Top 5Seen using
d
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Def Leppard. Every item links to its public source.
65 items · Last checked What gear does Def Leppard use?
Phil Collen uses his Jackson PC1-E signature on tour and has played Jackson PC1s for decades. Vivian Campbell plays Gibson Les Paul Customs including his signature model, Rick Savage plays Jackson 5-string basses through Gallien-Krueger cabs, Rick Allen plays Yamaha drums, and Joe Elliott sings into a Shure Beta 58.
Top 5
Where to start with Def Leppard's gear.
01
02
Shure
Beta 58 capsule
Top 5Seen using
Shure
Beta 58 capsule“With Joe, we’ve tried different stuff, and we just keep coming back to that capsule; he’ll tell you, ‘If it’s good enough for Paul McCartney, it’s good enough for me.’”
Seen in Cover Story: Inside The Stadium Tour, Part 2 — Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
03
Shure
Axient Digital wireless (Joe Elliott)
Top 5Seen using
Seen in Cover Story: Inside The Stadium Tour, Part 2 — Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
04
Jackson
PC1-E Pro Series signature
Top 5Uses
Jackson
PC1-E Pro Series signature“I’m actually playing it on tour, actually. It’s just great,”
Said in Def Leppard's Phil Collen on why you can play anything on his new signature Jackson, September 2026
No store page for this one.
05
DiMarzio
X2N humbucker
Top 5Has said they love
DiMarzio
X2N humbuckerSaid in Def Leppard's Phil Collen on why you can play anything on his new signature Jackson, September 2026
No store page for this one.
What gear Def Leppard uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Joe Elliott: vocals
Shure
Beta 58 capsule
Seen using
Shure
Beta 58 capsule“With Joe, we’ve tried different stuff, and we just keep coming back to that capsule; he’ll tell you, ‘If it’s good enough for Paul McCartney, it’s good enough for me.’”
Seen in Cover Story: Inside The Stadium Tour, Part 2 — Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Seen in Cover Story: Inside The Stadium Tour, Part 2 — Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Seen using
Shure
SM7Seen in Engineer Ronan McHugh Records Def Leppard with PreSonus ADL 700 Channel Strip, April 2014
Phil Collen: guitar
Jackson
PC1-E Pro Series signature“I’m actually playing it on tour, actually. It’s just great,”
Said in Def Leppard's Phil Collen on why you can play anything on his new signature Jackson, September 2026
No store page for this one.
DiMarzio
X2N humbucker
Has said they love
DiMarzio
X2N humbuckerSaid in Def Leppard's Phil Collen on why you can play anything on his new signature Jackson, September 2026
No store page for this one.
Jackson
PC-1 30th Anniversary, splatter
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Jackson
USA Signature PC-1, satin natural
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Jackson
PC Supreme
Seen using
Jackson
"Bela" custom (1986)
Seen using
Jackson
"Bela" custom (1986)Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Jackson
X-Stroyer
Seen using
Fender
Acoustasonic Telecaster
Seen using
Fender
Acoustasonic TelecasterSeen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Fractal Audio
Axe-Fx III (Phil Collen)
Seen using
Fractal Audio
Axe-Fx III (Phil Collen)Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
Radial Engineering
JX42 V2 switcher
Seen using
Radial Engineering
JX42 V2 switcherSeen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
RJM Music Technology
Mastermind GT/22
Seen using
RJM Music Technology
Mastermind GT/22Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Atomic
CLR powered monitors
Seen using
Atomic
CLR powered monitorsSeen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
D'Addario
Strings .013-.054
Seen using
D'Addario
Strings .013-.054Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Jackson
PC-1 "London 57"
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard, August 2014
No store page for this one.
Randall
RRM 2-200 power amp
Seen using
EVH
4x12 cabinets
Seen using
Jackson
PC1
Has said they use
Jackson
PC1“My main guitar is a Jackson PC1.”
Said in Def Leppard: Lep Alive!, August 2011
No store page for this one.
GHS Strings
Boomers .013-.054
Seen using
Native Instruments
Guitar Rig 4
Has said they use
Native Instruments
Guitar Rig 4“I used Native Instruments Guitar Rig 4 from my laptop, and it sounds killer.”
