Top 5SponsoredHas said they use
“I have my vintage Silverbursts and I have my brand-new ones and they all sound the same”
Said in Guitar World: Adam Jones on the making of his 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom signature model, February 2021
a
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Adam Jones. Every item links to its public source.
21 items · Last checked What guitar does Adam Jones play?
Adam Jones plays Silverburst Les Paul Customs, including his Gibson and Epiphone Adam Jones 1979 signature models, into a Diezel VH4 and a hot-rodded vintage Marshall Super Bass. Joe Barresi has said a Boss DD-3 is his main delay, and his live board has been seen with an MXR Micro Amp, Boss BF-2 Flanger, Line 6 DL4 and a Dunlop Heil Talk Box.
In stores now
Shop Adam Jones's setup.
Top 5
Where to start with Adam Jones's gear.
01
02
Top 5SponsoredHas said they use
Epiphone
Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom“In fact, I just used one of the Epiphones to do some recording, and I've played them onstage, too”
Said in Guitar World: Adam Jones discusses the evolution and future of his signature 1979 Les Paul Custom, February 2024
No store page for this one.
03
Top 5Seen using
Seymour Duncan
Duncan Distortion humbucker“a Seymour Duncan Distortion (again, reflecting Jones' guitar) in the bridge position”
04
Top 5Has said they use
“I think they're the Ernie Ball skinny top, heavy bottom strings.”
Said in Guitar World: Dear Guitar Hero, Adam Jones of Tool talks tone, gear, videos and more, January 2014
05
Top 5Has said they use
“As far as picks, I use the gray nylon Jim Dunlop .88 and .72.”
Said in Guitar World: Dear Guitar Hero, Adam Jones of Tool talks tone, gear, videos and more, January 2014
What gear Adam Jones uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Guitars, pickups, strings and picks
SponsoredHas said they use
“I have my vintage Silverbursts and I have my brand-new ones and they all sound the same”
Said in Guitar World: Adam Jones on the making of his 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom signature model, February 2021
SponsoredHas said they use
Epiphone
Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom“In fact, I just used one of the Epiphones to do some recording, and I've played them onstage, too”
Said in Guitar World: Adam Jones discusses the evolution and future of his signature 1979 Les Paul Custom, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Seen using
Seymour Duncan
Duncan Distortion humbucker“a Seymour Duncan Distortion (again, reflecting Jones' guitar) in the bridge position”
Has said they use
“I think they're the Ernie Ball skinny top, heavy bottom strings.”
Said in Guitar World: Dear Guitar Hero, Adam Jones of Tool talks tone, gear, videos and more, January 2014
Has said they use
“As far as picks, I use the gray nylon Jim Dunlop .88 and .72.”
Said in Guitar World: Dear Guitar Hero, Adam Jones of Tool talks tone, gear, videos and more, January 2014
Amps and speakers
Seen using
Diezel
VH4“His sound is definitely his Les Paul Custom into his main Diezel VH4 and that Marshall Superbass”
Has said they use
Marshall
Super Bass 100-watt head“Right now, for my live setup I'm using two Diezel heads and an old vintage Marshall bass amp that's been hot rodded.”
Said in Guitar World: Dear Guitar Hero, Adam Jones of Tool talks tone, gear, videos and more, January 2014
Find it on
Seen using
Celestion
Vintage 30“The body of it was Mesa/Boogie 4x12s loaded with 8-ohm Celestion V-30s.”
