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U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and Equipment
Who Plays What - Who Plays What
Tuesday, 25 September 2007 11:13

The Edge, is a musician, known best as the guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist for the Irish rock band U2. His distinctive electric guitar timbre and percussive style of playing, along with his innovative use of digital sound processing — delay in particular — have helped define U2's unique sound.

Let's look at what gear and equipment has been seen in U2's The Edge Guitar Rig.

The Edge with U2 on guitar

CoolClick the gear images for more info and specs at Musician's FriendCool

Guitars

- Gibson 2005 and 2006 "Music Rising" Les Pauls

- Gibson 1976 Explorers (x2)

Gibson Explorer Electric Guitar Heritage Cherry

- Fender Stratocasters (black, sunburst)

Fender Classic Series '70s Stratocaster Electric Guitar 3-Tone Sunburst Maple Fretboard

- Gibson 1973 Cream Les Paul Custom

Gibson Custom Shop 57 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty Two Pickups Gold Hardware

Note: The Edge donated his cream Les Paul Custom to an auction to benefit Music Rising.  Gibson then created an exact 2008 custom shop replica for him.


- Gibson Les Paul Goldtop

Gibson Custom Shop 1954 Les Paul Goldtop VOS Electric Guitar Antique Gold

- Gibson Les Paul Standard (cream)

- Gibson 1966 Cherry SG Les Paul Standard

Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar Heritage Cherry

- Fender 1966 and 1969 Cream Telecasters w/Maple Neck

Fender Classic Series '60s Telecaster Electric Guitar Olympic White

- Fender Jaguar

Fender '62 Jaguar Electric Guitar 3-Tone Sunburst Brown Shell Pickguard

- Gretsch 1963 and 1968 Chet Atkins Walnut Country Gentleman guitars. Also a 2009 one with Piezo

Gretsch Guitars G6122-1959 Chet Atkins Country Gentleman Electric Guitar Walnut Stain

- Gretsch White Falcon

Gretsch Guitars G7593 White Falcon 1 Electric Guitar White

- Gretsch 2009 Black G6136 Falcon w/Fishman Piezo Acoustic System

- Line 6 2005 Variax 700 Modelling Guitar (red and black)

Line 6 Variax 700 Electric Guitar With Tremolo Transparent Amber

- Epiphone 1962 Sunburst Casino and a 1964 one with a Bigsby

Epiphone Casino Electric Guitar Cherry

- Epiphone Sheraton

Epiphone Sheraton II Electric Guitar Vintage Sunburst

- Gibson 2006 Blonde Pete Townshend model SJ-200 Acoustic/Electric

Gibson Acoustic Pete Townshend J-200 Acoustic-Electric Guitar Antique Natural

- Fernandes 2003 Native Sustain Guitar
- Fernandes 2009 Retro Rocket Sustain Guitar
- Gibson ES-175

Gibson ES-175 Reissue Electric Guitar Vintage Sunburst

- Gibson ES-330
- Gibson ES-335TD (sunburst)

Gibson ES-335 Dot Plain-top Electric Guitar with Gloss Finish Vintage Sunburst

- Gibson Sonex-180 Deluxe
- Gibson Byrdland

Epiphone Elitist Byrdland Guitar Natural Gold Hardware
- Washburn/Taylor Acoustics
- Yamaha CP70 (Keyboard)/Piano
- Fender 1975 Brown Custom Telecaster
- Fender 1968 Tobacco Stratocaster (Rosewood Neck)
- Fender 1973 Cream Stratocaster (Maple Neck)
- Fender 1975 Blonde Telecaster (Rosewood Neck)
- Fender 1974 Black Telecaster (Maple Neck)
- Fender 1973, 1974 and 1976 Black Stratocasters (Maple Necks)
- Fender 1994 Arctic White Telecaster (Japan version)
- Fender 2009 Sunburst American Vintage '52 Telecaster (Piezo)
Fender American Vintage Series '52 Telecaster Electric Guitar Butterscotch Blonde
- Gretsch 1959 Sunburst 6101 Country Club
- Gibson 1965 Pelham Blue SG Les Paul Standard
- Gibson 2008 Sunburst SJ-200 Acoustic/Electric
Gibson SJ-200 Standard Acoustic-Electric Guitar Vintage Sunburst
- Gibson 2008 Blonde SJ-200 Acoustic/Electric
- Gibson 2005 Sunburst J-45 Acoustic Electric
Gibson J-45 Standard Acoustic-Electric Guitar Vintage Sunburst
- Martin 1972 and 2009 model Natural D12-28 Acoustic/Electric
Martin D12-28 12-String Dreadnought Guitar
- Epiphone 1966 Sunburst Texan Acoustic/Electric
- MOOG 2009 MG-001 Tobacco Sunburst Sustain Guitar
- Rickenbacker 1966 Fireglo 330-12 (x2)
- Rickenbacker 1967 Maple Rickenbacker 330-12 (x2)
- Rickenbacker 1968 Black 325
- Line 6 Variax Acoustic (Vertigo tour. Custom paint)