Said in Def Leppard: Lep Alive!, August 2011
No store page for this one.
Fender
Stratocaster "Felix"
Has said they use
Fender
Stratocaster "Felix"“My main rhythm guitar was a Fender Strat that I called Felix.”
Said in Def Leppard's Hysteria is a perfect $4.5 million rock album, March 2024
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Les Paul Custom (Hysteria intro)
Has said they use
Said in Def Leppard's Hysteria is a perfect $4.5 million rock album, March 2024
No store page for this one.
Rockman
Rockman (Phil Collen)
Has said they use
Rockman
Rockman (Phil Collen)Said in Def Leppard's Hysteria is a perfect $4.5 million rock album, March 2024
No store page for this one.
Gallien-Krueger
Small combo (Love Bites demo)
Has said they use
Gallien-Krueger
Small combo (Love Bites demo)Said in The Gear Used By Phil Collen and Steve Clark on Def Leppard's 'Hysteria', June 2024
No store page for this one.
Vivian Campbell: guitar
Gibson
Les Paul Custom "Una", silverburst
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Les Paul Studio "Casper"
Seen using
Gibson
Les Paul Studio "Casper"Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Gary Moore Les Paul Standard
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Gibson
SJ-200
Seen using
Fractal Audio
Axe-Fx III (Vivian Campbell)Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
Marshall
9200 Dual MonoBloc
Seen using
Marshall
9200 Dual MonoBlocSeen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard [2022], July 2022
No store page for this one.
Engl
4x12 cabinets
Seen using
Gibson
Les Paul Custom, rebuilt '78 silver sparkle
Has said they use
“Mine is a bastardized Les Paul Custom with a silver-sparkle finish.”
Said in Def Leppard: Lep Alive!, August 2011
No store page for this one.
Marshall
JMP-1 preamp (Vivian Campbell)
Has said they use
Marshall
JMP-1 preamp (Vivian Campbell)Said in Def Leppard: Lep Alive!, August 2011
No store page for this one.
Mojave Ampworks
Scorpion 50-watt head
Has said they love
Mojave Ampworks
Scorpion 50-watt headSaid in Def Leppard: Lep Alive!, August 2011
No store page for this one.
Way Huge
Angry Troll
Has said they use
Dunlop
Jimi Hendrix Signature Wah
Has said they use
Said in Def Leppard: Lep Alive!, August 2011
No store page for this one.
Fulltone
Tube Tape Echo
Has said they use
Rocktron
Intellifex
Seen using
Dunlop
DCR-2SR rack wah
Seen using
Gibson
Les Paul Deluxe, wine red (Holy Diver)
Has said they use
Said in Interview: Viv Campbell talks guitars, January 2011
No store page for this one.
Yamaha
SBG 2000
Has said they use
Yamaha
SBG 2000Said in Interview: Viv Campbell talks guitars, January 2011
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Vivian Campbell Les Paul Custom
Has said they love
Said in Vivian Campbell: Me and my guitar, April 2020
No store page for this one.
Dunlop
Jumbo frets
Has said they use
Dunlop
Jumbo frets“All my Les Pauls have these jumbo Dunlop frets.”
Said in Vivian Campbell: Me and my guitar, April 2020
No store page for this one.
Gibson
'56 Les Paul reissue with P-90s
Has said they use
Said in Vivian Campbell, November 2006
No store page for this one.
Rick Savage: bass
Jackson
Custom Shop Rick Savage 5-string
Has said they use
“I use Jackson 5-strings pretty much exclusively live.”
Said in Rick Savage: Home-Fueled with Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Fender
Jazz Bass Special ('80s)
Has said they use
Fender
Jazz Bass Special ('80s)“It was an old, beat-up Fender Jazz Special.”
Said in Rick Savage: Home-Fueled with Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Gallien-Krueger
Neo IV 4x10 cabs and Fusion 550
Has said they use
Gallien-Krueger
Neo IV 4x10 cabs and Fusion 550“I use GK cabs, but I’m actually using the Fractal preamps with Matrix amplifiers.”
