One of Nels Cline's more recent musical contributions has been with Wilco (who he began working with in 2004) on their album Sky Blue Sky. Nels Cline's instrument of choice is a beautifully aged sunburst Fender Jazzmaster played through a specially built Schroeder DB7 amplifier.
Cline's path toward a musical career began when he was 12 years old, picking up the guitar in response to his brother Alex Cline taking up the drums. He went on to work with Vinny Golia, which led to his first-ever album contribution. Since that, he has gone on to work with such acts as Willie Nelson, Sonic Youth (who are also known for their extensive Jazzmaster use, or abuse, in some cases). He worked with jazz drummer Greg Bendian in 1999 to do a reinvented remake of 1967's John Coltrane album Interstellar Space, as well as forming a number of small self-titled projects.
And straying from the air of professionalism that I hate when talking about fellow musicians, I will venture that the guy's a motherfucking ace.