Every genre of music has its stars. From classical to rock, from rap to indie — every once in a while, legends are born. But before these artists had fame, they had their music, and the instruments they used to create their signature sound.
We've previously discussed how instruments can be the driving force behind music, most recently in our profile of Eric Sosler in The Piano Project. Today, we'll follow the same vein and highlight another favorite of musicians around the world: the electric guitar. Here are five indie icons and their electric guitars.
1. Kurt Cobain's Fender Jaguar guitar
Before Nirvana became a worldwide sensation, they were a grunge band releasing music under indie label Sub Pop. Frontman Kurt Cobain in particular was known for playing a left-handed model of the Fender Jaguar electric guitar. The Jag played a particularly iconic role during the creation of Nirvana’s second studio album, Nevermind.
In 2011, the Fender Artist Series Kurt Cobain Jaguar Electric Guitar series was released to posthumously honor Cobain for his contributions to indie rock. Cobain’s legacy lives on in both his music, and the guitar that came to define some of Nirvana's most iconic eras.
2. Billie Joe Armstrong’s Gibson guitar
Green Day made a huge mark on the indie rock and alt rock scenes, and Billie Joe Armstrong's lead guitar led the way. Or guitars, rather— Armstrong is known for using a variety of Gibson Juniors, including a Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Les Paul Junior Double-Cutaway, and a Gibson J-180.
Armstrong prefers a classic single-coil, fairly simple instrument with an H-90 pickup in the bridge position that delivers a resonant tone and a loud output. Although he has used a variety of guitars throughout his career, the Gibson series does seem to be the preferred choice of the megastar.
3. St. Vincent’s Albert Lee HH guitar
The modern day superwoman, guitarist and singer St. Vincent uses an Albert Lee HH for her guitar of choice. The Albert Lee HH features modern aesthetics, a lightweight Okoume body, 25.5 inch scale figured roasted maple neck and a fingerboard.
Clark prefers this instrument over others due to its full range of tonal options, including full-on 2-custom Dimarzio Humbucker to a clean single coil bite. She's more than proven her mastery, from the manic guitar riff in Huey Newton to the incredible dynamism in Surgeon— making it clear enough why she's one of the best guitarists in her generation.
4. Dan Auerbach’s Harmony H78 guitar
The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach uses the Harmony H78 as his tool of choice, and it's buoyed him through most of his career. He originally purchased it in a small music store in his hometown Akron, Ohio.
From the day he purchased it, the guitar had its bridge P-90 re-wounded by Lindy Fralin. It is currently kept in open-G tuning, ready for Auerbach to launch into his best riffs for Run Right Back.
5. Nile Rodger’s Stratocaster guitar
Renowned musician Nile Rodgers famously nicknamed his Stratocaster the “Hitmaker". He originally acquired it at a small trade-in shop in Miami Beach, Florida.
It features a light weight body with a maple fingerboard, a hardtail bridge, and has an iconic off-white finish. Rodgers prefers this guitar because it doesn't sound like any other Stratocaster in the world, and it's certainly lived up to its name.
Great Tools for Great Music
The music scene is littered with legends and their tools of choice. When you see an artist creating magic with the same instrument at every show, it can be hard not to think of it as the only secret to success. Still, a guitar is only as good as its player, and the above five icons are proof that musicians can make music out of pretty much anything.