“A holy relic among blues devotees”: The story of Muddy Waters’ “The Hoss” Telecaster, the guitar that helped define the sound of electric blues

Muddy Waters plays his iconic Telecaster, aka the Hoss.

What happens to iconic guitars after a famous (or cult hero) guitarist dies? These days it’s common to see instruments sold at high-profile auctions and vanish into the clutches of anonymous collectors with deep pockets.

However, some guitars live on in museum collections, remain under close guard as family heirlooms, or get passed along to famous player friends, where they continue to make history.