Rickenbacker
Following the hand-tooling of an acoustic prototype guitar by Swiss artisan Adolph Rickenbacker in the 1890s, a further breakthrough embraced the development of a semi-acoustic guitar (the Electro Spanish) and an electric steel instrument (the Frying Pan). Next came the solid-body R. Electro Model B when Rickenbacker emigrated to North America to establish a Los Angeles-based manufacturing firm in 1925. Among the most lucrative of the firm's early commissions was to make metal parts for National resonator guitars—purchased mostly by blues and C&W musicians. The more streamlined modern company evolved after a 1953 takeover by a Californian conglomerate headed by Francis Hall. The next decade was its period of greatest prosperity after John Lennon became a conspicuous player of the short-armed Model 1996—actually renamed The John Lennon in 1964—having acquired an imported Rickenbacker three years before. More publicity-gaining Beatles endorsement emerged after George Harrison was credited with introducing the 12-string version to pop consumers mainly via the resounding bis passage in A Hard Day's Night. If employed but rarely for soloing, its uniquely jangling effect as rhythm arpeggio was seized upon by the Searchers and the Byrds. However, because of its synonymity with the '60s, the Rickenbacker had declined in popularity by the time of its inventor's death in 1976. Nonetheless, during the high summer of punk (1977), a vintage model was employed by the Jam's Paul Weller—an admirer of the Who's Pete Townshend, another Rickenbacker user. It resurfaced again with the Pretenders and in a fleeting revival of the mod movement, and with the later and more substantial impact of general '60s nostalgia on both the charts and concert stage. Roger McGuinn arguably the most famous endorser of Rickenbacker and certainly its most distinctive player, co-operated with the company during the late '80s to market a Roger McGuinn 12-string model. This replica of the legendary sound created by McGuinn for the Byrds, has the tone pre-set to sound Byrdslike. The guitar has retained its popularity in the '90s being favoured by the guitar-based indie pop scene. 
Further reading: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF RICKENBACKER GUITARS, Richard Smith.