truerecs
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Billy Gibbons.Are you Billy Gibbons? Claim this page
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Billy Gibbons. Every item links to its public source.
38 items · Last checked

What guitar does Billy Gibbons play?

Billy Gibbons uses a Magnatone Baby M-80 at home and in the studio, and has said Pearly Gates, his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, is at the heart of almost everything ZZ Top recorded, often through Marshalls. He has also said he plays a Gretsch Billy-Bo and custom Bolin guitars.

Top 5

Where to start with Billy Gibbons's gear.

02
04
05

What guitars Billy Gibbons uses: a sourced gear guide

Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.

Guitars

18 items

Pickups

6 items

Amps

7 items
Questions

About Billy Gibbons's gear.

What guitar does Billy Gibbons play?

Pearly Gates, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard he bought at 18. He has also described playing a 1955 'La Grange' Strat, a 1961 Les Paul 'Lil Red', a Gretsch Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird and many custom Bolin guitars, including the Peeler.

What amp does Billy Gibbons use?

Billy Gibbons uses a Magnatone Baby M-80 at home and in the studio, per Magnatone in 2025. He has said Marshalls are the cornerstone of his tone: a Marshall JMP-1 preamp into a Marshall 120/120 power amp.

What pickups does Billy Gibbons use?

He has Seymour Duncan signature pickups: the Red Devil, the Red Devil for Tele and the Hades Gates set. Premier Guitar showed Cream T Banger and Mash and BFG Banger pickups in his Bolin guitars, and he has said he used A Little Thunder octave pickups on Hardware.

What strings does Billy Gibbons use?

Dunlop lists his Billy Gibbons Custom Rev. Willy's sets among his gear, and Premier Guitar reported his touring guitars strung .07 to .038. He has said B.B. King taught him that a lighter gauge string offers superior playing comfort.

What pick does Billy Gibbons use?

He has said he plays a filed-down Mexican peso coin as a pick, and Dunlop makes his Rev. Willy's Mexican Lottery Brand extra heavy gel pick line, along with his Rev. Willy's glass slides and leather strap.

What is Billy Gibbons' Pearly Gates?

His 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, bought when he was 18 and named after a car sold to fund it. Asked in 2020 which guitar he owns sounds finest, he named Pearly Gates.

BG
Billy Gibbons
About this guide · Last checked

Billy F Gibbons is the Texas guitarist and singer who has led ZZ Top since 1969. This guide covers Pearly Gates and the rest of the guitars he has described in interviews, his Bolin customs, Magnatone and Marshall amps, and his Gretsch, Seymour Duncan and Dunlop signature gear.

truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Billy Gibbons 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 Billy Gibbons?

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 page
truerecs 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. Billy Gibbons isn't paid for them. Report an error or ask for removal. Full disclosure.