4 Legendary Musicians Whose Guitars Became Iconic in Their Own Right

Four guitars closely linked to Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Eddie Van Halen and Queen’s Brian May became famous in their own right. Their stories show how an instrument’s sound, history and personal meaning can become part of a musician’s identity.

Nelson’s battered Martin N-20, Trigger, was named after Roy Rogers’ horse and praised for its tone. King called his guitars Lucille after a dance-hall fire nearly destroyed one during a fight over a woman of that name. Van Halen assembled his Frankenstrat from different guitar parts to achieve the sound he wanted, while May built the Red Special with his father and said it was essential to his distinctive sound.