The guitar is an essential part of a rock band. Whether its used to play a solo or strum with the rhythm, the tune makes the song more engaging and addicting to their listeners. Seeing particularly skilled guitarists is one of the many reasons why people love concerts.
The music that a guitarist creates on the top 100 Billboard songs has become ingrained in our brain. Just a few riffs from a popular song can cause our ears to perk up as we instantly recognize it. But in the top 100 Billboard songs, what guitars were used? Some Billboard songs use virtual guitar plugins to get that guitar sound going. However, in this article, we will only focus on songs that used a physical guitar. We will discuss some of the songs that changed the music industry, and what guitar was used to create the legendary notes.
1. Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
“A Star is Born” shot unexpectedly to stardom when it combined the considerable talents of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. The movie marked a ton of “firsts” for Bradley Cooper. It was his directorial debut, and it was also the first time he ever played the guitar. While that might be surprising to some, it quickly became apparent that he knew his way around the guitar in the hit song, Shallow.
Guitar Used: Gibson J-45
For this song, Cooper played a Gibson J-45. As one of Gibson’s best-selling acoustic guitars of all time, it was first introduced in 1942. As we heard in the movie, the J-45 become world-famous due to its full expression, warm bass, and excellent projection.
2. Before They Make Me Run by the Rolling Stones
Keith Richards, the guitarist of the Rolling Stone, wielded the Micawber, which was a 1950s Telecaster. This guitar quickly became his most famous guitar and became the stuff of legends. Eric Clapton gave Richards this guitar for his 27th birthday, right before the Rolling Stones were beginning to work on Exile on Main Street. He then used to record Before They Make Me Run, as well as many other songs.
Guitar Used: Modified 50s Telecaster
Richards modified the guitar to fit his playing style and needs better. Some of these changes included replacing the single-coil pickup in the neck position with a ’50s Gibson PAF humbucker which adding a little extra bite and growl. He also turned the humbucker backward, which made the magnet poles face the tail end of the guitar. Even though so many years have passed, Richards still uses Micawber both in the studio and on stage.
3. Like A Hurricane by Neil Young
Most of Neil Young’s music was recorded on “Old Black” which was a 1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, painted black. Young got the electric guitar through a trade with a one-time Buffalo Springfield collaborator named Jim Messina. In return, Messina receives an orange Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins guitars. Neil Young went on to record Like A Hurricane with Old Black.
Guitar Used: Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
Young did customize it considerably to make it work better for his needs. Some of the changes that were made to the guitar include an upgraded Gretch Dynasonic single-coil pick that was originally replaced with a humbucker pickup from a Gibson Firebird. Now, Old Black has considerable wear and tear. After years of use, most of the black paint has been worn away or removed from the mahogany neck.
4. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
The cover art for Bruce Springsteen’s third studio album, Born to Run, has become one of the most iconic cover photos of all time. It shows Springsteen leaning against saxophonist Clarence Clemons holding a Fender Telecaster with an Esquire neck. With an unassuming look, the Fender Esquire has a transparent butterscotch blonde finish and a black pickguard.
Guitar Used: Fender Telecaster
The model was produced in the 1950s and proved itself to be a versatile instrument. It underwent significant modifications so that “The Boss” could perform it at concerts and record his epic music, including the Billboard Top 100 hit, Born To Run.
5. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
Jimmy Page popularized the Gibson EDS-1275, a double-neck Gibson electric guitar. It weighed an astounding 13 pounds (5.9 kg) and appeared in Stairway to Heaven. Using this double-neck meant that Page didn’t have to switch guitars in the middle of the song. The bottom six-string neck was used for the intro and first verse.
Guitar Used: Gibson EDS-1275
During the guitar solo, Page would switch between the 6-string and the 12-string neck, finishing the song on the 12-string neck.
6. Let It Be by the Beatles
One of the most iconic songs of all time is Let It Be by the Beatles. To help produce this unforgettable song, Paul McCartney used the Hofner “Violin” Bass. He used this type of guitar a lot in the beginning days of their fame because he liked the way it looked. The bass was symmetrically shaped, which he believed made playing it “less daft.” He would rely more on the Rickenbacker in his later years.
Bass Guitar Used: Hofner 'Violin' Bass
The Hofner Violin Bass guitar was created in the 1950s by Walter Hofner. He wanted to create a double bass guitar that would appeal to players who didn’t want to carry around such a heavy instrument. Therefore, he produced a bass that has a style and shape that is similar to a classical stringed instrument without the weight.
However, for Let It Be, McCartney went back to the Hofner because they were attempting to go back to their roots. Now, McCartney uses the Hofner Violin Bass because it has defined his stage image, and it is what the fans want to see him playing.
7. Jump by Van Halen
Van Halen’s guitarist is famous for creating his own customized ax. He did this by combining the sound of a Gibson with a Fender appearance. This electric guitar became one of the most recognizable instruments of its time because of its Pollock-like paintwork, which was red, with crisscrossing black and white stripes. He used “Frankenstrat” to record and play many of his legendary songs, including Jump.
Guitar Used: "Frankenstrat"
Of course, the electric guitar’s name got its inspiration from Frankenstein, the doctor who combined body parts to create a monster.
Van Halen created Frankenstrat to combine the sound of a Gibson guitar with the physical design and tremolo bar of a Fender Stratocaster. The body of the guitar is a Northern Ash Stratocaster, with pickup routing that was customized to fit a Gibson PAF humbucking bridge pickup. With six strings, it was able to create a sound that was unique to Van Halen and his style of playing.
The original Frankenstrat can now be found in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Play It Loud — Instruments of Rock and Roll exhibit.
7. Jump by Van Halen
Van Halen’s guitarist is famous for creating his own customized ax. He did this by combining the sound of a Gibson with a Fender appearance. This electric guitar became one of the most recognizable instruments of its time because of its Pollock-like paintwork, which was red, with crisscrossing black and white stripes. He used “Frankenstrat” to record and play many of his legendary songs, including Jump.
Guitar Used: "Frankenstrat"
Of course, the electric guitar’s name got its inspiration from Frankenstein, the doctor who combined body parts to create a monster.
Van Halen created Frankenstrat to combine the sound of a Gibson guitar with the physical design and tremolo bar of a Fender Stratocaster. The body of the guitar is a Northern Ash Stratocaster, with pickup routing that was customized to fit a Gibson PAF humbucking bridge pickup. With six strings, it was able to create a sound that was unique to Van Halen and his style of playing.
The original Frankenstrat can now be found in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Play It Loud — Instruments of Rock and Roll exhibit.
