Ace Frehley, Kiss's original lead guitarist, built his sound on Gibson Les Paul guitars and a Gibson-branded 9-46 signature string set. His documented gear, sourced.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Artist rigs
What working guitarists actually play, cited from interviews, rig rundowns, and official press. Endorsed relationships and verified use are labeled on each artist's page.
Documented string gauges and tunings Adam Jones uses with Tool on his 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst. Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom + Drop D and lower tunings + the Tool rhythm-prog vocabulary. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Alex Lifeson's documented guitar rig: Dean Markley Blue Steel .010-.052 strings, confirmed in his own words, plus his Gibson Les Paul Axcess, ES-355, and Hughes & Kettner amps. Sourced from Premier Guitar and Guitar One, updated for Rush's 2026 Fifty Something reunion tour.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Angus Young uses with AC/DC on his Gibson SG. Ernie Ball Super Slinky (.009–.042). With citations.
Anna Cara, the Newcastle guitarist covering Nita Strauss's touring slot in Alice Cooper's band, plays Ibanez Xiphos guitars and a S.I.T. Strings .010-.052 gauge.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and brands B.B. King used on Lucille, his Gibson ES-355 series. Gibson signature SEG-BBS (.010-.054 pure nickel) and earlier-era Fender Rock 'n' Roll strings. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Billie Joe Armstrong uses with Green Day on Blue (his '56 Fernandes Strat copy) and his Gibson Les Paul Juniors. Ernie Ball Regular Slinky / Paradigm (.010–.046). With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and signature gear Billy Corgan uses with the Smashing Pumpkins: three Reverend signature guitars (factory-strung .010-.046), a self-reported .009-.042 gauge preference, and his current Carstens Grace, Empire, and Cathedral amps. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Billy Gibbons uses with ZZ Top on his 1959 Les Paul 'Pearly Gates'. Dunlop Reverend Willy Extra Light (.007–.038). With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Billy Strings
Solo
Documented gear for Billy Strings: D'Addario XS Phosphor Bronze medium strings, his Preston Thompson dreadnought 'Frankenstein,' the 1945 Martin D-28 that once belonged to Willie Nelson's guitarist, and the Kemper-based hybrid rig behind his live shows. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Brad Paisley's documented rig: the 1968 'La Brea' Paisley Telecaster, Bill Crook custom Teles, and the Ernie Ball strings his guitar tech confirmed to Vintage Guitar.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Brian May uses with Queen on his hand-built Red Special guitar. Optima Gold .009–.042 + sixpence pick. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Brittany Howard, Alabama Shakes' singer and guitarist, plays a Gibson SG, an early '80s Custom in Inverness Green is her on-record favorite. Documented gauge: .010 to .046, per her own account in a 2019 Premier Guitar interview.
Buddy Guy
Solo
Documented string gauge and gear for Buddy Guy: Ernie Ball Power Slinky (.011-.048), Fender Stratocasters, custom Chicago Blues Box amps, and the Dunlop signature wah. With citations.
Documented string gauges and brands Carlos Santana uses on his PRS Santana signature guitars. GHS Santana Big Core, the half-gauge signature set his tech Rene Martinez designed, plus the long-running PRS signature relationship since 1980. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Chuck Berry used on his Gibson ES-355 / ES-345 / ES-350T archtop electrics. Light-gauge electric strings + standard E tuning + the foundational rock-and-roll lead vocabulary. With citations.
Documented guitars and string gauges Dave Grohl plays with Foo Fighters: a custom-gauge D'Addario EXL115, the 1967 Gibson Trini Lopez, and his Gibson DG-335 signature model. Tech and interview sourced.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Dave Mustaine has played Cleartone Monster signature strings (SKU 9520, .010 to .052) since 2013. His current live rig, guitar history from Jackson to Dean to Gibson, and every claim's source.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented strings David Gilmour uses with Pink Floyd and solo: GHS Boomers signature electric, Ernie Ball Earthwood acoustic. Includes the Black Strat's record 2026 auction sale. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and gear Derek Trucks uses for slide guitar: DR Pure Blues custom hybrid gauge (.011–.046), Gibson Signature SG in open E, Dunlop medicine-bottle glass slide. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented strings and tunings Dimebag Darrell used with Pantera and Damageplan. He played DR Strings (his Dimebag Hi-Voltage signature set) on Dean ML and Washburn instruments, plus the Dean Razorback he co-designed but never lived to play. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Dustin Kensrue uses with Thrice. Featured in Ernie Ball's String Theory series. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Ed Sheeran
Solo
Documented guitar strings Ed Sheeran uses on his Martin LX1E and Sheeran by Lowden acoustics: Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze Light (.012-.053), confirmed by his guitar tech and checked against Elixir's own catalog and a 2024 Guitar.com feature.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and gear Eddie Van Halen used with Van Halen across 50 years. Fender 150XL early career, EVH Premium signature strings later. Frankenstrat plus Wolfgang signature instruments, Marshall Plexi into Peavey 5150 into EVH 5150III. With citations. Past-tense framing for the deceased.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Eric Church is a Gibson and Epiphone signature artist. His Hummingbird Dark acoustic and the .012–.053 string gauge Gibson lists for it.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Eric Clapton uses on his Fender Stratocaster (Blackie / Brownie / current sigs) and acoustic Martin. With citations.
