments and their descriptions appear here to show some of the most important developments in the history of the guitar. These are instruments that were popular enough to have affected the design of those that followed them. This is not intended to be an authoritative collection. Indeed, if it sparks a debate about instruments that should or should not have been included, then this author is happy.