the only guitar that I bought NOT for the image were those old Yamaha SGs.
everything else, the strats, les pauls, Gibson SGs..i bought them because people I looked up to used them...and syempre, somehow I wanted to their "image" too.
right now, all I have is a Gibson V (yes I find them comfortable) and an Ibanez thin full hollow. now, its a mix of image and comfort and sound.