Eric Johnson
Solo
Documented gear for Eric Johnson: his switch to D'Addario strings in 2016, his 1954 Strat 'Virginia,' Fender Thinline signature Strat, and a four-amp clean, dirty, and lead rig. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Fredrik Thordendal uses with Meshuggah on his Ibanez 8-strings. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Gabe Mangold, DevilDriver's guitarist since 2025 and producer of Strike and Kill, is a documented extended-range player. His main 8-string takes D'Addario NYXL .009-.046 plus custom low strings, tuned in double drop-D.
Documented gear Gary Clark Jr plays: D'Addario strings on his Epiphone Casino 'Red' and Gibson SG/ES-355 signatures, Fender Vibro-King amps, and his Dunlop signature wah. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings George Harrison used with The Beatles and across his solo catalog. Gibson catalog flat-tops + open D slide work + Rickenbacker 360/12 12-string electric. With citations.
Ian Gillan has fronted Deep Purple across three stints since 1969: Machine Head, a 1983 run with Black Sabbath, and 2026's SPLAT! The Jesus Christ Superstar story, sourced.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings J Mascis uses with Dinosaur Jr. Featured in Ernie Ball's String Theory series. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges for Jack White's 2024 Fender signature guitars: Super 250R Nickel Plated Steel (.010–.046) on the Triplecaster, Dura-Tone Coated Phosphor Bronze (.011–.052) on the Triplesonic Acoustasonic, sourced from Fender's own spec sheets and Premier Guitar's 2024 rig rundown.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings James Hetfield has used across Metallica's career. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Jason Richardson uses for solo work and his ex-tenure in All That Remains and Born of Osiris. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Jason White has been Green Day's touring guitarist since 1999 and a Pinhead Gunpowder mainstay since 1995. Bay Area punk lineage, lead guitar duties on tour, session work on the ¡Uno!/¡Dos!/¡Tré! trilogy.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Javier Reyes uses with Animals as Leaders and Mestís on his Abasi Concepts Larada 8 signature. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Jeff Beck used on his Fender Jeff Beck Signature Stratocaster. Ernie Ball Slinky base in standard E, with thumb-and-fingers right-hand approach. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Jeff Loomis uses Ernie Ball strings (reported .009 to .046 plus a .062 low string) in B flat on 7-string guitars. Documented gauges, guitars, pickups, amps, and tunings, with citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Jerry Cantrell's documented gear: Ernie Ball Slinky RPS strings, the 1984 G&L Rampage 'Blue Dress', the Gibson 'Wino' Les Paul Custom, and his 2024 Fryette/Bogner rack rig. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Jerry Garcia used with the Grateful Dead on Wolf, Tiger, and Rosebud, his Doug Irwin custom-built electric guitars. GHS Boomers + standard E tuning + the canonical jam-band lead voice. With citations.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Jim Root uses with Slipknot, and formerly used with Stone Sour. Dunlop signature strings (.011 to .056 for Drop B, .012 to .064 for Drop A), Fender Jim Root signature Telecaster / Stratocaster / Jazzmaster with EMG humbuckers, Orange Rockerverb 100 amps. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Jimi Hendrix used with The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsys on his Fender Stratocasters. Fender Rock 'n' Roll .010-.038 + Eb standard tuning. With citations.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Jimmy Page used with Led Zeppelin on his Les Pauls and Telecasters. Ernie Ball Super Slinky (.009–.042). With citations.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Joe Bonamassa uses on his Les Pauls and vintage Strats. Ernie Ball Burly Slinky (.011–.052). With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Joe Satriani uses on his Ibanez JS signature electrics. D'Addario nickel-wound .009-.042 / .010-.046 across his solo catalog, Chickenfoot, and G3 tours. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings John Frusciante uses with Red Hot Chili Peppers on his 1962 sunburst Fender Stratocaster. D'Addario nickel-wound + standard E tuning + funk-rock-and-melodic lead vocabulary. With citations.