 

 

 

Amps and Cabinets
Vox AC30 - his 1964 AC30 has been used to record every single U2 album and has been used for every single concert. He has said in interviews that he owns over thirty AC30's.

On the 2009 tour, he was seen with:

- 1964 VOX AC30TB Grey Panel
- 1970's VOX AC30TB Grey Panel
- 1972 VOX AC30TB Grey Panel
- 1974 VOX AC30TB Red Panel

Vox Custom Classic AC30CC2 30w 2x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp


- Fender Deluxe Tweed (1957, 1958, 1959 models were on 2009 tour with him)

Fender 57 Deluxe 12W 1x12 Combo Amp

- Fender Blues Jr

Fender Blues Junior Combo Amp

- Roland JC120

Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus Amp

- 1956 Fender Harvard

- 2008 Marshall 50Watt 1987X Amp Head (on 2009 tour with him)

Marshall 1987XL Vintage Series 50W Tube Head

- 1966 4 X 12" Closed Back Cabinet w/Celestion Vintage Speakers (Mick Ralphs')

 

 

Effects Pedals and Rack

Here is the Gear said to be in The Edge's 2009 tour Guitar Rig (in close to alphabetical order)

- AMS SDMX Digital Delay
- AMS SDMX Digit Delay
- Boss CS-3 Compressor Sustain pedal

Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer Pedal


- Boss Noise Suppressor NS-2 pedal

Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal


- Boss GE-7 EQ pedal

Boss GE-7 Equalizer Pedal


- Boss FET FA-1 Amplifier
- Custom Audio Elec AMS Interface
- Custom Audio Elec Remote Wah
- Custom Audio Elec Dual Stereo Mixer
- Custom Audio Amp Selector and Patch Point
- Durham Electronics SexDrive pedal
- Digitech Synth Wah Pedal

DigiTech XSW Synth Wah Envelope Filter Pedal


- Death By Audio HARMONIC TRANSFORMER Dist Pedal
- Death By Audio FUZZ GUN
- Death By Audio Soundwave Breakdown
- Digitech WH1 Whammy Pedal

DigiTech Whammy Pedal with MIDI Control


- Drive Breaker Distortion pedal
- Dunlop Crybaby Rack Wah Controller

Dunlop Crybaby Rack Wah


- Electro Harmonix POG pedal

Electro-Harmonix XO micro POG Polyphonic Octave Generator Guitar Effects Pedal


- Electrix Filter Factory
- Eventide H3000 Harmonizer
- Furman Rack Power Pro (x2)
- Korg SDD 3000 Digital Delay (x2)
- KORG A3 Rack Multi Effects Unit (x2)
- Lexicon PCM80 and PCM70 Digital Effects Processors

Lexicon PCM96 Stereo Reverb/Effects Processor


- Line 6 DM-4 Pro Custom made rack device and DM-4 pedal (x2)

Line 6 DM-4 Distortion Modeler Pedal


- Line 6 Pod Pro (x2)

Line 6 POD X3 Pro Guitar Multi Effects Processor


- Peterson V-SAM Tuner

Peterson V-SAM Virtual Strobe Tuner/Metronome


- "Rab Tronix" (6) Way Selector Box
- Rocktron Bradshaw DVC Pedal VCA
- Shure U4RS Dual Receivers (x8)
- Shure UR1-J5 Beltpacks (x13)
- Skrydstrup Bufferooster pedal
- Skrydstrup MR9 Loop System (x3) and Skyrdstrup System Interface
- Skrydstrup SC1, SC1 Extensions and Extension Plus Controller  (foot controller which controls the gear in rack, and the pedals as well.)
- TC 2290 Digital Delay (x4)

