Top 5Uses
Gibson
1960 Les Paul Standard“I’m scared to take that guitar on the road, so I play it in the studio when I can”
Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
d
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Derek Trucks. Every item links to its public source.
12 items · Last checked What guitar does Derek Trucks play?
Derek Trucks plays a Gibson SG tuned to open E straight into a tube amp with his fingers. On Future Soul he also uses a 1964 Gibson ES-335, a 1960 Les Paul, a Gibson J-45 and a Martin D-18, with a Tycobrahe Octavia and a Maestro Echoplex EP-4, DR Pure Blues strings and a glass Dunlop slide.
In stores now
Shop Derek Trucks's setup.
Top 5
Where to start with Derek Trucks's gear.
01
02
Top 5Uses
Gibson
ES-335“Elsewhere on the album, Trucks played a 1964 ES-335 and a 1960 Les Paul”
Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
03
Top 5Uses
04
Top 5Uses
Martin
D-18Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
05
Top 5Seen using
Fender
Super Reverb“he goes straight into his Alessandro custom head and cabs and a Fender Super Reverb.”
Seen in Guitar Player: Derek Trucks shows us three top axes from his touring rig, November 2021
What gear Derek Trucks uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Guitars
Uses
Gibson
1960 Les Paul Standard“I’m scared to take that guitar on the road, so I play it in the studio when I can”
Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
Uses
Gibson
ES-335“Elsewhere on the album, Trucks played a 1964 ES-335 and a 1960 Les Paul”
Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
Uses
Gibson
J-45Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
Uses
Martin
D-18Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
Amps
Seen using
Fender
Super Reverb“he goes straight into his Alessandro custom head and cabs and a Fender Super Reverb.”
Seen in Guitar Player: Derek Trucks shows us three top axes from his touring rig, November 2021
Find it on
Effects
Uses
Tycobrahe
Octavia octave fuzz“To achieve that sound, he played a ’59 Gibson Flying V through a Tycobrahe Octavia pedal into a Fender Vibroverb.”
Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
Find it on
Uses
Interstellar Audio Machines
Octonaut HyperdriveSaid in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
Uses
Maestro
Echoplex EP-4Said in Premier Guitar: Inside Tedeschi Trucks Band's new album, Future Soul, April 2026
Seen using
TC Electronic
PolyTune“The only other thing in Trucks’ signal chain is a Radial Tone Bone switching pedal and a TC Electronic PolyTune tuner.”
Strings and slide
Uses
Uses
SponsoredSeen using
“Trucks’ signature slide, the Dunlop DT01, has a closed end with a little weight in it for balance.”
Seen in MusicRadar: Watch Derek Trucks use a drumstick as a slide, June 2024
Questions
About Derek Trucks's gear.
What guitar does Derek Trucks play?
Premier Guitar says his main guitar is a Gibson Custom Dickey Betts SG, Artist Proof #4, which he plays most of the time on stage and on Future Soul. On that album he also played a 1964 ES-335, a 1959 Flying V and a 1960 Les Paul that Eric Clapton gave him.
What amp does Derek Trucks use?
Guitar Player reported in 2021 that he goes straight into an Alessandro custom head and a Fender Super Reverb. Premier Guitar lists a Fender Vibroverb, a Supro, a Silvertone 1484 and a Leslie 16 for Future Soul.
What slide does Derek Trucks use?
A glass one. MusicRadar describes his Dunlop DT01 signature slide, shaped like an old medicine bottle, with a closed end weighted for balance.
What strings does Derek Trucks use?
Premier Guitar's Future Soul gear list has DR Pure Blues .011-.046 on electric and DR Veritas .012-.056 on acoustic.
Does Derek Trucks use pedals?
Very few. In 2014 his Allman Brothers chain was guitar, TC Electronic PolyTune, a 1963 Fender Reverb and the amp. For the Future Soul title track he ran a 1959 Flying V through a Tycobrahe Octavia into a Fender Vibroverb.
Related gear guides
Setups that share gear with Derek Trucks.
The Allman Brothers Band
Blues rock
17 itemsSee The Allman Brothers Band's gear →
My Morning Jacket
Indie rock
70 itemsSee My Morning Jacket's gear →
Chris Shiflett
Alternative
36 itemsSee Chris Shiflett's gear →
Foo Fighters
31 itemsSee Foo Fighters's gear →
Samantha Fish
Blues rock
29 itemsSee Samantha Fish's gear →
Dan Auerbach
18 itemsSee Dan Auerbach's gear →
Named in this guide
DT
Derek Trucks
About this guide · Last checked
Derek Trucks is the slide guitarist who co-leads Tedeschi Trucks Band with Susan Tedeschi and was a longtime member of the Allman Brothers Band. This guide covers the guitars, amps, pedals, strings and slide named in Premier Guitar's Future Soul feature, Guitar Player, Guitar World and MusicRadar.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Derek Trucks 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 Derek Trucks?
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. Derek Trucks isn't paid for them. Report an error or ask for removal. Full disclosure.