John Mayer
Solo
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings John Mayer uses on his PRS Silver Sky. Ernie Ball Silver Slinky signature (.0105–.047), between .010 and .011 by design. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings John Petrucci uses with Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
John Scofield is one of the most-cited D'Addario electric jazz guitarists, playing a custom .013 to .052 set with a plain (unwound) .022 G string he can bend. Heavy gauge in the EJ22 lane with a critical bending modification.
Documented string gauges and tunings Johnny Marr uses on his Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar signature, his Fender Telecaster collection, and his Rickenbacker 330 with The Smiths and his solo catalog. Ernie Ball nickel-wound + jangle-pop rhythm-and-lead vocabulary. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented gear behind jazz guitarist Julian Lage's stripped-down rig: a custom Nachocaster Telecaster and Collings 470 JL signature, both strung with D'Addario XL Chromes flatwounds. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Keith Merrow uses for his solo material and Conquering Dystopia, including the Schecter KM-7 MKIII signature spec.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, tunings, and the famous five-string open-G setup Keith Richards uses with The Rolling Stones. Ernie Ball Regular Slinky base, custom configurations on his Telecaster Micawber. With citations.
Kerry King plays Dunlop's own Kerry King Artist-Selected strings (KKN1052), a .010-.046 nickel set with an added .052 low E for down-tuned Slayer material. His Dean signature V guitars, Marshall JCM800 2203KK signature amp, and every claim's source.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented strings, guitars, amps, and effects Kirk Hammett uses with Metallica. The Ernie Ball RPS-10/RPS-11 hybrid set (.010 to .048), the ESP KH signature line, the Mesa Boogie Rackmount Dual Rectifier years, the Randall KH signature era, the current Fractal Axe-FX III live rig, and Greeny. Every claim cited.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and guitars Kurt Cobain played in Nirvana: Dean Markley 2504 Light Top/Heavy Bottom (.010–.052), the Fender Mustang and Jaguar, and the Jag-Stang he co-designed. Receipt-sourced.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
The unusually heavy Gibson string gauge Malcolm Young played on 'The Beast,' his 1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird, plus the Marshall amp and stripped-down signal chain behind AC/DC's rhythm tone. Ground Guitar, Guitar Player, and Guitar World sourced.
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Mark Holcomb uses with Periphery and on his PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN signature. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Mark Knopfler uses on his Pensa-Suhr and Fender Stratocasters with Dire Straits and his solo catalog. Light Slinky-class gauges + thumb-and-fingers right-hand approach. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and guitars Mark Tremonti uses with Alter Bridge and Creed. A custom D'Addario hybrid gauge (.010-.049) on his PRS Mark Tremonti Signature, confirmed by his own MusicRadar interview and Premier Guitar's 2023 Alter Bridge Rig Rundown.
Documented string gauges and signature gear Matt Bellamy uses with Muse: Ernie Ball Power Slinky (.011–.048) per Ernie Ball's own artist blog, his Manson MB-1 signature guitar with a built-in MIDI touchpad and Korg Kaoss Pad, and the Diezel VH4 to Kemper/Axe-FX rig behind Muse's sound. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented gear Matt Heafy plays in Trivium: Dunlop Trivium Signature strings, Epiphone Les Paul Custom Origins guitars, EVH 5150III amps, and his Dunlop Max-Grip Jazz III pick. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented career and gear history for Michael Angelo Batio: Holland, Nitro, M.A.C.E. Music, three decades with Dean Guitars, the 2021 move to Sawtooth, and his current role in Manowar. Includes the Double Guitar, Quad Guitar, and the MAB String Dampener he invented. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Mick Thomson uses with Slipknot. D'Addario custom heavy-gauge strings for Drop A and Drop B, Ibanez MTM signature with Seymour Duncan Blackouts, ESP LTD MT-I signature, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C amp. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
The strings, pickups, and amps Misha Mansoor uses with Periphery on his Jackson Juggernaut signatures. Every spec cited to Jackson, Horizon Devices, and Premier Guitar.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Molly Tuttle
Solo
Molly Tuttle's rig, documented: her 2026 Martin D-18 and D-X2E signature dreadnoughts, the 2020 Preston Thompson signature, and the D'Addario phosphor bronze strings tied to her sound. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauge, guitars, and amps Myles Kennedy uses with Alter Bridge. D'Addario Light Top/Heavy Bottom (.010–.052) on his PRS Signature, per Premier Guitar's 2023 Rig Rundown.
