Slash’s Gear

Slash turned the Gibson Les Paul into a cultural icon as recognizable as his top hat. From the riffs on Appetite for Destruction to the epic solos of Use Your Illusion, his tone is pure Les Paul wood through roaring Marshalls, with just a handful of pedals. Here’s the verified gear list with direct Muviber links for your own rig.

Discography Highlights

• Appetite for Destruction (1987) – “Sweet Child o’ Mine”: ’87 Les Paul + JCM 800
• Use Your Illusion I (1991) – “November Rain”: Gibson EDS-1275 + JCM 2555 Silver Jubilee
• Slash (2010) – “Starlight”: ’59 Les Paul replica + Marshall AFD100
• 4 (2022) – “The River Is Rising”: ’91 Les Paul Standard + Friedman BE-100

Slash’s Rig at a Glance

• Guitars

  • Gibson Les Paul Standard ’87
  • Gibson Les Paul Custom
  • Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck
  • B.C. Rich Mockingbird

• Amps

  • Marshall JCM 800 2203
  • Marshall 2555 Silver Jubilee
  • Marshall AFD100 signature head
  • Friedman BE-100

• Pedals & FX

  • Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95
  • MXR 10-Band EQ
  • Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive
  • MXR Phase 90

• Accessories

  • Ernie Ball Slash Signature 11-48 strings
  • Jim Dunlop Tortex 1.14 mm picks

Slash FAQ

1. Which pickups are in the Appetite Les Paul? Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro for smooth attack and endless sustain.

2. Why does he run an MXR EQ in front of the JCM 800? To push mid-frequencies about +6 dB, making solos cut through live mixes.

3. Is the wah always on? He often leaves the Cry Baby parked at a “sweet spot” for riffs like “Rocket Queen.”

4. How does he get clean tones live? Rolls guitar volume to 2-3 and switches to a clean-set backup JCM 800.

5. Does he still record with real tubes? Yes—recent albums feature miked valve heads; no amp sims on main tracks.