Ace Frehley's guitars and strings: the smoking Les Paul and his 9-46 signature gauge

Ace Frehley (born Paul Daniel Frehley, April 27, 1951 - October 16, 2025) was the original lead guitarist and a founding member of Kiss, playing with the band from its 1973 formation until 1982, then again from 1996 to 2002. He invented the silver-starred "Spaceman" persona, wrote or co-wrote Kiss staples including "Cold Gin" and "Shock Me," and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of the band.

Guitars

Frehley built his sound almost entirely on Gibson Les Paul guitars. His most famous stage instrument was a modified Les Paul Custom that emitted smoke from its DiMarzio neck humbucker cavity mid-solo, a special-effects conversion designed by audio engineer John Elder Robison, who worked with Kiss in the 1970s. Gibson later formalized the relationship with an official Ace Frehley Signature Les Paul, produced from 1997 to 2001 in both a limited Custom Shop run and a wider Gibson USA line, featuring a bookmatched flamed maple top, an Ace-of-Hearts trussrod cover, and a headstock veneer of Frehley in his Spaceman makeup.

Strings

Gibson also sold Frehley's signature line as a string set: nickel-plated steel over a hex core, gauged .009-.011-.016-.026w-.036w-.046w. That is a hybrid gauge, a light top paired with a heavier-than-light bottom, rather than a straight light or straight regular set. CYS does not carry Gibson's own string line, but the Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky Cobalt ships the identical .009-.046 gauge layout, a straightforward way to match Frehley's numbers on a widely available, currently sold set. That is a gauge match only, not a documented claim that Frehley played Ernie Ball strings.

Frehley died in October 2025 after complications from a fall at his home. This is a starter profile; documented rig detail will expand as further sourced specs are confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

What guitar did Ace Frehley play?

Gibson Les Paul guitars, almost exclusively. His most famous stage instrument was a modified Les Paul Custom that emitted smoke from its DiMarzio neck humbucker cavity during solos, a special-effects conversion designed and built by audio engineer John Elder Robison.

What was Ace Frehley's signature guitar?

Gibson issued an official Ace Frehley Signature Les Paul from 1997 to 2001, in both a limited Custom Shop run and a wider Gibson USA production version. It carried a bookmatched flamed maple top, an Ace-of-Hearts trussrod cover, and a headstock veneer depicting Frehley in his Spaceman makeup.

What strings did Ace Frehley use?

Gibson sold an official Ace Frehley Signature Electric Strings set gauged .009-.046, nickel-plated steel over a hex core. That is a light-top, heavier-bottom gauge, not a straight light set, giving extra low-string mass without stiffening the top strings.

How did Ace Frehley's guitar smoke on stage?

His touring Les Paul Custom was modified with a smoke-bomb mechanism wired into the neck pickup cavity, triggered mid-solo. The conversion was designed by John Elder Robison, an audio engineer who worked with Kiss in the 1970s.

When did Ace Frehley die?

Ace Frehley died on October 16, 2025, in Morristown, New Jersey, at age 74, following complications from a fall at his home earlier that month. He was buried near his parents at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

Was Ace Frehley in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Yes. Frehley was inducted in 2014 as a member of Kiss, alongside the other three original band members. Guitar World has separately ranked him among the greatest metal guitarists of all time.

Is there a modern string set that matches Ace Frehley's gauge?

Yes. Ernie Ball's Hybrid Slinky Cobalt is gauged .009-.046, the same layout as Gibson's Ace Frehley Signature set, though it is a separate product and not a documented match to what he personally played. It is an honest gauge-match, not a claimed endorsement.