When many people think of an electric guitar, this is the one that leaps to mind. The Stratocaster is an archetypal instrument—among the world's most popular guitars and an elegantly versatile creation that is both a musical and cultural touchstone. At its heart, though, the Stratocaster remains a fantastic tool—with unmistakable sound and timeless design that have made it the first choice among players worldwide, many of whom have used it to create much of the most important music of our time.

The Gibson Les Paul is a solid body electric guitar that was first sold by the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1952.The Les Paul was designed by Gibson president Ted McCarty, factory manager John Huis and their team with minimal input from guitarist/inventor Les Paul.The Les Paul was originally offered with a gold finish and two P-90 pickups. In 1957, humbucking pickups were added, along with sunburst finishes in 1958. The sunburst 1958–1960 Les Paul – today one of the best-known electric guitar types in the world – was considered a failure, with low production and sales. For 1961, the Les Paul was redesigned into what is now known as the Gibson SG. This design continued until 1963 but continued as a separate guitar, when the traditional single cutaway, carved top bodystyle was reintroduced.

The rich history of Fender guitars begins with the Telecaster. An indispensible workhorse instrument, it endures remarkably unchanged as a marvel of elegantly simple form and solidly utilitarian function. As the world's first successful solid-body electric guitar, the Telecaster revolutionized guitar playing, changed the sound of music and became a signature instrument for guitarists worldwide.