John Petrucci is a guitarist best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has produced (along with his bandmate Mike Portnoy) all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory. He is also one of the band's main lyricists.
If you haven't heard John's work, go out and support him! He is an awesome guitar player.
Let's see what this guitar god uses for gear. Keep in mind his gear changes often. The following is a look at what gear and equipment has been seen in Dream Theater's John Petrucci's Guitar Rig.
Click the gear images for more info & specs at Guitar Center and Amazon
John Petrucci's Guitars
Variety of Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci custom guitars
- Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci JP12
- Ernie Ball Musicman JP-11 guitars
- Musicman JP BFR Walnutburst and Rubyburst 7 string and Baritone guitars
- 1 Musicman JP BFR 2006 Ltd. Edition Black w/Gold Hardware
- Musicman JP BFR Blackburst, Walnutburst, Rubyburst, Tobaccoburst, Koa guitars
- 1 Musicman JP Blue Sparkle Doubleneck
- Taylor 30th anniversary 712CE Acoustic guitar
- Music Man John Petrucci 6 Electric Guitar
- Music Man John Petrucci JPXI-6
- Music Man John Petrucci JPXI-7
- Sterling by Musicman JP models:
note: In the past he endorsed Ibanez guitars
John Petrucci's Pickups
- Dimarzio Petrucci Crunch Lab and Liquifire pickups
John Petrucci's Amps and Cabinets
- 2 Mesa Boogie Mark IV Amplifiers
-1 Mesa Boogie Lonestar Amplifier
- Mesa Boogie 4x12 and 2x12 cabinets, all loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers
- Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ head (solos on Black Clouds album)
- Mesa Boogie Mark V (Count of Tuscany outro solo. He uses it more often now too.)
Notes: Rack Designed, Built and Programmed by Mark Snyder
John Petrucci's Effects
- Dunlop JP95 John Petrucci Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal
- Fractal Audio Systems Axe-Fx II
- 1 Korg DTR-1 Tuner
- 1 Dunlop DCR-2SR rack Wah
- 1 DBX 166XL Compressor/Noise Gate
- 1 Mesa Boogie Amp Switcher
- 1 Boss Keeley mod TR-2 Tremolo Pedal
- 1 MXR EVH Flanger
- 1 Ibanez Keeley mod Tube Screamer TS9DX Flexi
- 1 MXR EVH Phase 90
- 1 Hermida Tech Zendrive
- 1 Dunlop MXR Wylde Overdrive
- 1 MXR Stereo Chorus
- 1 Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal
- 1 Eventide Timefactor Delay
- 1 T.C. Electronics 2290
- TC Electronic 1210 Spatial Expander/ Stereo Chorus/ Flanger
- 1 T.C. Electronics M3000
- 1 Eventide DSP7000 Harmonizer
- 1 DMC Stereo Line Mixer
- 1 Mesa Boogie Rectifier Power Amp
- 1 Furman AC Line Regulator AR-Pro
- 3 Axess Electronics CFX-4 Loop Switcher
- 2 Axess Electronics GRX-4 Loop Switcher
- Axess Electronics FX-1 midi foot controller pedalboard
- Shure SM57 and Sennheiser MD421 microphones placed directly on the grill cloth about 1.5 inches off the center of a speaker. Also more recently use Shure KSM313 ribbon mics along with the 57's.
- Framptone Amp Switcher box
- Carl Martin compressor/Limiter
- Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
- Voodoo Lab Pedal Power
- Boss Tuner pedal
- TC Electronic TonePrints Chorus (used on "A Dramatic Turn of Events" album)
John Petrucci's Strings Picks and More
- Dunlop 427BJP John Petrucci Signature Jazz III Picks
- Ernie Ball Cobalt strings
- John's tech said in 2011 interview they are using a custom gauge lately: 10,12,16,24,36,46 gauge string set
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Light Acoustic guitar strings
The Ernie Ball site shows that John uses these strings:
- Ernie Ball RPS 9 - gauges 9,11,16,24,32,42
- Ernie Ball RPS 10 - gauges 10,15,17,26,36,46
- Ernie Ball Paradigm Electric Guitar Strings
- Ernie Ball Super Slinky Acoustic strings
- Mogami cables
Go to the next page for pictures of John's guitar rig.
