Synyster Gates is the lead guitarist for the band Avenged Sevenfold.

He has been sponsored by Schecter Guitar Research since 2004, and has signature Avenger models.

An interesting fact is that Synyster Gates attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood as part of the GIT program, studying jazz guitar.

Let's look at what gear and equipment has been seen in Synyster Gates' Guitar Gear Rig.

Image by Lauren Murphy. C.C. Attribution-No Derivative Works Generic licensed

Click the gear images for more info & specs at Musician's Friend

Guitars

Schecter Synyster Gates Signature Custom models with Seymour Duncan SH-8 Invaders and Sustainiac neck pickup sustainer

Syn is said to have a large collection of custom Schecters, including a Rebel flag, American flag, German flag, Black with Red Stripes, Red with Black Stripes, and also one with a Tune-O-Matic Bridge.

Note: There is also a lower priced Schecter Synyster Gates Signature standard model:

Schecter Avengers
Schecter Custom C-1 FR

Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
Schecter PT Fastback
Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul Custom  (not sure what color)

Parker Fly (not sure exact model/color)

Ibanez - RG Prestige
Schecter S-1 loaded with Seymour Duncan JBs

Amps and Cabinets

- In February 2009 Guitar World Mag, Gates said they got an endoresement from Marshall and are using JCM800's only

Marshall JCM800s (current main amp)

Syn used the Bogners before the Marshall endorsement: 

Bogner Uberschall and Caveman amps
Bogner 4x12s loaded with 30-watt Celestions
Bogner Uberkab 4x12" and standard Bogner 4x12"

Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifiers

Krank Revolution Head

Krank Revolution 4x12" cabinet

Marshall various low-watt combos
Marshall 4x12" cab

Effects and more
Digital Music GCX Ground Control

Visual Sound H20 Liquid Chorus and Echo
A Custom Boost for solos
Krank Distortus Maximus

MXR Wylde Overdrive

Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive

Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter

BOSS RV-5 Digital Reverb

Boss CS-3 Compressor

Boss BF-3 Flanger

Digitech Whammy Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi Fuzz Pedal

Voodoo Labs GCX Guitar Audio Switcher rack unit
Voodoo Labs DMC Ground Control Polo pro
Seymour Duncan SFX-01 Pickup Booster

Strings Picks and Accessories
Ernie Ball strings, gauged .010-.052. ('skinny top, heavy bottom' strings)

Jim Dunlop Gator Grip 2.0mm picks in custom black with a "Deathbat" logo printed

Rebel Straps Skull Bottle Opener Strap (the rebel lighter strap is pictured below)

Rebel Straps Skull Pick Box Strap
White Get'm Get'm Sergeant Stripes Guitar Strap

Black Schaller Strap Locks

Comments

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JJ   |2010-03-01 21:11:36 He does pay for it all, sort of. Endorsements usually only cut about 50% off of the original price, so yeah, he probably paid around 10 grand for it all. But even if he didn't have the endorsement, he still makes around 5,000 bucks at a 1,000 person show, so yeah, he's set. Reply 1   1

White Demon  - pedal   |2010-02-03 16:44:12 he is also using a MXR dime distortion Reply 0   0

conor  - mannn   |2010-01-19 00:09:48 pickups are all wrong. he plays custom sh-8 seymour duncan invaders. and a sustaniac sustainer pickup Reply 3   1

A7x Fan  - Amps   |2010-01-09 14:56:07 He's got A Mesa Triple Rec in his rig at the Live in the LBC DVD. Reply 0   1

randhr1  - another guitar.   |2010-01-06 18:07:15 I've seen him live using his white custom. get this up here someone. Reply 1   0

R.I.P. The REV!   |2010-01-02 22:29:52 Hey i bought the boss compression sustainer CS-3 and i cant figure out what his settings are.... can anyone help me??? Reply 0   1

Lee  - sustainer   |2009-12-29 07:03:39 omfg he's using a fernandes sustainer for his synyster custom an he also has a complete fernandes guitar it's the guitar he made the brompton cocktail intro... think it's called revolver Reply 1   1

Mike  - sustainer   |2010-02-21 11:30:21 Actually, he has Sustainiac pickups in his Custom. He DOES, however, have a fernandes guitar as you said. Reply 0   0

Felipe  - pedals?   |2009-07-25 13:55:11 wich songs syns uses a fuzz or flanger. the other pedals you can hear it or sounds similar to those but the fuzz and the flanger don't have sense to me. Reply 1   1

Karl  - Sustainiac   |2009-07-16 11:11:18 You can see it in the bridge pickup on the photo at the top of the page, he uses the Sustainiac sustainer system on his guitar, you'll also be able to see 2 little toggle switches behind the bridge on his guitar to activate it, he has this on the standard tuned Custom guitar, then his custon Invaders on the lower tuned guitar for Scream and Almost easy Reply 1   2

Joe   |2009-07-02 23:34:36 I think some of you don't realize how often musicians like this change their gear. You know how you're always looking for that perfect tone? That doesn't stop with endorsements and success. For example, he may state that he's using a JCM 800 but he could be using another amp in the background. Just because his signature guitar comes with Invaders doesn't mean he's still using them. From my point of view, I think his taste in tone is maturing. I mean, if he's really using JB pickups (way better than those sterile sounding Invader pickups, maybe with the right wood they're ok) and JCM 800s (Can't really go wrong, less gain is always nice these days), wow. Sure beats the ESP + EMG 81 + Recto cookie cutter sound you hear in metalcore today. Reply 3   0