Pedals and controllers
Seen using
“Adam's main delay is a Boss DD-3”
Seen using
“and a Boss DD-5 Digital Delay”
Seen in Mixdown: Gear Rundown, Adam Jones of Tool, October 2025
Seen using
BOSS
BF-2 Flanger“a Boss BF-2 Flanger”
Seen in Mixdown: Gear Rundown, Adam Jones of Tool, October 2025
Seen using
“an MXR M-133 Microamp”
Seen in Mixdown: Gear Rundown, Adam Jones of Tool, October 2025
Seen using
Seen using
Line 6
DL4 Delay Modeler“a Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeller”
Seen in Mixdown: Gear Rundown, Adam Jones of Tool, October 2025
Seen using
Dunlop
Heil Talk Box“a Dunlop Heil Talkbox (used on 'Jambi')”
Seen in Mixdown: Gear Rundown, Adam Jones of Tool, October 2025
Seen using
Caroline Guitar Company
Kilobyte“interactive effects like Caroline's Kilobyte and Meteore”
Seen using
Caroline Guitar Company
Meteore
Seen using
Roland
PK-5 Dynamic MIDI Pedal“Leahey also discusses Jones' use of the Roland PK-5 MIDI Pedal to control an Access Virus A synthesiser module”
Seen in Mixdown: Gear Rundown, Adam Jones of Tool, October 2025
Records he loves
Has said they love
Butthole Surfers
Locust Abortion Technician“His playing on albums like Locust Abortion Technician is very eclectic.”
Said in Guitar World: Tool's Adam Jones, the 10 guitarists who shaped my sound, August 2019
Has said they love
Pink Floyd
The Wall“That idea came from our influences, like Pink Floyd's The Wall.”
Said in Guitar World: Dear Guitar Hero, Adam Jones of Tool talks tone, gear, videos and more, January 2014
Has said they love
Eagles
The Long Run“I think that the Talk Box on [the Eagles'] Those Shoes is really amazing”
Questions
About Adam Jones's gear.
What guitar does Adam Jones play?
A Les Paul Custom in Silverburst. Gibson recreated his 1979 original as the Adam Jones 1979 Les Paul Custom, and he has said his vintage and new ones all sound the same. He has also said he recorded and played onstage with the Epiphone version, which has a Seymour Duncan Distortion in the bridge.
What amps does Adam Jones play through?
Producer Joe Barresi said his sound is his Les Paul Custom into his main Diezel VH4 and a Marshall Super Bass. Jones has told Guitar World his live setup was two Diezel heads and a hot-rodded vintage Marshall bass amp through Mesa/Boogie cabinets.
What pedals are on Adam Jones' pedalboard?
Barresi named a Boss DD-3 as his main delay and Caroline Kilobyte and Meteore on Fear Inoculum. Mixdown's rundown lists a Dunlop Heil Talk Box, Boss BF-2, MXR Micro Amp, MXR Dyna Comp, Line 6 DL4, Boss DD-5 and a Roland PK-5 MIDI pedal.
What strings and picks does Adam Jones use?
He has told Guitar World he plays Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom strings and gray nylon Dunlop .88 picks, along with .72s.
What music has influenced Adam Jones?
He has named Robert Fripp, the Melvins' Buzz Osborne, Meshuggah and Paul Leary of Butthole Surfers, praising Locust Abortion Technician. He cited Pink Floyd's The Wall as an influence on Tool's anonymity, and the talk box on the Eagles' Those Shoes.
Related gear guides
Setups that share gear with Adam Jones.
Pelican
Metal
17 itemsSee Pelican's gear →
Baroness
Metal
62 itemsSee Baroness's gear →
John Baizley
Metal
46 itemsSee John Baizley's gear →
Nickelback
45 itemsSee Nickelback's gear →
Feeder
Alternative
44 itemsSee Feeder's gear →
Squid
Punk
39 itemsSee Squid's gear →
AJ
Adam Jones
About this guide · Last checked
Adam Jones is the guitarist of Tool, the Los Angeles band behind Undertow, Aenima, Lateralus, 10,000 Days and Fear Inoculum. This guide covers his Silverburst Les Pauls, Diezel and Marshall amps, pedals and strings from his Guitar World interviews, producer Joe Barresi's Fear Inoculum rundown and Mixdown's rig breakdown, plus the records he has named.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Adam Jones didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
Report an error or ask for removal. We fix or remove within 72 hours. You don't need to sign up.
Are you Adam Jones?
Claim this page to make it yours: verify with your Instagram, TikTok or YouTube, keep what's right, drop what isn't, and add your own.
Claim this pagetruerecs gear guides are independent research from public sources, not made or approved by the artist. Store buttons on this page may be affiliate links: truerecs may earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Adam Jones isn't paid for them. Report an error or ask for removal. Full disclosure.