In a hurry?

Here’s a quick rundown of the gear we discuss in the article:

Slash’s guitars

For our core nine products, we’ll take a closer look at the story behind Slash’s favourite instruments, and give recommendations for the closest alternative available.

1. Gibson Slash Appetite Les Paul

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The instantly recognisable amber Les Paul with a flame maple top became synonymous with Slash due to its use over the production of Appetite For Destruction… And believe it or not, it wasn’t originally a Gibson!

Around 1986, while Guns N’ Roses were finishing up recording Appetite, Slash was running into some frustrations with the Jackson and B.C Rich guitars he’d been using – and he felt they weren’t quite cutting it for him.

Going out to a guitar shop in LA, Slash was offered an exacting replica of a 1959 Les Paul Standard built by renowned luthier Kris Derrig.

Slash immediately liked the model, but it didn’t have any pickups in it. The shop installed a pair of Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro humbuckers, and Slash’s ultimate Les Paul came back with him into the studio.

The replica was immediately put to work recording overdubs and solos, and Slash fell in love with the sound. This guitar has been his recording workhorse ever since. This also started his relationship with Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups, which have been installed in most of his following guitars.

Slash felt reluctant to use his Derrig model live after it had its neck broken on one occasion and was stolen by a fan during a gig on another. Even though it was returned to him by venue security, the Derrig was retired from live use.

It now stays at home and gets used in recording while a variety of replicas and signature models from Gibson and Epiphone that recreate the feel of Derrig’s original grace the stage alongside the 1987 Les Paul Standard.

If you’re after the feel and look of the Derrig Les Paul, Gibson’s own Slash Les Paul Standard is the best way to go. This one builds on the design of the Derrig with the classic flame maple top of Slash’s favourite studio workhorse, as well as other fit and finish variants based on his other favourite guitars, like our next topic, “Jessica”.

2. Gibson Les Paul Standard 1987, “Jessica”

Slash has a plethora of Les Pauls that he uses as his go-to guitars, but this is perhaps his most iconic. His primary choice for live performance, the 1987 Les Paul Standard has a dull, yellow-brown sunburst colour with a three-piece top that is utterly unmistakable, having been refinished from its original cherry sunburst to achieve a smoother colour Gibson now call “honey burst”.

Slash has used this one in shows for every single one of his projects: Guns N’ Roses, Slash’s Snakepit, and Velvet Revolver alike have all had this guitar on stage.

Slash bought this now-iconic instrument from Gibson in 1988 while on tour, alongside a goldtop Les Paul Standard. Both of these were actually factory seconds – models with minor flaws that couldn’t be sold in retail for full price.

Loaded with a pair of Custom Gibson Burstbuckers inspired by Slash’s preferred Seymour Duncan pickups, this Les Paul Standard is Slash’s live workhorse. Over time, he named this guitar “Jessica”, although he doesn’t remember what prompted the name.

To quote the man himself, “The main guitar I play live is one of two Les Paul Standards I bought in 1987. This one has always been my main stage guitar. It just sounds good and feels right to me.”

3. Gibson Slash 1958 “First Standard”

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After its inception in 1952, the Les Paul was originally built with a single possible finish: gold. It wasn’t until 1958 that Gibson made two major modifications: a cherry sunburst finish and a two-piece maple top with a centre seam.

As it turned out, the first-ever model to feature both changes was the first production of the Les Paul Standard.

Slash eventually bought this very same model after it passed through the hands of several other players. Bearing the serial number #8–3096, such a historic model stayed safely in the confines of Slash’s home and the studio, seeing use on the Conspirators album World on Fire.

After Slash bought it, Gibson realised the significance of this model and offered to replicate it. The model remains in Slash’s care, and he’s said he primarily bought it for the incredible tone it offered from its classic design and original P.A.F pickups.

4. B.C. Rich Mockingbird

Slash playing any guitar other than a Les Paul seems difficult to believe, but he does! In fact, the B.C. Rich Mockingbird was one of the earliest guitars he ever owned, after a Gibson Explorer replica gifted to him by his grandmother, and a Les Paul replica that he quickly moved on from. A late ‘70s model B.C. Rich Mockingbird was the first guitar to see real use in the band Tidus Sloan in the early ‘80s.

Slash would later sell this ‘70s model, but his link to B.C. Rich remained. Slash would buy another Mockingbird in the early ‘90s as it had a tremolo system. This Mockingbird was his main tremolo guitar throughout the Use Your Illusion era, particularly on “You Could Be Mine”. B.C. Rich have issued several Slash signature models since.

