Fender Stratocaster

Introduced in 1954 by Leo Fender, the Stratocaster married a sleek comfort-contoured body with a vibrato bridge and three single-coil pickups, creating a versatile platform that defined the sound of rock, surf, funk, and pop. Its modular bolt-on construction made upkeep simple for working musicians while innovators from Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix to Nile Rodgers pushed its chime and quack into every decade of modern guitar music.