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4. George Harrison's Rickenbacker 360/12

The chiming opening chord of A Hard Day's Night has been the subject of much conjecture over the years, but the fact that it launched the electric 12-string on the world stage is beyond question. Its jangle would resonate via The Byrds through to Johnny Marr and beyond.

Harrison's first 360/12 was the second Rickenbacker 12-string ever made and the first to feature the brand's unconventional 12-string configuration, with the octave strings occurring second in the string pairs.

5. John Entwistle's Fender Jazz Bass

My Generation's blistering bass solo was the first time most of the world heard a bass guitar used as a lead instrument. The Ox originally intended to utilise the extra treble of a Danelectro Longhorn in the studio, but after a succession of broken strings, his more reliable Fender won out.

A decade later, the likes of Geddy Lee and Jaco Pastorius would take the humble Jazz Bass even further into uncharted territory.

6. Eric Clapton's Bluesbreakers-era 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Holy Grail for vintage collectors initially misfired on launch, but nobody did more to spark the Les Paul Standard's skyward ascent than Slowhand at the height of his powers. The combination of Les Paul and Marshall on the 1966 'Beano' album would pave the way for Page, Kossoff and countless others to define the sound of rock guitar during the following decade.