Starting our list is Rickenbacker, a brand synonymous with the jangly pop-rock sound of the ’60s. Famously played by John Lennon of The Beatles, these guitars are known for their distinctive tone and ...

Some of the most notable electric guitar companies have their roots in Southern California. Rickenbacker began in the 1930s, ...

Early 1940s: During World War II, Fender meets Clayton Orr “Doc” Kauman, a musician and the chief designer of electric guitars for Rickenbacker (based in Santa Ana and the first maker of ...