The American Series is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stratocaster guitar as well, with the 50th Anniversary American Series Stratocaster guitar. One of the 20th century's most innovative companies, from its owner's humble beginnings as a helicopter manufacturer to its rise as the biggest acoustic guitar maker in the U.S. Ovation guitars. JOHNSON bass has a split-coil pickup which gives you the large bass sound. The thick, one-piece maple neck gives it a vintage bass feel. Classical Guitar Shop. Marshall amps have defined the sound of rock for a generation, boasting such notable users as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, and Jimmy Page. Hendrix is known to have owned and played approximately 32 Strats, as guitarists fondly call them. Tying for distant second place are two Gibson models, the Flying V and the SG, of which Hendrix owned two each. The first mass produced electric bass was developed by Leo Fender, a well-known guitar manufacturer, as experiments with upright basses with pickups did not work very well at the time. Classical Guitar Shop.