Top Musicians Who Play a Pawn Shop Guitar

If you're like many people, you might assume that the top musicians around the world all play very expensive guitars...and to an extent, you aren't wrong. It's true that many world famous guitarists do play costly and often custom guitars, but that's not always the case. Plus, even some of these guitarists got their start with a bit more modest roots. These are some of the top musicians who play a pawn shop guitar.

Interested in buying a pawn shop guitar of your own? We'd love to help, right here at Greenbrier Pawn Shop! Stop in and check out our ever-changing selection of guitars -- you're sure to find the perfect instrument for you, at just the right price point!

Tim McGraw: Pawn Shop Guitar Song & Tour

Tim McGraw, who has been a top voice in the country world since the early 1990s, and he still brings in the crowds to this day. In 2026, McGraw launched his newest single, "Pawn Shop Guitar," and also his "Pawn Shop Guitar" tour. This is all based off his origin story -- when he was young, Tim McGraw pawned his class ring so he could purchase a $20 guitar from a pawn shop. He then played the guitar at restaurants for tips, and later "traded up" to a $50 guitar. Although he now primarily plays a Fender American Vintage II Telecaster 1963, he hasn't forgotten about his modest roots....and his pawn shop guitar days sure paid off, as he is now one of the wealthiest and most successful country music singers of all time!

Jack White of the White Stripes

If you are familiar with the signature sound of the White Stripes (their most famous song is probably "Seven Nation Army," if you need to jog your memory a little bit), you should know that you wouldn't know that sound today if it wasn't for a pawn shop guitar! Jack White found a 1964 Montgomery Ward Airline fiberglass guitar in a pawn shop and then used that very guitar to create the band's signature sound!

Stevie Ray Vaughn: Blues & Rock

Stevie Ray Vaughn, one of the best known musicians for his unique crossover of blues and rock, found his iconic 1965 Fender Stratocaster in a pawn shop in Austin, Texas. The guitar was later immortalized as "Lenny."

Dan Auerbach: The Black Keys

Dan Auerbach hasn't just played on pawn shop guitar in his career -- he's actually a big fan of quirky and unique gear, and he frequently visits pawn shops to look for instruments to play. Some of his top pawn shop guitar finds were guitars from Airline, Supro, and Harmony.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list -- many musicians who later reached and achieved great things got their start with pawn shop guitars, and some chose to continue to play them. Why change a good thing, right? If you're interested in buying a pawn shop guitar of your own -- whether you have dreams of a big career in music or if you're just looking for something to strum on for fun -- let us help you here at Greenbrier Pawn Shop in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Looking for pawn shop guitars in Virginia Beach? Visit our sister store, Hilltop Pawn. We'd love to help you find your dream guitar at either store!