Pete Townshend - The Who's infamous anarchic destruction of their instruments after each show may suggest an absence in their respect for the instruments, but Townshend, who swung many a guitar around his body and was the godfather of the power stance, continues to play a Stratocaster today.

Jimi Hendrix - Arguably the coolest guitarist to wield a white Stratocaster and undoubtedly the best left handed guitarist, Hendrix's riffs are mimicked by every budding electric guitarist worth their salt. Hendrix demonstrated that the Strat could produce a heavy and gnarly sound as well as screeching guitar solos.

Buddy Holly - Perhaps the world's first ever rock star, Buddy Holly famously used a Stratocaster to capture his iconic twangy rock and roll sound. Holly can be seen rocking out with his Strat on vintage footage of live performances including 'Peggy Sue' and 'Oh Boy'.

Mark Knopfler - No one made fingerpicking as rock and roll as Knopfler did. Using the middle pickups of his red Strat, Knopfler created his signature tasty and twangy guitar riffs that would construct the body of the classic 'Sultans Of Swing'. The Dire Straits' unique sound is instantaneously recognisable and can only be reproduced with a Strat.

Ronnie Wood - Ronnie Wood might not have appeared on the recordings of early Stones records, but his Strat has certainly helped him impeccably re-create many of the Stones classics on stage.

George Harrison - "I just love the shape of the strat. I love the three pickups, the shape of the head, the neck. Even if it wasn't a guitar, if it was a door stop or something, it would still be a great piece of design."

Eric Clapton - Slowhand guitarists will attest to the fact that Clapton is one of the most talented and delicate guitar players in existence. From the elegant 'Wonderful Tonight' to the raunchy 'Layla', Clapton showcased the diverse sounds of the Stratocaster.

John Lennon - Not that Lennon ever needed a special guitar to define his music, Lennon was known to use a Strat on the odd occasion when his Rickenbackers fell apart. The fact that the world's most famous rock star ever played a Strat gives the guitar credence in itself.

Alex Turner - Amongst the Arctic Monkey's armoury of guitars lie two Stratocasters. Turner may revolve his guitar choice, but there is no doubt that his Monkeys riffs sound incredible when played through his Strats. They sound so good on the dancefloor.

The Edge - The Stratocaster enabled the Edge to sculpt U2's unique combination of catchy riffs, hooks and textural guitar work. Providing warm tones and clear articulation, the Stratocaster not only proved its worth on countless U2 classics, but also became a seminal tool for U2's arena gigs.

Dick Dale - Pushing the limits of electric amplification at the time, Dick Dale exposed the Stratocaster's dirty side. Played entirely on one string of his Stratocaster, Dale's heavily distorted riff to 'Mirsirlou' largely defined the surf sound of the 60's and will always be synonymous with Pulp Fiction.

David Gilmour - Gilmour's Black Strat was used for the two guitar solos on 'Comfortably Numb', with the latter solo being arguably one of the best guitar solos ever recorded. Gilmour's unparalleled virtuoso has birthed a legacy in its own right, with electric guitarists drawing inspiration from Gilmour's form and style, expressed through his Strat.

Jeff Beck - The Stratocaster created the sound of Jeff Beck's British Invasion days and served him well throughout his varied solo career. Jeff also used the guitar for his moving instrumental live cover of The Beatles' 'A Day In The Life' and featured the iconic guitar in the artwork of Emotion and Commotion.

Albert Hammond Jr -The Strokes' guitarist and solo hero is perhaps the most loyal to the Strat and is rarely seen on stage without it. Thereby, his relentless power chords that formed the bedrock of 2000's indie generation are all accredited to the Strat. Garage rock can only sound like this.

John Frusciante - Frusciante's 1968 Stratocaster was stolen in 1990, but was the main tool for Chili Peppers' albums leading up to Mother's Milk. Funky riffs and jabbing chords were signature sounds for the Chili Peppers and we have Frusciante's Strat to thank for it.

John Mayer - Mayer had a range of Stratocasters, ranging from his 3-tone sunburst to his 3-tone Olympic white guitar. His thick a deep bluesy guitar licks were all created on his Strats, as well as his virtuoso solos.