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There are watershed moments in the history of popular music when the planets align, and the sense of change is palpable. Moments when the right guitar, in the hands of the right player, at precisely the right time causes a seismic shift and redraws the landscape.

In loosely chronological order, here's MusicRadar's list of the 10 guitars that changed music, and 10 players who broke down the door for a generation to follow in their wake.

Be warned, you might not find some of your heroes in this list, but you'll certainly find your heroes' heroes…

1. Robert Johnson's Gibson L-1

For all the soul-selling mythology associated with the shadowy figure of Robert Johnson, the impact on modern popular music of the 1961 King Of The Delta Blues Singers compilation album – recorded during two sessions in 1936 and 1937 – is hard to overstate.

For the likes of Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, Johnson's primal delta blues was a pivotal influence, with Clapton describing Johnson's music as "the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice."

In 2006, a New York memorabilia dealer attempted to sell an L-1 purported to be Johnson's guitar for $6 million, but its authenticity was never corroborated.

2. Charlie Christian's ES-150

Widely regarded as the first electric 'lead guitarist', Christian's work in Benny Goodman's Sextet paved the way for bebop. Christian's horn-inspired lead lines were a precursor of the sounds of T-Bone Walker, Wes Montgomery, Les Paul, BB King and many more. The single-coil blade pickup on his ES-150 (Electric Spanish, $150 price) has come to be known as a Charlie Christian pickup.

3. Buddy Holly's Fender Stratocaster

When Fender's curvaceous, futuristic new Stratocaster arrived in 1954, few could have predicted that it would become the most successful electric guitar design of all time. One of the most enduring images of early rock 'n' roll is the combination of Buddy Holly's heavy-framed spectacles and sunburst Stratocaster.

The likes of The Shadows' Hank Marvin – recipient of the first Stratocaster to arrive in the UK – and John Lennon were immediately smitten and popular music would never be the same again.