Eddie got extra creative with tape adornments on this ax outfitted with a rosewood-topped Danelectro neck and an early version of the Floyd Rose locking tremolo.

Lita Ford and I went to see Ed play with Van Halen one night at the Starwood in 1977, and I was blown away and brought Gene with me the next night. Their charisma, stage presence, and take-no-prisoners attitude coupled with great songs, killer arrangements, and airtight playing made them undeniable. Everything about Edward, from his groundbreaking technique to his hacked-up Frankenstein guitar, made him the heart of the band, and certainly clearly someone who was playing on all levels, by his own rules. So many have tried to copy his style, but it’s always just made it more obvious that although imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it pales next to the real deal. —Paul Stanley