The 28 Most Recognizable Guitars

16. Artist: "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, Pantera/Damageplan
Instrument: The Dean From Hell
Description: Dimebag used Dean ML guitars, known for their lightning-bolt shape and V-styled headstock. His most famous axe featured lightning bolts on a blue backdrop, but he played several other designs.
Factoid: Months before Darrell's tragic onstage death, Dean Guitars released his own signature model of the ML called “The Razorback” in over 30 different metal designs. This has now become Dean’s top-selling guitar.
Shining Moment: The grinding opening riff from Pantera's "Walk," a song often covered by bands trying to act tougher than they actually are.

15. Artist: Rick Nielsen, Cheap Trick
Instrument: Hamer Five-Neck
Description: Produced by Hamer Guitars, this 22.5-pound monster containing 36 strings on five necks, all in various tunings and formations, fueled the pop-rock of Nielsen's famed band Cheap Trick.
Factoid: A new five-neck guitar was recently completed for Nielsen by Hamer, and includes a 12-stringed neck, a rockabilly six-string neck, a junior neck, a standard neck tuned to C and an eight-stringed "mandocello"neck. You know, in case you need a mandocello solo.
Shining Moment: While pioneering the “power-pop” movement of the '70s, Nielsen also supplied his five-necked talent as a session guitarist for famed acts Hall & Oates, Gene Simmons and Alice Cooper.

14. Artist: Kurt Cobain
Instrument: Fender Mustang
Description: Originally created as a low-cost "student" substitute for the pricier Stratocaster, the Mustang came in shortened scale sizes to accommodate smaller hands.
Factoid: Cobain's Mustang is actually a "Competition" model, manufactured in 1968 and featuring a supercool "racing stripe" on the body. This detail was also available on the popular automobile of the day, the Ford Mustang. Coincidence?
Shining Moment: The video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit," which made this ax as much a signature of grunge as the lumberjack shirt and the Seattle zip code.

13. Artist: ZZ Top
Instrument: Dean Spinning Fur Guitar/Bass
Description: These Dean “Z” guitars are most recognized for their lightning-bolt body contour, distinct V-shaped headstock and, oh yeah, they’re covered in sheep’s wool. And they spin around.
Factoid: The spinning mechanism of the guitars was reworked several times due to the body shape, playing style and beard length of the members of ZZ Top.
Shining Moment: It wasn’t long after the 1983 debut of the video for “Legs” that their spinning guitars — and cherry red hot rod — solidified the band's place in rock history.