5. Guild Crossroads Doubleneck

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The Guild Crossroads Doubleneck came from a design Slash specifically requested from the brand after playing many of their acoustic guitars. Slash was frustrated at having to switch between acoustic and electric guitars in the middle of songs while playing live and wanted a guitar that could do both simultaneously.

Requesting a 12-string hollowbody acoustic and a humbucker-loaded six-string for that typical hard rock sound, the Crossroads Doubleneck fulfilled exactly what he needed. Not bad for a guitar that had its design drawn on a cocktail napkin!

6. Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop 1987, “Victoria”

The second of the 1987 models Slash originally got from Gibson in 1988, the Les Paul Standard Goldtop was Slash’s live backup for his famed “Jessica”. It filled in whenever he needed another tuning or some maintenance on his main live guitar.

The Goldtop might not quite have seen as much heavy use as Jessica, but it was used pretty extensively on live shows for the Use Your Illusion tours.

Unfortunately, the guitar was stolen in 1990. Slash really liked the guitar and so got in touch with Gibson to have the Goldtop rebuilt to the same specifications. He named this rebuilt Goldtop “Victoria” after the person who he claims robbed his house and the guitar in the process.

If you’re after a good starting point for the look and feel of Victoria, Epiphone’s Les Paul Standard ‘50s in Gold will give you the vibe while you learn.

7. Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck

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The Gibson EDS-1275 uses two SG-style dual-humbucker guitar bodies. The top neck is a 12-string electric while the bottom is a 6-string. Slash uses this guitar for live performances of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” and “Patience”.

8. Fender Stratocaster

Slash playing a Fender?! Surprisingly, yes. As a matter of fact, a large part of Appetite For Destruction was originally recorded with a black Fender Stratocaster, but he wasn’t particularly happy with the results, prompting him to buy the Kris Derrig Les Paul.

Slash hasn’t really gone much for the single-coil loaded Fender guitars since, but he has been seen using a stock 1965 Stratocaster as on Velvet Revolver’s “Sucker Train Blues”, some tracks for Slash’s Snakepit, and on both Use Your Illusion albums.

If the single coil tones that carried the bulk of Guns n’ Roses’ debut before Slash found his love of Les Pauls or some of the bluesier songs from Velvet Revolver appeal to you, the Fender Player II Stratocaster is a great option.

9. 1959 Gibson Flying V

The 1959 Flying V is made of a unique korina wood, which gives it a distinctive look and sound. Whilst extremely rare, Slash was looking to expand beyond the Les Pauls he’d become synonymous with for the Use Your Illusion albums, so he reached out to a broker who offered him a Flying V and two Explorers of the same year, which he bought.

When recording their cover of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” Slash picked up his ’59 V and managed to perform the incredible solo in a single take!

Slash maintains that the unique feel and sound of this triangular axe was what prompted him to do so.

If you want something with the look and feel of this unique guitar and the inspiration that brought out the magic in GnR’s incredible Bob Dylan cover, we recommend the Epiphone 1958 Korina Flying V.

Amps

1. Marshall AFD 100

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After receiving the advance for the recording of Appetite, Slash very quickly blew his share of the $370,000 the label gave GnR on… well, not the album. As such, Slash had to rent an amp from S.I.R (Studio Instrument Rentals) to track with, as he couldn’t afford to buy one.

At first, Slash tested a specific Marshall Model 1959T Super Lead Tremolo that had been modded by an S.I.R employee, giving it more gain. The company then rented that amp out to George Lynch for Dokken’s tour that same year.

S.I.R. scrambled to mod a similar amp, and the company never told Slash that it was technically a different amp! However, they modded it in a similar way, and Slash was happy enough with this new model. So much so that he later offered to buy it from S.I.R. They refused, however, and Slash then claimed it was stolen.

S.I.R correctly suspected Slash still had the amp and intended to keep it, but while rehearsing for the upcoming tour in a rehearsal space owned by the company, Slash’s guitar tech mistakenly returned it, much to his frustration. This amp was paired with a Marshall 4 x 12 cabinet filled with Celestion 30 speakers, that presumably weren’t vintage yet.

Marshall would release the AFD100 Slash signature model based on this modded amp to commemorate 23 years of Appetite For Destruction.

2. Marshall JCM 800

Slash briefly used the highly sought-after Marshall JCM 800 while touring for Appetite For Destruction. It was used for about a year or so for live work, but he stopped using it in 1988 when he got the next model on this list.

3. Marshall Silver Jubilee

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The Marshall Silver Jubilee was released in 1987 to celebrate 25 years of Marshall Amps. It had the same beloved sound as the JCM 800 with a few tweaks by Jim Marshall to make it a little darker, smoother, and have even more gain on tap than the JCM 800.