Documented strings and gear for guitarist Nita Strauss: D'Addario NYXL .010 to .046, her Ibanez JIVA10 signature, and the rig she runs with Alice Cooper and solo. Sourced.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented strings, guitars, and amps Noel Gallagher plays on Oasis's Live '25 reunion tour. D'Addario NYXL (.010-.046), a 1960 Gibson ES-355, and the new Gibson signature Les Paul, all cited.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Nouri Yetgin is the guitarist and songwriter for deathcore band Distant, and a VanderMeij signature artist. His Fleshweaver is a limited 7-string X-shape built for extreme low tunings.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Pete Townshend uses with The Who. Light-to-medium gauge strings + Schecter signature Telecaster + various Gibson and Fender catalog instruments. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
The guitars and string gauges Prince used: GHS .010–.046 on the Cloud guitars, GHS .011–.050 on the Hohner Mad Cat. Sourced to his guitar tech's own account.
Documented string gauges and tunings Randy Rhoads used with Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne's solo band on his Jackson Concorde and Karl Sandoval polka-dot Flying V instruments. With citations.
Documented string gauges and gear Ritchie Blackmore plays on his scalloped Fender Stratocaster across Deep Purple, Rainbow, and Blackmore's Night. Picato RB77 Artist Signature (.010–.048) and Fender USA Bullets (.009–.042). With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Ronnie Wood's documented rig: the 1955 Stratocaster, the Zemaitis 'Stay With Me' guitar, the black B-Bender Telecaster, and the Ernie Ball strings behind his Rolling Stones tone.
Shawn Mendes is a Martin signature artist. His 000-body and Junior-body signature acoustics, and the Martin phosphor bronze strings that match them.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Saul 'Slash' Hudson uses with Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, and his solo band. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Stephen Carpenter uses with Deftones on his ESP STEF B-8 signature guitar. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Steve Vai
Solo
Documented strings, gauges, and gear for Steve Vai: Ernie Ball Super Slinky .009 to .042, his Ibanez JEM and PIA signatures, DiMarzio pickups, and the rig he tours. Sourced and corrected.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Stevie Ray Vaughan used with Double Trouble. GHS Nickel Rockers in a custom heavy set (around .013–.058) on his 1962/63 Stratocaster Number One, tuned to Eb standard. With citations.
Documented string gauges and tunings Synyster Gates uses with Avenged Sevenfold on his Schecter Synyster Gates Custom signature instruments. Ernie Ball Slinky variants + Drop D and lower tunings. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings David 'The Edge' Evans uses with U2 on his Gibson Explorer, Fender Stratocaster, and Rickenbacker 6-strings. D'Addario nickel-wound + standard E + the canonical delay-driven lead-rhythm hybrid voice. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, tunings, and the 2025 Ernie Ball signature set Tim Henson uses with Polyphia. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented gear Tom DeLonge runs with Blink-182: Fender Tom DeLonge Starcaster with a Seymour Duncan SH-5, Ernie Ball Paradigm strings (.011 to .052 with a wound G), and a Fractal Axe-FX III rig. Sourced from Premier Guitar's January 2026 Rig Rundown.
Documented string gauges and tunings Tom Morello uses with Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, and Prophets of Rage on 'Arm the Homeless,' 'Soul Power,' and the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster signature. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Tommy Emmanuel
Solo
Documented gear for Tommy Emmanuel: his Martin Flexible Core signature strings, Maton EBG808TE signature guitars, his Chet Atkins-awarded CGP title, and 2024 Grammy win. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Tony Iommi uses with Black Sabbath on his Gibson SG. La Bella custom-light .008-.032 set + tunings as low as C# standard and B standard. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
The strings, guitars, and pickups Tosin Abasi uses with Animals as Leaders on his Abasi Concepts Larada 8. Every spec cited to Abasi Concepts, D'Addario, Fishman, and Premier Guitar.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and tunings Wes Hauch uses across 6-, 7-, and 8-string guitars for Alluvial, The Faceless, and Thy Art Is Murder. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Wolfgang Van Halen's documented gear: the EVH SA-126 signature semi-hollow built around his father's 1959 Gibson ES-335, an EVH 5150III amp rig, and the D'Addario string gauge he switched to before the 2022 Taylor Hawkins tribute shows. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges and tunings Yngwie Malmsteen uses on his Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Signature Stratocaster. Fender Yngwie Malmsteen signature .008-.046 set + Eb standard tuning. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
Documented string gauges, brands, and gear Zakk Wylde uses with Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne, and the Pantera reunion tour. Dunlop Zakk Wylde String Lab signature strings, Gibson Custom Shop and Wylde Audio Les Pauls, EMG 81/85 pickups. With citations.
Endorsed · paid relationship documented
