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.
Showing 25 guitarists tagged Metal.
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
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 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 Fredrik Thordendal uses with Meshuggah on his Ibanez 8-strings. With citations.
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
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
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 John Petrucci uses with Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment. 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
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, brands, and tunings Mark Holcomb uses with Periphery and on his PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN signature. 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
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
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 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 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 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
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
