• Los Angeles Times/AP, Tuesday, March 13, 2007 11:45 AM

In an effort to battle an overall slump in sales, the country's two top guitar makers--Gibson Guitar and Fender Musical Instruments--have debuted lines with a girl/woman-friendly focus. Gibson has introduced the thinner-necked, lighter-weight Les Paul Vixen and Les Paul Goddess guitars. Fender has its Hello Kitty guitars, with the iconic cat splashed across the bodies.

Women playing guitar is nothing new. Joan Jett, Bonnie Raitt and Sheryl Crow have been fierce players for years. But for the most part, revered guitar gods have been men, including Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Now, guitar-playing singers, such as Avril Lavigne and Miley Cyrus of Disney's hit show "Hannah Montana," are making guitars more popular for younger women. Lavigne has a signature model Fender Telecaster set to come out this year.

"Ten years ago, statistics showed that 96% of the instruments purchased were for men," says Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. The instrument has become more a part of society in general.

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