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.
Click the gear images for more info and specs at Guitar Center and Amazon
Guitars
- Gibson 2005 and 2006 "Music Rising" Les Pauls
- Gibson 1976 Explorers (x2)
- Fender Stratocasters (black, sunburst)
- Gibson 1973 Cream Les Paul Custom
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 Les Paul Standard (cream)
- Gibson 1966 Cherry SG Les Paul Standard
- Fender 1966 and 1969 Cream Telecasters w/Maple Neck
- Fender Jaguar
- Gretsch 1963 and 1968 Chet Atkins Walnut Country Gentleman guitars. Also a 2009 one with Piezo
- Gretsch White Falcon
- Gretsch 2009 Black G6136 Falcon w/Fishman Piezo Acoustic System
- Line 6 2005 Variax 700 Modelling Guitar (red and black)
- Epiphone 1962 Sunburst Casino and a 1964 one with a Bigsby
- Epiphone Sheraton
- Gibson 2006 Blonde Pete Townshend model SJ-200 Acoustic/Electric
- Fernandes 2003 Native Sustain Guitar
- Fernandes 2009 Retro Rocket Sustain Guitar
- Gibson ES-175
- Gibson ES-330
- Gibson ES-335TD (sunburst)
- Gibson Sonex-180 Deluxe
- Gibson Byrdland
- 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)
- Gretsch 1959 Sunburst 6101 Country Club
- Gibson 1965 Pelham Blue SG Les Paul Standard
- Gibson 2008 Sunburst SJ-200 Acoustic/Electric
- Gibson 2008 Blonde SJ-200 Acoustic/Electric
- Gibson 2005 Sunburst J-45 Acoustic Electric
- Martin 1972 and 2009 model Natural D12-28 Acoustic/Electric
- 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
- Fender Deluxe Tweed (1957, 1958, 1959 models were on 2009 tour with him)
- Fender Blues Jr
- Roland JC120
- 1956 Fender Harvard
- 2008 Marshall 50Watt 1987X Amp Head (on 2009 tour with him)
- 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 Noise Suppressor NS-2 pedal
- Boss GE-7 EQ 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
- Death By Audio HARMONIC TRANSFORMER Dist Pedal
- Death By Audio FUZZ GUN
- Death By Audio Soundwave Breakdown
- Digitech WH1 Whammy Pedal
- Drive Breaker Distortion pedal
- Dunlop Crybaby Rack Wah Controller
- Electro Harmonix POG 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
- Line 6 DM-4 Pro Custom made rack device and DM-4 pedal (x2)
- Line 6 Pod Pro (x2)
- Peterson V-SAM Tuner
- "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 PW-2 Power Driver
- Boss Tuner pedal
- Electro Harmonix Big Muff
- Electro Harmonix Memory Man
- Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9
- Lovetone Doppelganger phaser/vibrato
- Lovetone Meatball envelope filter
- BOSS FBM-1 (more recently)
- Boss SD-1
- Boss OD-2
- Keeley modded Boss BD-2
- MXR Dyna Comp pedal
- EHX Holier Grail
- MXR CAE Boost/Overdrive
- Moogerfooger MF-102 and 105
- Visual Sound Route 66
- Visual Sound H2O pedal
Strings, Picks, and Accessories
- D'Addario EXL110 XL Reg Lite .10-.46 gauge
- 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 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 M500 Extra Light Acoustic Bronze 12 String .10-.47 gauge
- Ernie Ball 2233 12 String Electric .009-.046 gauge
- D'andrea medium Nylon Picks
- Ebow
- Datum Machining/Dallas Schoo Custom Machined Finger Brass Slides
- Dunlop Brass Full Slides
- Levy Leather Guitar Straps
