Known for his vocals and lyrics, Dylan was always accompanied by a guitar—or two!
Bob Dylan changed the face of folk with his unique vocal style, his guitar playing and songwriting style inspired heavily by the late Woody Guthrie. The gear he’s used has also caused division, with the infamous Newport Folk Festival incident where Dylan went ‘electric’.
Martin 00-21
Early on in his career, Dylan performed extensively with smaller-bodied acoustics, similar to parlour guitars. The Martin 00-21 is one such guitar, resembling the 1920s design and Dylan played a 60s model.
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Colloquially known as ‘pre-war’ guitar designs, the body shape, size and design were that of early acoustic guitar designs, the 00-21 is a 12-fret design. The sound is loud enough, though the small body concentrates the mids and high end, doing away with the low end associated with bigger bodied dreadnoughts, 000, OM and 0000 body sizes. The smaller body still provides low end, but it’s warmer and more refined than the strong bass of a dreadnought. This made it perfect for Dylan’s music that toed the line between bluegrass, folk and country.
Hohner Blues Harp
Another staple of his sound, the harmonica is possibly as synonymous with Dylan as his quick, spoken word style of singing. Commonly held around his neck with a harmonica holder, Dylan favoured a Hohner Blues Harp, the model his Hohner Bob Dylan Signature is now based on.
The Blues Harp harmonica of today is a modular system, available in a few different keys, lends itself well to various genres and sounds. While traditionally the Blues Harp would provide a squawkier tonality, much like Dylan uses, soaring over the softer guitar playing style he’s associated with.
Fender Stratocaster
A contentious addition to the list, but the Fender Stratocaster is what Dylan appeared with on stage at the famed 1965 Newport Folk Festival set where he went ‘electric’. Purists booed while some of the crowd accepted and cheered, folk fans who’d previously called him the ‘voice of a generation’ putting him down for performing with a rock band.
If you’re going to perform with a rock band though—what better guitar than a Strat?
Dylan’s Strat was a 1964 Strat in Three-Tone Sunburst, traditional single coil pickups and a rosewood fretboard. The story and eventual sale of this Strat is one for the history books, being lost, allegedly stolen and recovered, the guitar went on to be one of the most expensive guitars ever sold at auction selling for $965,000.00 in 2013.
Gretsch Guitars
Used during his time with the Travelling Wilburys, this Gretsch Silver Jet features in Travelling Wilburys promos. The Gretsch Duo Jet is a dual single-coil electric, with a chambered body. The single coils are Dynasonics, though sonically bridge the gap between a humbucker and a single coil.
In the “End of the Line” video clip, Dylan is playing a 6120 style guitar, finished in a beautiful, and rare for Gretsch, sunburst finish.
Deusenberg
Dylan has also performed live with a Deusenberg, a Starplayer in a sunburst finish. The Starplayer is available in a few different configurations with tremolos, different pickups and switching configurations.
Dylan’s Starplayer features a single coil in the neck position and a humbucker in the bridge.
Fender Telecaster
Bob Dylan has also played various Telecasters throughout the years, during his “Hard Rain” performance and another Tele that was given to him by The Band’s Robbie Robertson and was used by Dylan on the world tour that followed his Newport Folk festival performance.
2005’s No Direction Home is a stellar documentary about Dylan’s life and career in the 60s.