Syn   |2009-06-21 11:16:29 Holy crap! This would all cost about 20k! Does he buy all of this gear or are they like sponsorships? Reply 2   1

UberPro   |2009-06-21 11:28:08 He doesn't use all this gear at once. This is just the gear he has had in his rig. For instance live he is probably just using the JCM800....which you can get for less than 2k. You can get his guitar for $1k. So right there you are close....and would just need to select the right pedals and a cab. So you could probably get rig that is pretty close to his for $5k or so. Reply 0   1

Fred  - Mr   |2009-05-15 07:45:50 How could you guys forget to mention his Bogner Uberschall and Caveman stacks?!! Reply 0   0

Dak   |2009-04-16 19:58:52 hey i was wondering if someones knows which emg pic ups are closest to the sound of the JB's i have 85's 81's and a 60 on an ESP ax 400, and i have a BOSS ME-50 and would much appreciate if someone could tell me how to get a sound close enought o syn's on my pedals thank you... Reply 1   0

untamedguitar  - Pickups   |2009-04-01 14:24:35 Correct but I'm pretty sure he uses Seymour Duncan Invaders. Reply 3   1

ryder   |2009-03-22 17:55:53 recently synster gates annonced that he only uses the marshall jcm800's and a boss cs-3, he also had a black and silver synyster custoum with a sustaining system on it. Reply 0   0

JWill  - hmmm   |2009-08-18 01:59:36 According to the Guitar World interview, he uses the older CS-2 sustainer Reply 0   0

uberpro   |2009-08-18 12:50:29 I don't know about that...right here a few months ago on GuitarWorld, he says he uses the CS-3 http://www.guitarworld.com/article/dear_guitar_hero_avenged_sevenfold Reply 0   0

Y  - His Settings on his Amp   |2009-02-27 09:16:55 Hey can ne one tell me the settings on Syn's amp or give me an idea on how to set mine up to sound as close as i can to his sound? Reply 0   0

synyster   |2009-03-21 00:47:44 he has high lows and low high for his EQ Reply 2   0

Reilly  - He does   |2009-02-11 09:04:39 he uses the get'm strap in burn it down video and he uses the shecter tribel strap Reply 0   0

ZACKY V.   |2009-02-27 09:20:37 o damn he does doesnt he my bad thanks dude Reply 0   0

ZACKY V.  - THE GET'M GET'M Strap   |2009-01-24 08:18:40 Syn never used that get'm get'm strap zacky v uses it. u can see it in the afterlife vid and their newest dvd. zacky is the one that uses it Reply 0   5

John  - U forgot 1   |2009-01-17 09:43:26 He also uses an ibanez ts-9 tube screamer. also forgeting his ground control pedals. but thanks anyways! this helped alot! Reply 0   0

illuziun   |2008-12-10 15:29:41 there are some mistakes there He don't use de MXR Wylde, he uses Ibanez TS-9. He's fuzz pedal is the Frantone "The Sweet" and not the Big Muff Lurch, the other pickup is a sustaniac, kind of a eternal sustain(google it =D) Reply 1   0

uberpro   |2008-12-10 15:48:06 I can't find any evidence he uses a TS-9 - point me to your source illuzion. Also keep in mind that some of the gear listed is gear he has used at some point. It might not be something he uses all the time. Reply 0   0

josh  - ts-9 tube screamer synyster gates   |2009-01-05 02:48:59 there is a video on youtube of him and zacky giving a lesson on some japanese dvd and on the floor you could see a ibanez ts-9 and it was around the city of evil time cause in the begining he held it up and then they started teaching stuff from it Reply 0   0

Taylor  - Green Pedal   |2009-09-16 16:00:26 i think it is actually that Boss Phase Shifter b/c he uses it on the Beast and the Harlot chorus where he plays those four string ascending notes and the three string sweeps. Reply 0   0

Karl   |2009-09-16 16:14:44 I'm pretty sure it's a TS, you can hear the extra bite coming from the guitar that you wouldn't get from the Marshall amp he uses in the vid. Reply 0   0

travaloon   |2009-02-28 23:33:08 heres the ur, u get a good view of at at about 00:18-00:20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3aw1wcQO9M&feature=related Reply 2   0

Lurch  - Another Pickup   |2008-12-05 12:47:23 Syn also uses another neck pickup, but I haven't been able to pinpoint what one. it's a humbucker with one pole mag. it may be the D Sonic by dimarzio any Ideas? It's loaded with the invader bridge in one of his sig models. Reply 0   0

knot  - sustainer pickups   |2009-05-24 00:59:32 syn uses the Sustainiac Stealth Pro active sustainer pickup Reply 0   0

slick   |2008-11-03 02:08:41 he use a lot of effect.. Reply 0   0

T.J.   |2008-08-08 00:50:46 The Les Paul was the Alpine White finish (Unholy Confessions Live Video). He's also used a Schecter Banshee at one point (Guitar World, Bat Country Lesson). Reply 0   0

joe   |2008-07-17 16:49:23 beautiful. Reply 1   0

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