The Fender Strat's most famous users

The almighty Fender Stratocaster- the guitar most people think of when they hear the word 'guitars'. The Strat guitar is as inconic a guitar as they come since they were first produced in 1954, as have gone from strength to strength. Time to mentioned some of the amazing players who have put this guitar into rock legend.

• Iron Maiden. All three members of Iron Maiden have at one time or another played with a Fender Stratocaster. Other than Steve Harris, Dave Murray is the only other founding member of Iron Maiden that is still with the band. He used Paul Kosoff of the band 'Free's guitar up until 1990 when he switched to his signature series model. Murray has his own signature model with Seymour Duncan pickups and Floyd rose system on it -both a rarity for a Fender guitar, let alone a Strat. The two other guitar players in Iron Maiden, Janick Gers and Adrain Smith also play Strats, yet Smith seems to always be photographed with a different guitar in his hands.
• Eric Clapton. Ol' 'slow hands' as hes known, has played as many guitars as most people have had hot dinners, using everything from a Gibson Les Paul from his days in Cream and a Telecaster when he was in the Yardbirds. Clapton is mostly known for playing a Fender Strat called 'Blackie', which was used until the guitar was 'retired' in 1985. In 2004 Clapton sold 'Blackie' for just less than one million dollars at auction, using the money to fund his Crossroads rehabilitation centre. Swapping to Fender Strats in '69, Clapton has never gone back or strayed from the path since then.
• Jimi Hendrix. Widely considered by most people to be the best guitar player ever and revolutionised the way we look at the electric guitar. Hendrix first started playing the Fenders in 1966, and used them mostly for recordings. Hendrix also tried out many different styles of guitars before choosing a Fender Strat, much like Clapton. He was left handed, so he played right handed guitars upside down and strung them in reverse order. As a birthday gift Clapton had bought Hendrix a left handed Strat, but Jimi sadly died before he could get the said gift. The guitar he famously set fire to at the 1969 Monterey international pop festival was a Strat.

After a Fender guitar now? Look no further.