Angus Young / Malcolm Young: Angus Young is the lead guitarist of AC/DC, renowned for his energetic performances and iconic schoolboy uniform. He primarily plays a Gibson SG, which contributes to the band’s powerful hard rock sound. Malcolm Young, the rhythm guitarist and co-founder, also used a Gibson SG, helping to shape the band’s classic riffs and songwriting. Their style is characterized by raw hard rock energy with hits like “Highway to Hell” and “Thunderstruck.”

Joe Perry: Joe Perry is the guitarist for Aerosmith, known for his blues-rock style. He typically plays a Gibson Les Paul and uses Marshall amplifiers, which contribute to his gritty rock sound. Perry’s playing style, marked by its bluesy riffs and solos, was influential in the 1970s rock scene. Notable tracks include “Dream On” and “Walk This Way.”

Al Di Meola: Al Di Meola is a fusion guitarist famous for his intricate playing. He often uses a Gibson ES-175 for electric work and a Ramirez guitar for acoustic performances. His style blends jazz, fusion, and Latin rhythms with complex techniques. Key albums include Casino and The Guitar Trio (with Paco de Lucía and John McLaughlin).

Paco de Lucía: Paco de Lucía was a Spanish flamenco guitarist known for his exceptional technique and expressive performances. He primarily played a Ramirez guitar. His style integrated traditional flamenco with elements of jazz and classical music. Notable works include El Duende Flamenco and The Guitar Trio (with Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin).

Ravi Shankar: Ravi Shankar was a legendary Indian sitar player who popularized Indian classical music in the West. He played a custom-made sitar and was known for his improvisational skill. Shankar’s collaborations with Yehudi Menuhin and The Beatles helped bridge Eastern and Western music. Key performances include his collaborations with his daughter, Anoushka Shankar.

Django Reinhardt: Django Reinhardt was a Belgian guitarist known for his unique gypsy jazz style. He played a Selmer-Maccaferri guitar, creating a distinctive sound characterized by rapid, virtuosic solos. Despite a hand injury, his innovative technique remains influential in jazz history. His style is exemplified by tracks like “Minor Swing.”

Richard Z. Kruspe: Richard Z. Kruspe is the lead guitarist of Rammstein, known for their “Tanzmetal” style that blends metal with electronic elements. He plays ESP guitars, and his sound is characterized by tight, aggressive riffs and drop C tuning. Notable songs include “Sonne,” “Ich Will,” and “Engel.”

Johnny Ramone: Johnny Ramone was the guitarist for The Ramones, known for his aggressive, straightforward playing style using a Mosrite guitar. His approach focused on powerful barre chords and fast tempos, defining the punk rock sound. Key tracks include “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker.”

Seasick Steve: Seasick Steve, born Steven Gene Wold, is an American blues guitarist known for his use of homemade instruments and slide guitar techniques. He often plays custom-built guitars made from unique objects like hubcaps and cigar boxes. His raw, storytelling style is evident in albums like Cheap and You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks.

Michael Schenker: Michael Schenker is a German guitarist recognized for his work with UFO, Scorpions, and his own bands like MSG. He typically plays a Gibson Flying V and is known for his melodic hard rock solos and powerful riffs. Notable tracks include “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Still Loving You.”

B.B. King: B.B. King, born Riley Ben King, was a blues guitarist and singer-songwriter known for his expressive string bends and vibrato on his signature Lucille guitar. His sound is iconic in the blues genre, characterized by its emotional depth and improvisational style. Famous songs include “The Thrill Is Gone” and “Every Day I Have the Blues.”

Bob Marley: Bob Marley was a Jamaican reggae musician known for his role in popularizing reggae worldwide. He often played a Gibson Les Paul, and his music blends reggae with elements of soul and rock. His influential tracks include “No Woman, No Cry” and “I Shot the Sheriff,” with albums like Exodus and Uprising.

Brian May: Brian May is the guitarist for Queen, known for his custom-built “Red Special” guitar, which contributes to his distinctive rock sound. His playing style blends rock with orchestral elements, and his solos are renowned for their complexity and emotional impact. Queen’s hits include “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Will Rock You.”

Carlos Santana: Carlos Santana is a Mexican guitarist known for his Latin-influenced rock sound. He primarily plays a PRS Santana model guitar. His style fuses rock with Latin rhythms, creating a unique sound that gained prominence after his Woodstock performance. Notable tracks include “Samba Pa Ti” and “Oye Como Va.”