Said in Rick Savage: Home-Fueled with Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Matrix
Power amps
Has said they use
Matrix
Power ampsSaid in Rick Savage: Home-Fueled with Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
EMG
40DC pickups
Seen using
EMG
40DC pickupsSeen in Rick Savage: Home-Fueled with Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Focusrite
Interface (home recording)
Has said they use
Focusrite
Interface (home recording)Said in Rick Savage: Home-Fueled with Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Jackson
Custom Shop BlackJack 5-string
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Def Leppard, August 2014
No store page for this one.
Roland
PK-5A bass pedals
Seen using
Fender
Telecaster, black maple neck (Hysteria)
Has said they use
Said in Def Leppard bassist Rick Savage reveals “80%” of Hysteria's jangle guitars were him all along, June 2026
No store page for this one.
JHS Pedals
Rock-Box
Has said they use
JHS Pedals
Rock-BoxSaid in Def Leppard bassist Rick Savage reveals “80%” of Hysteria's jangle guitars were him all along, June 2026
No store page for this one.
Rick Allen: drums
Yamaha
Oak Custom with Subkick
Seen using
Yamaha
Oak Custom with SubkickSeen in Solid as Oak: Def Leppard Drummer Plays Yamaha, October 2009
No store page for this one.
Simmons
Custom electronic kit
Seen using
Simmons
Custom electronic kitSeen in How Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen learned to play again after losing his left arm, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Audio-Technica
AT4050 (ride mics)
Seen using
Audio-Technica
AT4050 (ride mics)Seen in Cover Story: Inside The Stadium Tour, Part 2 — Def Leppard, September 2022
AKG
C414 (overheads)
Seen using
Seen in Cover Story: Inside The Stadium Tour, Part 2 — Def Leppard, September 2022
No store page for this one.
Steve Clark: guitar (former)
Gibson
EDS-1275, white (1987)
Seen using
Gibson
EDS-1275, white (1987)Seen in Steve Clark | Rock & Pop | Sotheby's, October 2025
No store page for this one.
Seen in The Gear Used By Phil Collen and Steve Clark on Def Leppard's 'Hysteria', June 2024
No store page for this one.
Rockman
Rockman (Steve Clark)
Seen using
Rockman
Rockman (Steve Clark)Seen in Def Leppard's Hysteria is a perfect $4.5 million rock album, March 2024
No store page for this one.
Questions
About Def Leppard's gear.
What guitar does Phil Collen play?
Jackson PC1 signature models with DiMarzio pickups and a sustainer. He has said his new PC1-E with a DiMarzio X2N can sound like a Les Paul, a Strat or a Tele. On Hysteria his main rhythm guitar was a Fender Strat he called Felix, and he used a Les Paul Custom on the title track's intro.
What guitar does Vivian Campbell play?
Gibson Les Paul Customs: his silverburst Una, his Vivian Campbell signature Les Paul Custom and a rebuilt '78 Custom with a silver-sparkle finish. Premier Guitar's 2022 Rig Rundown showed him running a Fractal Axe-Fx III into a Marshall 9200 power amp and ENGL cabs.
What bass does Rick Savage play?
Rick Savage has said he plays Jackson 5-strings pretty much exclusively live, through Gallien-Krueger cabs, Fractal preamps and Matrix power amps. He used an old Fender Jazz Bass Special on much of Diamond Star Halos.
What drums does Rick Allen play?
Yamaha announced in 2009 that Rick Allen plays Oak Custom drums with a matching Subkick. After losing his left arm in 1984 he played a custom Simmons electronic kit, and Mix reported in 2022 that much of his kit has been digital for decades.
What microphone does Joe Elliott use?
A Shure Beta 58 capsule on Shure Axient Digital wireless, per Mix's 2022 Stadium Tour report. His engineer said they keep coming back to that capsule because, in Elliott's words, if it's good enough for Paul McCartney, it's good enough for him.
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DL
Def Leppard
About this guide · Last checked
Def Leppard are the Sheffield band of Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Vivian Campbell, Rick Savage and Rick Allen, behind Hysteria, Pour Some Sugar on Me and Photograph. This guide covers the whole band's documented gear: Collen's Jackson PC1s, Campbell's Les Paul Customs, Savage's Jackson basses, Allen's Yamaha and electronic kits, Elliott's Shure mics and the late Steve Clark's Gibsons.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Def Leppard didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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