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they may just be six strings and a chunk
of wood but in the right hands they are
the ultimate weapon of expression
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welcome to watchmojo.com and today we're
counting down our picks for the top 10
guitar models of all time for this list
or looking at a selection of guitars
based on iconic or groundbreaking
designs general musicality and enduring
popularity with amateurs and pros alike
third is Excalibur I just fell in love
with this guitar number 10 Gibson
Explorer
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debuting in 1958 this is one electric
guitar that was way ahead of its time so
far ahead in fact that Gibson ceased
selling the model in 1963
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by the mid-70s however the market and
the masses were finally ready for its
futuristic style and it was brought back
in 1976
it was estimated that Gibson originally
produced less than 50 of the Carina Wood
explorers which compounded with its
eventual popularity provided an
opportunity for other manufacturers to
copy it
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though radically styled the Explorer is
loaded with Gibson tone and has a
tendency to turn up in the least likely
of places and I was slightly like oh
like it's a little strange-looking
you know I thought it's this gonna other
guys in the band gonna look and go what
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two or something number nine Ibanez
gemmed previously known for its
high-quality copies Ivan has found their
footing and struck gold when they
partnered with guitarist Steve Vai to
produce this gem
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the pinnacle of 80 super strats the gem
began development in 1985 using the
Maxis series as its basis and by
incorporating design features demanded
by by himself and I designed this guitar
with Ivan has about 25 years ago to fit
some of the idiosyncrasies of my plane
those changes include the unique monkey
grip of palm rest scalloped frets
DiMarzio pickups and a lightweight base
wood body
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the popularity of the guitars spawned
the more affordable RG series and the
seven-string universe model which shaped
much of the late 90's heavy and new
metal sound
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number eight Gibson Flying V as with the
Gibson Explorer the world of the 1950's
just wasn't ready for this heavy hitting
humbucker equipped rocker debuting in
1958 the Flying V had fans and
guitarists Lonnie Mack and Albert King
but the model effectively died by 1959
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throughout the 60s however players like
Jimi Hendrix and kinks guitarist Dave
Davies discovered the model and in 1967
Gibson tried again
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with minor changes to the bridge and
saddle system the company's struck
paydirt with the new improved Flying V
and the guitar has been a hard rocking
mainstay ever since
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number seven Rickenbacker 300 series
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containing the short scale 325 the
upmarket 360 and the popular 330 these
semi-hollow maple body guitars were
designed by german luthier roguia ross
my soul and are known for their bright
jangly sound
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first launching in 1958 and then named
the Capri series in honor of owner FC
halls pet cat Rickenbacker's flagship
300 series helped create the sound of
the 60s through their use by bands like
the WHO and the animals while the
Beatles and The Byrds both employed
Rick's iconic and game-changing
12-string models
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number six Gibson SG
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intended as a replacement for the slow
selling Gibson Les Paul the soon to be
named SG first hit the market in 1961
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popular from the start even if some
players did miss a classic Les Paul the
SG unlike many Gibson models has never
been out of production and is in fact
the company's best selling models
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available with either p90s or humbuckers
the SGS are appreciated by many players
for their slim necks incredible fret
access and light weight all of which
have made it a hardrock go-to guitar for
decades
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went up to Brooklyn and to the factory
and told him what all I wanted and they
built this guitar it was the orange
Gretsch 6120 they call it number five
Gretsch 6120 designed in conjunction
with Chet Atkins and endorsed by the
guitarist from 1955 until the mid 60s
the Gretsch six one to zero reached far
beyond its country roots
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also known as the Nashville it's hollow
body and clear crisp filter Tron pickups
have made it an unlikely but gritty rock
and roll guitar
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a hot seller in the 60s due to its
affiliation with the Beatles
production of the 60120 ceased in the
1970s but the model and parent company
were brought back from extinction in the
80s in part due to a renewed interest
brought on by rockabilly guitar slinger
Brian Setzer
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number four gibson es-335
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popping up in guitar shops in 1958 and
following the initial success of the Les
Paul the es-335 marked a return to
Gibson's traditional construction
techniques as well as it's warm darker
tone
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equally suited to jazz and blues as it
is to rock the guitar was designed by
the company's then-president and guitar
making legends Ted McCarthy
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the plan for the guitar was to be
slimmer and less likely to feedback than
a true hollow body guitar but more airy
and open sounding than a solid body
guitar and we can see and hear why it's
become a popular model
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number three Fender Telecaster
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as the first proper and mass-produced
solid body guitar the Fender Telecaster
was an absolute GameChanger
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using been new and radical bolt-on next
system vendor was not only able to build
guitars quickly but was also able to
simplify guitar building as a whole
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a flat slab of Awesomeness that le has
been tinkered with but rarely tampered
with and has changed very little since
1950
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although initially mocked it caught on
quickly with guitars falling hard for
the sharp twangy attack while its
cutting versatile sound made every
musician who played it feel right at
home
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number two Fender Stratocaster although
almost the default electric guitar today
the Fender Stratocaster was as radical
and otherworldly as things got in 1954
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from its double cutaway body it's cozy
welcome and contours custom colors and
its original tremolo whammy bar system
the strat was unlike anything else
around
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basically unchanged since 1956 when ash
bodies were sought for lighter older
ones the Stratocaster was partly created
based on customer feedback from the
Telecaster and in a world before Jimi
Hendrix was intended for country music
instead the strap has popped up in the
arms of everyone from Buddy Holly to
Weezer
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before we unveil our topic here are a
few honorable mentions
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number one Gibson Les Paul
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designed by Gibson president Ted
McCarthy and endorsed in perpetuity by
Katara's Les Paul this maple and
mahogany beauty was the company's entry
into the solid-body guitar market
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painted gold at Les Paul suggestion the
guitar came equipped with single coil
p90 pickups when it debuted in 1952
but these were swapped in 1957 for the
company's new humbucking design it was
with this stroke of innovation that the
legend was truly born
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although it discontinued in 1961 the Les
Paul continued to be popular among
players leading to the model returning
with a vengeance in 1968
do you agree with our list what's your
favorite guitar form or humbucking top
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don't touch it I wasn't no I was just
pointing at it I will dot point even
don't even right now
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