Chuck Berry: Charles Edward Anderson Berry, known as Chuck Berry, was an American blues guitarist, singer, and composer. One of the first members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Berry’s influential style features the classic 12-bar blues structure. He is renowned for hits like “Johnny B. Goode” and his pioneering guitar techniques.

David Gilmour: David Jon Gilmour is a British musician and guitarist for Pink Floyd. Known for his clean playing and special damping techniques, he uses a Fender Stratocaster. Iconic tracks include “Comfortably Numb,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” His solo in “Comfortably Numb” was voted the best guitar solo of all time by Q magazine in 2007.

Duane Allman: Howard Duane Allman was an American guitarist and co-founder of The Allman Brothers Band. Famous for his slide guitar work, Allman contributed to hits like “Ramblin’ Man” and “Jessica.” He was also a sought-after session musician, working with artists like Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett.

Eddie Van Halen: Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, a Dutch-American guitarist, co-founded Van Halen. Known for popularizing the two-hand tapping technique, he played a customized guitar with innovative designs. Major hits include “Eruption,” “Jump,” and “Panama.”

Eric Clapton: Eric Patrick Clapton is a British guitarist and singer-songwriter. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, Clapton is known for hits like “Layla,” “Wonderful Tonight,” and “Tears in Heaven.” His career spans solo work, the Yardbirds, and Cream.

Eric Johnson: Eric Johnson is an American guitarist known for blending jazz, fusion, and rock. His distinctive style often features arpeggios and unconventional use of the pentatonic scale. Notable songs include “Cliffs of Dover” and “Manhattan.”

Gary Moore: Robert William Gary Moore was an Irish guitarist renowned for his work in blues and rock. He played with Thin Lizzy and collaborated with artists like B.B. King and Albert Collins. Hits include “Still Got the Blues” and “Parisienne Walkways.”

George Harrison: George Harrison was the lead guitarist of The Beatles, contributing to hits like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Here Comes the Sun.” His work spanned rock and Indian music influences, with notable tracks including “Something” and “My Sweet Lord.”

Joe Bonamassa: Joe Bonamassa is an American blues-rock musician known for his powerful guitar work. He has released 15 solo albums, many of which topped the Billboard Blues charts. Notable songs include “Sloe Gin” and “Blues Deluxe.”

Jack White: John Anthony Gillis, known as Jack White, is an American rock musician and producer. He gained fame with The White Stripes and The Raconteurs. His hits include “Seven Nation Army” and “Steady As She Goes.” His solo debut album is Blunderbuss.

Jeff Beck: Geoffrey Arnold Beck is an English rock guitarist known for his work with The Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group, and Beck, Bogert & Appice. His style includes innovative use of effects and collaborations with Jan Hammer and Stanley Clarke.

Jimi Hendrix: James Marshall Hendrix was an American guitarist known for his revolutionary techniques and flamboyant style. He blended rock, blues, and soul in hits like “Purple Haze” and “Voodoo Child.” Hendrix’s innovative use of feedback and new chords changed guitar playing forever.

Jimmy Page: Jimmy Page is best known as the guitarist for Led Zeppelin. His career began with The Yardbirds and he later formed Led Zeppelin, producing hits like “Stairway to Heaven” and “Whole Lotta Love.” His innovative techniques and iconic riffs are legendary.

Joe Satriani: Joseph Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist known for his technical prowess. His album Surfing with the Alien features tracks like “Satch Boogie” and “Crushing Day.” Satriani is recognized for his two-handed tapping and virtuosic solos.

John Fogerty: John Cameron Fogerty is an American singer-songwriter and the frontman of Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR). Known for his raspy voice and catchy riffs, hits include “Bad Moon Rising” and “Proud Mary.”

John Frusciante: John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist and member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His work includes hits like “Under the Bridge” and “Californication.” His solo career spans genres from experimental rock to electronica.

John McLaughlin: John McLaughlin is an English guitarist known for his work in jazz and fusion. He played in the Mahavishnu Orchestra and collaborated with Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucía. His style blends jazz with classical and rock influences.

Johnny Cash: Johnny Cash was an American country music singer and songwriter known as “The Man in Black.” His deep baritone voice and influential songwriting produced hits like “Ring of Fire” and “I Walk the Line.”

Keith Richards: Keith Richards is a guitarist for The Rolling Stones, renowned for his iconic riffs and rock style. His contributions to hits like “Paint It Black” and “Brown Sugar” earned him a place in Rolling Stone magazine’s top 100 guitarists.