Rory Gallagher 1961 Stratocaster

Rory Gallagher's 1961 Fender Stratocaster is one of the most recognizable guitars in rock history — a sunburst model worn down to bare wood from decades of relentless touring and Gallagher's legendary sweat. Purchased secondhand in 1963 when Gallagher was just 15, it was reportedly the first Stratocaster sold in Ireland. The guitar's three single-coil pickups delivered the biting, aggressive tone that powered Gallagher's incendiary live performances. Its heavily worn finish became a badge of authenticity that inspired Fender's entire Relic series of pre-aged guitars. The instrument embodied Gallagher's no-frills, working-class approach to music — a tool for pure expression, played until it literally fell apart.