 



 

Here is some other gear that has been seen in The Edge's Rig over the years:

- Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay Pedal

- Boss PW-2 Power Driver

- Boss Tuner pedal

Boss Tu-3 Chromatic Pedal Tuner


- Electro Harmonix Big Muff

Electro-Harmonix USA Big Muff Pi Distortion/Sustainer Pedal

- Electro Harmonix Memory Man

Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man XO Analog Delay Guitar Effects Pedal

- Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer Effects Pedal

- Lovetone Doppelganger phaser/vibrato
- Lovetone Meatball envelope filter

- BOSS FBM-1 (more recently)

Boss FBM-1 Fender Bassman Pedal


- Boss SD-1

Boss SUPER OverDrive SD-1 Pedal


- Boss OD-2

Boss OD-3 OverDrive Pedal


- Keeley modded Boss BD-2

Boss BD-2 Blues Driver Pedal


- MXR Dyna Comp pedal

MXR M-102 Dyna Comp Compressor Pedal


- EHX Holier Grail
- CAE Boost/Overdrive

MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-402 Boost/Overdrive Pedal


- Moogerfooger MF-102 and 105
Moog MF-102 Moogerfooger Ring Modulator

 

 

Strings, Picks, and Accessories
- D'Addario EXL110 XL Reg Lite .10-.46 gauge

D'Addario EXL110 Nickel Regular Light Electric Guitar Strings Single


- D'Addario EXL115 XL Blues Jazz .11-.49 gauge
- D'Addario EXL116 XL Medium Top Heavy .11-.52 gauge
- D'Addario EXL 140 Light Top/Heavy Bottom .10-.52 gauge
- D'Addario EXL 150 Light Elec 12 String .10-.46 gauge
- D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Wound EJ15 Extra Light .10-.47 gauge

D'Addario EJ15 Phosphor Bronze Extra Light Acoustic Strings Single


- D'Addario Phosphor Bronze Wound EJ26 Custom Light .11-.52 gauge
- Martin MSP 4000 Bronze .10-.47 gauge
- Martin MSP 4050 Bronze Custom Light .11-.52 gauge

Martin MSP4050 SP Phosphor Bronze Custom Light Acoustic Guitar Strings


- Martin M500 Extra Light Acoustic Bronze 12 String .10-.47 gauge
- Ernie Ball 2233 12 String Electric .009-.046 gauge

Ernie Ball 2233 Nickel 12-String Light Electric Guitar Strings


- D'andrea medium Nylon Picks
- Ebow

EBow PlusEbow Electronic Bow for Guitar


- Datum Machining/Dallas Schoo Custom Machined Finger Brass Slides
- Dunlop Brass Full Slides

Dunlop Solid Brass Guitar Slide Medium Wall Medium


- Levy Leather Guitar Straps

Last Updated on Monday, 27 February 2012 09:28
 

Comments 

 
+2 #26 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and Equipmentgrunge head 2012-01-31 13:45
The edge uses ernie ball strings not D'addario I know because I read the back of a pack of ernie ball strings.
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+1 #25 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and Equipmentgrunge head 2012-01-31 12:00
The edge also had a boss tu-2 tuner pedal and a digtitech whammy pedal.
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+1 #24 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and Equipmentyadayada 2011-08-03 09:27
Don't forget he also used an SD-1, OD-2, Keeley modded BD-2, MXR dyna comp, EHX Holier Grail, EHX POG, CAE Boost/Overdrive among others. He was recently seen with a moogerfooger MF-102 and 105 and the new BOSS FBM-1.
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0 #23 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and EquipmentTodd 2011-06-06 03:39
Does his explorer have the standard ceramic pickups in it like the new models, or did the earlier ones have '57 classics, or something else in them?
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+1 #22 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and EquipmentLibertus 2011-05-23 15:10
Quoting Col:
Edge uses Herdim Picks... This helps give the chiming sound he creates.