This brief, limited-run amp became Slash’s go-to amp both live and in the studio, and remained so until he got some signature models of his own that took elements of the Silver Jubilee he liked so much.

Fortunately, Marshall have reissued the initially limited Silver Jubilee as a mini combo, for achieving Slash’s searing tones at home or on smaller stages.

4. Marshall JCM 2555SL

Slash’s first signature amp had a very limited run; only 3000 units of the JCM 2555SL were ever made between 1996 and 1997. While Marshall have since reissued the Silver Jubilee as a production model, this was the only way you could get your hands on the Jubilee sound until Marshall finally brought it back in 2018.

Slash used these live for a very long time, until switching to Magnatone amps for his signatures in GnR’s recent tours from 2020 to 2023.

5. Roland JC-120

Slash knows what he likes, and most of what he likes is a Gibson Les Paul into a Marshall amp. That said, he has occasionally pushed the boat out with some different amps. Perhaps most famously, the Roland JC-120 was used to record “Paradise City” in the studio.

Slash has also been known to use a Fender Tweed Champ, a Fender Twin-Reverb, and a Vox AC-30 on some Velvet Revolver material.

Effects

Slash is something of a minimalist when it comes to pedals and effects, and frankly, that’s understandable. When you play that well, you don’t need a lot of extra processing, but there are a few pedals that have been integral to certain key moments of songs, and one that has in fact shaped a lot of Slash’s playing.

1. Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

It wouldn’t be ’80s rock without a wah! Slash quite frequently uses the Dunlop Cry Baby to get that wailing tone that makes solos rip through a mix.

It’s fun, it’s expressive, it’s classic, and it adds a little extra gain too. More specifically, Slash originally used the Cry Baby SW95, which is voiced lower than a lot of other wah pedals, which is a big part of his sound.

Slash has now collaborated with Dunlop on two signature wahs with his ideal voicing: the SC95 and the SW95 Slash Signature.

2. MXR M-234 Analog Chorus

A chorus is a great modulation effect to add movement to playing. The MXR M-234 Analog Chorus is not heard often in Slash’s tone, but it’s excellent with clean tones, and it’s most recognisably used in “Paradise City”.

3. MXR Phase 90

The MXR Phase 90 has something of a reputation as a go-to modulation effect for high-gain players. Popularised by Eddie Van Halen, the Phase 90 has endured fast phasing. It’s not used often by Slash, but Slash’s guitar tech praised it for its “interesting colour” when it’s needed.

4. Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

Slash uses the Boss DD-3 as an occasional ambient effect. There isn’t much more to add here, it’s not used frequently, but its clean digital repeats are a great way of achieving a direct and to-the-point delay effect.

5. Boss GE-7 Equalizer

EQ is always a great front-of-chain effect for achieving a professionally polished guitar tone. Before hitting the amp, the GE-7 gives Slash and his guitar tech a little extra control over the frequency response, letting live or studio tones get shaped with precision.

FAQs

What guitars does Slash use?

Slash primarily uses Gibson Les Paul guitars. While the Les Paul is his most iconic choice, Slash has also played other models like B.C. Rich Mockingbirds and Gibson SGs. His preference for the Les Paul has shaped his signature tone in rock and metal music.

How many signature guitars does Slash have?

Slash has numerous signature guitars, with over 30 models created by Gibson and Epiphone. These guitars are crafted to reflect his personal preferences in design and sound, offering fans a chance to play replicas of his custom instruments.

How many ’59 Les Pauls does Slash own?

Slash is known to own several ’59 Les Paul replicas, though the exact number of original ’59 models is unclear. Vintage ’59 Les Pauls are rare and highly valuable, but Slash’s affinity for this model has led him to collect a lot of versions over the years.

Final thoughts

There’s a lot of history to cover in Slash’s guitar rig, with a lot of interesting stories behind his preferences. But to offer a simple answer, a Les Paul Standard into a Marshall amp is the core of the sound that’s graced countless albums, legendary songs, and rocked stages the world over. For anyone after the sound and feel of Slash’s guitars, this has been our guide to the legend’s setup.

Interested in more on the history of rock? Our list of the 32 greatest moments in rock and roll history will give you plenty of insight into the moments that shaped the loud music we know and love.

And for anyone eyeing up a Les Paul after hearing all about how great these guitars are, it might be worth checking out our guide to the differences between Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls.

Still chasing tones? Why not check out our guide to Angus Young’s guitars and gear, too?