Slash's guitars

"I had no aspirations to be a musician, but I picked up a guitar for two seconds and haven't put it down since." (Slash)

Slash is probably one of the most famous Les Paul players in rock. He has a huge collection of Les Pauls, but his best known and best loved is actually a 1959 replica built by Kris Derrig. The guitar was bought for Slash by his manager in late 1986 for recording of Appetite For Destruction. The guitar came with Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 pickups and quickly became Slash's main studio instrument. Another Les Paul that Slash is famous for playing with is his 1987 Les Paul Standard which has been used on countless tours. In 2018 Slash owns a collection of 221 guitars that represent a total value of 2 millions dollars.

First guitars

"Robert put on the Stones's "Brown Sugar", picked up his guitar, and played along with the riff and the lead. And that's when I heard the sound." (Slash)

Slash's first electric guitar was a copy of Gibson Explorer given by his grandmother. Then, while he increased experiences in different bands, Slash tried out few other instruments before adopting definitely Les Paul guitars in 1985.

• Memphis Les Paul copy
• Gibson Explorer copy
• B.C. Rich Mockingbird
• B.C. Rich Warlock
• Jackson Superstrat

Studio guitars

"Guitar is the best form of self-expression I know. Everything else, and I'm just sort of tripping around, trying to figure my way through life." (Slash)

For studio sessions, Slash almost exclusively uses a 1959 Les Paul Standard replica made by Kris Derrig. It is with this instrument that he recorded almost all parts of Guns N' Roses, Slash's Snakepit, Velvet Revolver and solo albums. However, when he wants a specific sound for some parts, he sometimes plays with other guitars such as Flying V, Explorer, Stratocaster or Telecaster.

• Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 replica (main studio guitar used on almost every song/album)
• Gibson Les Paul Goldtop 1956 (rhythm) (Estranged / Fall To Pieces / You Got No Right)
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Appetite (rhythm) (Standing In The Sun / Halo / Bad Rain)
• Gibson Flying V 1959 (lead) (Live And Let Die / Knockin' On Heaven's Door)
• Gibson Explorer 1958 (lead) (Locomotive)
• Gibson SG 1961 (My Michelle)
• Gibson ES-335 1967 (rhythm) (Back To The Moment / Loving The Alien)
• Gibson ES-135 (rhythm) (Wicked Stone / Stone Blind / Beneath The Savage Sun)
• Gibson Les Paul Junior (slide) (30 Years To Life)
• Gibson Les Paul 12-strings 1990 (rhythm) (You Got No Right / The Dissident)
• B.C. Rich Mockingbird (lead) (You Could Be Mine / The Truth / The Alien / Headspace)
• B.C. Rich Warlock (Reckless Life / Nice Boys / Move To The City / Mama Kin)
• Travis Bean 1000 (slide) (Bad Obsession / The Garden / Beggars And Hangers-On / Shine / Rusted Heroes)
Fender Stratocaster 1965 (lead) (Yesterdays / So Fine / What Do You Want To Be / Back And Forth Again / Sucker Train Blues / Gravedancer)
• Fender Telecaster 1956 (rhythm) (Sucker Train Blues)
• Fender Bass 6-strings 1962 (rhythm) (Right Next Door To Hell / Been There Lately / Dirty Girl)
• Gretsch 6120 Setzer (rhythm) (The Last Fight / Gravedancer)
• Guild AJF30 (Patience / Used To Love Her / You're Crazy / One In A Million)
• Martin D-18 (rhythm) (Not For Me)
• Music Man Baritone (rhythm) (We Will Roam)

Live guitars

"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." (Slash)

On stage, from the early 1990s, Slash mainly played with Les Paul Standard and particularly two 1987 models that he brought on tour with Guns N 'Roses, Slash's Snakepit and Velvet Revolver. During this period, he also used several B.C. Rich Mockingbird ("You Could Be Mine", "The Alien", "Sucker Train Blues"), Gibson EDS-1275 ("Patience", "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"), Guild Crossroads ("Neither Can I", "Back And Forth Again", "Back To The Moment") or Travis Bean 1000 ("Bad Obsession", "Rusted Heroes"). Since 2010 and his solo tours, Slash decided to mainly use his signature Les Pauls.

