EVH Tour Rig at The Met - The Music Zoo

Rock and Roll Guitar History at The Metropolitan Museum of Art!

When it was announced that a new exhibit was coming to The Metropolitan Museum of Art which contained legendary guitars played by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and more...we knew guitar freaks such as ourselves had to take a trip! If not only for ourselves, but to share with you some pictures of our favorite pieces of history.

The Who Guitar and Drums The Met - The Music Zoo

Blackie, Frankenstein, Wolf & More!

The Met certainly isn't playing around when it came to putting some heavy hitters in the exhibit. Eddie Van Halen's original Frankenstein which is arguably a guitar that changed music forever was on display; as are Eric Clapton's 'Blackie', Jerry Garcia's custom-made 'Wolf' and 'Tiger' guitars, and both of Jimmy Page's famous Les Pauls - the '59 Burst and the '60 Les Paul Custom. One of our very favorites was in the first display room: Buddy Holly's Gibson J-45, complete with the leather cover that he hand-tooled with his name and artwork.

Eric Clapton's "Blackie" Stratocaster

Blackie Stratocaster Eric Clapton The Met - The Music Zoo

Jimmy Page's 1959 Les Paul Standard

Jimmy Page '59 Les Paul The Met - The Music Zoo

Keith Richards' "Micawber" Telecaster

Micawber Keith Richards The Met - The Music Zoo

Seeing is Believing, These Guitars Were Played!

Something that really made us 'feel the feels' at the exhibit was just getting to see up close how hard these guitars were played, tour after tour and album after album. These guitars were these legendary musicians trusted tools, if a guitar needed a refret - it got a refret! There are changed knobs, tuning pegs, and modifications across the whole lineup of vintage guitars, because to their original owners - they were purely guitars that the musician needed to write and perform.

Jerry Garcia's "Tiger" Guitar

Jerry Garcia Tiger Guitar The Met - The Music Zoo

Flea's Modulus Bass

Flea Bass The Met - The Music Zoo

Buddy Holly's Gibson J-45

Buddy Hollys J-45 The Met - The Music Zoo

John Lennon's Rickenbacker 325/12

John Lennons 325/12 Rickenbacker The Met - The Music Zoo

Keith Richards' Handpainted Les Paul Custom

Keith Richards Painted Les Paul Custom The Met - The Music Zoo

Jack Bruce's Handpainted Fender Bass VI

Jack Bruce Bass VI The Met - The Music Zoo

Neil Young's Korina Flying V

Neil Young Korina V The Met - The Music Zoo

Prince's Custom Built Symbol Guitar

Prince's Guitar The Met - The Music Zoo

Jimmy Page's Early-Zeppelin Era Touring Rig

Jimmy Page Rig The Met - The Music Zoo

Go Visit The Met, and Then The Music Zoo!

The exhibit is on display through October 2019, if you live in the area and are a fan of all things guitar and Rock and Roll - you need to go take a look, and while you're in town, make a stop at The Music Zoo to play some guitars yourself! We leave you with perhaps the holy grail: the white Stratocaster played by Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock. Enough said!

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock Stratocaster The Met - The Music Zoo

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