Although it has devil-horned charms of its own, two men can take responsibility for making the Gibson SG one of the world's most desirable rock guitars; AC/DC's Angus Young and a certain Mr Frank Anthony Iommi.

Although he would go on to be honoured with black Gibson and Epiphone signature models (with crucifix fretboard inlays, naturally) Iommi's two longest-serving axes weren't actually made by Gibson at all. This is because back in the 1970s the guitarist couldn't get any of the big guitar companies to make him a 24-fret guitar with the high output pickups he wanted.

His first custom SG shape was made by John Birch (who also built Brian May's Yellow Special) and was his main guitar between the Technical Ecstasy and Mob Rules albums. Iommi began using another SG-shape guitar called The Old Boy around the Heaven And Hell era, it was made by Birmingham luthier - and former colleague of Birch - John Diggins.

The heavily distressed look of The Old Boy is the result of it being left in a hot car on the Brazilian leg of the 1994 Cross Purposes tour which resulted in the finish bubbling and cracking.