• Gibson Les Paul Standard 1987: Guns N' Roses / Slash's Snakepit / Velvet Revolver
• Gibson Les Paul Standard 1976: Slash's Snakepit / Velvet Revolver
• Gibson Les Paul Goldtop 1987: Guns N' Roses / Slash's Snakepit
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Snakepit 1996: Slash's Snakepit / Slash & Myles
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Standard 2008: Velvet Revolver
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Appetite 2010: Slash & Myles
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Standard VOS Aged 2008: Slash & Myles
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Goldtop 2008: Slash & Myles
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Rosso Corsa 2013: Slash & Myles
• Gibson Slash Les Paul Vermillion 2013: Slash & Myles
• Gibson EDS-1275 doubleneck 1975: Guns N' Roses / Velvet Revolver
• Guild Crossroads doubleneck: Slash's Snakepit / Velvet Revolver / Slash & Myles
• B.C. Rich Mockingbird: Guns N' Roses / Slash's Snakepit / Velvet Revolver / Slash & Myles
• Travis Bean 1000: Guns N' Roses

Signature guitars

"I've been working with Gibson since the early days of my professional career and playing Gibson guitars since before that. I'm proud of the creative relationship we've developed over the years." (Slash)

There are also various Gibson Les Paul Slash signature models, dating back as early as 1990, with a limited run of Slash models sporting black harware. In 1997, Gibson released the Snakepit Les Paul, which featured a stunning snake motif on the fingerboard. Other popular models include the 2008 VOS Aged Les Paul, a replica of Slash 1987 Les Paul. The most recent addition to the long line is the Appetite Les Paul, which is also available with an aged finish. In total, Slash has collaborated with Gibson on twelve signature Les Paul guitars... >> more about Slash signature guitars

Photos

1. Les Paul Goldtop 1957 | 2. Les Paul Goldtop 1957 | 3. Les Paul 1958 Sunburst 4. Les Paul 1959 | 5. Les Paul Goldtop 1956 | 6. Les Paul 1959 | 7. Les Paul 1959
1 & 4. Slash Les Paul Snakepit 1996 | 2, 3 & 7. Slash Les Paul Custom 1990 5. Les Paul Corvette 1995 | 6. Les Paul 12-strings 1990
1. Les Paul Standard 1987        2. Les Paul Standard 1987	1. Les Paul 1959 replica | 2. Les Paul 1959 replica 3. Les Paul 1959 replica
1. Fender Stratocaster | 2. Fender Telecaster 1952 | 3. Fender Telecaster 4. Fender Stratocaster 1965 | 5. Fender Bass 6-strings 1965 | 6. Fender Stratocaster
1. B.C. Rich Mockingbird 1992 | 2. B.C. Rich Mockingbird 1979 | 3. B.C. Rich Mockingbird 1980 4. B.C. Rich Mockingbird Arch Top 1996 | 5. B.C. Rich Mockingbird 1996 | 6. B.C. Rich Mockingbird 1978
1. B.C. Rich Doubleneck 1980 | 2. Guild Custom Crossroads 1993 | 3. Gibson EDS-1275 1967 4. Guild Custom Made "Crossroads" 1993 | 5. Guild Custom Made "Crossroads" 1993
1. Explorer 1958 | 2. Flying V 1959 | 3. Explorer 1958 4. Gibson Skylark Lap Steel	1. Travis Bean | 2. Travis Bean T1000        3. Travis Bean
1. Gibson J-25 | 2. Ramirez Acoustic Guitar 1989 | 3. Steinegger Everly Brothers 12-strings 1985 4. Duolian Dobro | 5. Guild D-100 1991 | 6. Gibson J-200 1985 | 7. Martin D-18 1964