Although the 1953 Old Black Les Paul is perhaps his best-known axe, Neil Young has played Gretsches since his days in Buffalo Springfield, starting with a 1959 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body.

Later, in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, he traded Steven Stills a Gretsch mono 6136 Falcon for a 1959 stereo single-cut White Falcon. Indeed, much of the sound of the Déjà Vu album - to say nothing of the 1970 song Ohio - is informed by the sound of those two Gretsches.

Young would eventually modify the White Falcon with a B7 Bigsby. Around 1974, he would add a double-cutaway model to his collection.

Old Black might receive all of the ragged glory, but Young continues to rely on his Gretsches. Here he is playing his 6120 at the first Farm Aid in 1985. As late as last year, he was seen putting that same guitar through its paces on stage. Hey hey, my my!