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The last time that Glastonbury drew to a close, nobody would have expected to wait three years to be graced with its presence again – and for lovers of live music, it’s a more-than-welcome return.

For many music lovers out there, Glastonbury is perhaps the biggest event of the year – regardless of whether you attend or not. It offers a safe bet for something to stick on the TV for a weekend, covering all bases no matter your taste, and observed from the living room to a chorus of “next year, next year we’ll get there”. And if you are lucky enough to attend, the post-festival blues are probably kicking in quite hard right about now.

While the ticket-holders live to be the envy of all of us watching from home, for many of us gearheads out there, the jealousy extends a step further to those performing on stage. Yes, I’m talking about guitar envy.

It can be the ultimate temptation, to invest in that next guitar that you absolutely just need. Or, it can be nice to just admire the beautiful instruments that these artists get to play. Either way, we’ve been paying attention here at Gear4music – and just in case you missed any, here’s a quick rundown of some of our favourite guitars spotted at Glastonbury 2022.

Billie Eilish

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What better place to start, then, than the Friday headliner? Famed for her electro-pop sound, the youngest headliner in the history of the festival – and indeed the first pop headliner – does display a more delicate acoustic side at times. And this was embodied when she pulled out a beautiful Taylor American Dream AD17 with a black top.

An out-and-out classic of an acoustic from one of the world’s most esteemed guitar makers. An instrument like this oozes class and swagger, providing the perfect launchpad for any acoustic sound with rich harmonics provided by bespoke tonewoods.

A true embodiment of her standout performance, the AD17 is as refined in its performance as Eilish herself, and is more than certain to please a crowd.

Sam Fender

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We remain on the Pyramid Stage for the next artist, as Sam Fender fills the slot that was originally intended for the bed-bound Doja Cat.

If you were to define a musician’s opportunity of a lifetime, it doesn’t get much better than that – and if you’re going to do it, you’ll want to make sure you play a guitar that you can rely on.

Sam Fender opts for an all-Fender lineup (not surprising!). A straight split between his Fender American Jazzmaster in Sonic Grey, and the classic Fender Stratocaster in White. What better way to translate indie anthems than with two guitars that have been around since the birth of guitar music itself?

Wet Leg

Over to the park stage for the imperious Wet Leg, making their debut appearance at Glastonbury. Here, the Isle of Wight indie duo combines comedy with craft and killer performance in a run-through of their number 1 UK chart debut album.

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Fender were having a good PR festival so far, as the co-frontwomen boast a Fender Noventa Telecaster MN in vintage blonde – the perfect choice for chorus-drenched open chord indie tunes – alongside the brand-new Fender Player Plus Meteora HH in cosmic jade.

Only a few months old, the Meteora is proving to be another home run for Fender, and is the perfect sound and aesthetic fit for a space-age performance from another planet.

The Libertines

The first full day of music was kicked off on the other stage by none other than The Libertines. The indie veterans made their return to the festival in style, pulling out all the classics with energy that ensured the perfect get-up-and-go for the punters. The set also included a heartfelt tribute to Ukraine.

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Pete Doherty’s instrument of choice was an Epiphone Coronet in Ebony, which delivers the perfect combination of vintage and modern, capturing the vision and tone of some of Epiphone’s earliest solid-body guitars. You’ll need a sturdy and great-sounding guitar to survive something as energised and enthused as a Libertines performance at Glastonbury – so the Coronet is the perfect choice.

Phoebe Bridgers

Another Glastonbury first-timer, Phoebe Bridgers’ reach has exploded through the lockdown. The scope of her second album is so vast that seeing her at one of the smaller stages of a festival is sure to be a rarity moving forward.

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Her sound is an alternative indie that ranges from the delicate, to the more rock-inspired – but, interestingly, she plays an out-and-out metal guitar. Bridgers holds a Warbeast Extreme within her hands throughout the set. Her feminine touch pairs with the brutal, powerhouse aesthetic of the guitar well. Strangely, it doesn’t look or sound out of place at all.

Creative and masterful, the renowned shredding tones of the Fishman Fluence pickups are tamed to perfection and held back beautifully, right until the moment where she needs an injection of power.

Wolf Alice

From first-timers to a band who are steadily beginning to cement themselves at the pinnacle of current UK alt-rock, Wolf Alice took to the Pyramid Stage with the swagger that you would expect from the established pros they are.

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As she always has, frontwoman Ellie Rowsell dons an all-black Fender Player Telecaster, which is manipulated to the very best of its abilities. You can never go wrong with a Telecaster sound. From the overdriven, yelping riffs drenched in reverb, to the soft, sincere, and rounded tones of the neck pickup – Rowsell and the Telecaster remind us once again exactly why it’s revered as one of the greatest guitars of all time.

Fontaines D.C.

It’s always going to be a big ask to play on the Other Stage and compete with the Sunday teatime spot, but Fontaines D.C were up to the challenge.

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With over three albums of material, they have slowly but surely become one of the faces of high-energy post-punk, straight from the rolling hills of Ireland. They opt for a true classic in the Fender Jazzmaster, complete with a classic Sunburst finish that matches the sun-drenched Glastonbury crowd in the dying hours of the afternoon.

This legendary guitar has been the outlet for so many legendary performers over the years, and will gladly tackle any genre you ask it to with a versatile and spellbindingly rich sound.

Primal Scream

Primal Scream offer a trip back to the ’90s for an hour with their classic dance-inspired brit-pop sound.

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When you’ve written songs such as the likes of ‘Moving on up’ and ‘Loaded,’ you’ll certainly be expected to follow them up with an energising Glastonbury performance – even all these years later. Nothing quite says ‘energy’ like the Gibson Les Paul Custom, which is the weapon of choice for the Scottish veterans during ‘Beautiful Future.’ The first Gibson offering of the lot, and boy is it a beaut.

Years of performance mastery and cutting-edge Gibson engineering have been poured into this custom masterpiece to ensure a glorious sound fit for musicians at the pinnacle of the live industry. Or, you know, just the old Pyramid Stage on a Friday night…

Supergrass

Supergrass were supposed to make their Glastonbury comeback in 2020, but remained on the bill for two years until they got their chance to appear at last on the Other Stage last week.

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In all honesty, the brit-pop rockers might have only wanted to make their appearance for a chance to show off Gaz Coombes’ absolutely gorgeous Vintage Ebony Gibson ES-335. If you could visualise luxury in the form of a guitar, this would be the one. Perhaps the pinnacle of the guitar envy scale, what better place to show off your favourite toy?

Skunk Anansie

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Former 1999 headliners, Skunk Anansie return to the Other Stage with a furious energy that hasn’t tarnished even slightly over the years. This high-octane fire is translated through the medium of a custom PRS Mark Tremonti Signature with Ace’s signature decals.

These signature models come equipped with an onboard PRS tremolo system, as well as an array of delightful tonewoods and cutting edge PRS engineering, which ensures a delightful sound that suits any genre.

Beabadoobee

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Beabadoobee took to the stage for her first Glastonbury performance ahead of the release of her debut album in July. She’s an artist on the rise, and one that is still relatively new in the industry. She knows exactly what she’s doing though, and her onstage maturity is reflected clearly in her choice of guitar.

Equipped with a Sunburst Fender Mustang, Beabadoobee brings a taste of the ’60s to her dreamy musical vibe. These guitars were built for performers learning they’re craft back in the 1960s, and hold a robust build with a groovy sound full of twang and character – responding well to muted plucking and open chords.

Perfect, then, for a musician who looks to have a glittering career ahead of her.

Find out more

There we have it – the guitars of Glastonbury 2022! Find out more about the guitars mentioned in this article below: