truerecs
Explore truerecs
Log inFor artists
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Bruce Springsteen.Are you Bruce Springsteen? Claim this page
Bruce Springsteen, Photo: Bill Ebbesen

Photo: Bill Ebbesen · CC BY-SA 3.0

Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Bruce Springsteen. Every item links to its public source.
8 items · Last checked

What guitar does Bruce Springsteen play?

Bruce Springsteen has said his main guitar was a 1950s Fender with a Telecaster body and Esquire neck he bought for $185, which he called the best deal of his life. On stage he has been seen using modified Telecaster copies of it, and a Takamine P6N acoustic.

Shop the gear
AllTop 5GuitarsAcoustics
Top 5

Where to start with Bruce Springsteen's gear.

01
02
03
04
05

What guitars Bruce Springsteen uses: a sourced gear guide

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

Guitars

5 items

Acoustics

3 items
Questions

About Bruce Springsteen's gear.

What guitar does Bruce Springsteen play?

A 1950s Fender 'mutt' with a Telecaster body and an Esquire neck, bought at Phil Petillo's shop in 1973 for $185. Rolling Stone reports it was retired from touring around 2005; he now plays modified Telecaster copies live and still records with the original.

What acoustic guitar does Bruce Springsteen play?

A Takamine P6N, which he played to open a 2016 Philadelphia show with New York City Serenade, according to Takamine.

Why is Bruce Springsteen's Telecaster so light?

The body was heavily routed under the pickguard for extra pickups by an earlier owner, which left it unusually light and almost acoustic-sounding, per Rolling Stone. Petillo later added his Precision Frets and stainless steel and titanium hardware.

BS
Bruce Springsteen
About this guide · Last checked

Bruce Springsteen is the New Jersey singer-songwriter who leads the E Street Band. This guide covers the 1950s Fender 'mutt' he played for 40 years, the Telecasters that replaced it on the road, and his Takamine acoustic.

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

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. Bruce Springsteen isn't paid for them. Report an error or ask for removal. Full disclosure.