The Herdim is, by far, THE key element to the crispy tone in songs like 'All i want is you', 'Where the streets', 'I still haven't found' etc.
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0 #21 Edge's Telecasterkingofrock 2011-05-04 19:35
What kind of Telecaster does the Edge use in the Vertigo video?
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0 #20 ExplorerMargaux 2011-02-20 08:49
He has more Explorer Gibson! ;-)
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+1 #19 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and EquipmentJoe McLiney 2011-02-18 22:03
Your just scratching the surface of The Edge's guitars.
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+4 #18 Mr.Pete 2011-01-06 13:10
Edge uses a Kay Fuzztone on the intro of Elevation, but because they are fragile, he has it housed in an old wah-wah chassis.
Valves are probably Harma now as Brian May has probably used up all the Mullards on his 12 Vox Ac30's! I believe Edge got the thick dimpled Herdim picks after he'd heard Brian May used sixpenses for a raspy sound, plus the Vox's, plus the use of echoes, which he was a master at. (Queen Live Killers/Brighton Rock) He was also really influenced by Andy Summers of The Police, who was using echoes and 2/3 note chimy chords from 1978+
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0 #17 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and EquipmentNick 2010-11-27 06:57
No memory man? thats what sterted it all!
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0 #16 RE: U2 - The Edge Guitar Gear Rig and EquipmentDennis 2010-09-25 19:39
surprised there was no mention of his variax 700 acoustic:
www.flickr.com/photos/variax/4441291833/
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+1 #15 Col 2010-08-28 02:51
Edge uses Herdim Picks.
He holds them so the grip bobbles come into contact with the strings. This helps give the chiming sound he creates.
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+1 #14 gruntels 2010-08-10 05:13
Pretty sure there should be a memory man in there somewhere
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0 #13 Sounds!!Geoffrey 2010-01-26 03:58
There is a bunch of pictures on Google and a few videos of him and dallas schoo(his guitar tech) On youtube. Check them out!!
PS. Call him The Edge or Edge, not dave LOL
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+1 #12 Tubes!!!Andrew 2010-01-22 14:45
I am really curious what type of tubes Dave uses to get his various sounds.

I have a hot rodded AC30 and a hot rodded Fender Pro Junior. I've used new production TungSol 12AX7s which are great tubes! I'm told new old stock (NOS) RCA tubes are fantastic in the AC30, as are Tungsram EL84s and NOS Mullard EL84s.

I would really like to know what Dave Evans uses for tubes! Does he go with NOS, or does he use new production tubes from Russia, Slovakia or China? (I doubt the latter, owing to ethics)
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+1 #11 hmatz11 2010-01-19 16:52
no memory man on the list?!
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0 #10 Jonno 2010-01-02 06:24
What does he use for the intro of elevation?
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0 #9 Marcus 2009-12-23 13:08
The Edge was born in Wales, not Ireland
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+1 #8 Guest 2009-12-09 00:12
I've seen him using a digitech bad monkey replacing the TS9 in a video.
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+3 #7 sickmike 2009-04-20 12:49
this man is the most influential musician. He can master the sound of the echo like no one else. Inspired by blues,punk,and hard rock even! the bottom line is that he is "edge" 2 his music.
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0 #6 uberpro 2009-03-06 03:48
Hey guys. I just noticed that Edge is playing a Plexi in the new Get on Your Boots video. Hope that helps answer the Plexi question.
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0 #5 Edge\'s switching systemThe Fredge 2009-03-05 04:45
Hi Casey,
for the Elevation Tour in 2005 Edge replaced the Bradshaw switching system by the SKRYDSTRUP SC-1 Controller + the Extension Module.
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0 #4 No Line on the HorizonLouis Winthorpe III 2009-03-04 12:31
Casey, where did you hear that The Edge is using a Marshall Plexi? I can't find any reference to this anywhere else.

Thanks.
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+1 #3 No Line on the HorizonCasey 2009-02-18 16:07
For the new album, The Edge added a Vintage Marshall Plexi Half Stack to his amps.
He still uses the Vox AC30s along with his Fender Tweed Amps, but it looks like the new album will be recorded mostly with the Marshall Plexi.
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0 #2 roseblood11 2009-02-09 02:14
Hi,
that´s a great list!

- Here´s a picture of the Boss FA-1:
www.landweber.com/.../FA-1.jpg

- It´s been said that Edges Blues Jr amp is "customized". Do you know what has been changed? At least the speaker, I guess, cause the stock one is really crap.
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0 #1 Casey 2009-02-07 18:30
The Edge's Line 6 DM4 Distortion is a rack-mount module that he activates via a Bradshaw MIDI Switcher along with all of his other effects as well.
This rack-mount DM4 was custom made specifically for the Edge
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