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Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Foo Fighters. Every item links to its public source.
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What guitar does Foo Fighters play?

Dave Grohl has said a Gibson Trini Lopez is his studio secret weapon, and his 2021 pedalboard held Boss DD-3s, an MXR Phase 90 and an Xotic SP Compressor. Chris Shiflett has been seen with a 1957 Les Paul, a Gibson ES-335 and Friedman BE-100 and Vox AC30 heads, and Pat Smear has a Hagstrom signature guitar and a board with an EHX Neo Clone and an MXR Carbon Copy.

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What gear Foo Fighters uses: a sourced gear guide

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

Dave Grohl's rig

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Chris Shiflett's rig

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Chris Shiflett's pedals

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Pat Smear's rig

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Nate Mendel's rig

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Records Dave Grohl loves

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Questions

About Foo Fighters's gear.

What guitar does Foo Fighters play?

Foo Fighters has said they use the Gibson 1964 Trini Lopez Standard Reissue (guitar.com, November 2025). Foo Fighters has been seen using the Gibson 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue (premierguitar.com, August 2024). Foo Fighters has been seen using the Gibson ES-335 (premierguitar.com, August 2024).

What guitar does Dave Grohl play?

Grohl's guitar tech told Guitar.com that Grohl primarily used a Gibson Trini Lopez on The Colour and the Shape and calls it his secret weapon in the studio; he got his first one, a 1967 model, in 1992. His Gibson DG-335 signature was based on it.

What pedals does Dave Grohl use?

Guitar World's look at the band's 2021 boards shows Grohl keeping it simple: a couple of Boss DD-3 delays (one marked for "Aurora"), an MXR Phase 90 and an Xotic SP Compressor, alongside his amp switching.

What amps does Chris Shiflett use?

In Premier Guitar's 2024 Rig Rundown he runs two Friedman BE-100 heads and two Vox AC30 heads with matching 4x12 cabs, keeping the Friedmans in 50-watt mode. In 2022 he used the Friedman for heavier songs and the Vox for softer ones like "Aurora".

What guitars does Chris Shiflett play?

Premier Guitar has seen him with a 1957 Gibson Les Paul that started life as a goldtop, a Gibson ES-335 kept in drop D for "Monkey Wrench" and "Everlong", Seymour Duncan JB pickups in several guitars, and his Fender signature Telecaster Deluxe models.

What gear does Pat Smear use?

Guitar World's 2021 photos show an EHX Neo Clone chorus, an MXR Carbon Copy, a Boss BF-3 Flanger and an RJM Mastermind LT on his board. Guitar.com notes his long history with Hagstrom guitars and his Hagstrom signature model.

What are Dave Grohl's favorite albums?

Asked by Melody Maker for his 10 favorite albums, Grohl named The Beatles' White Album, Led Zeppelin's Coda, Bad Brains' Rock for Light ("This might be my all-time favourite record") and Pixies' Surfer Rosa, among others.

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Foo Fighters
About this guide · Last checked

Foo Fighters are the Seattle-born, Los Angeles-based rock band led by Dave Grohl, with guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear and bassist Nate Mendel. This guide covers the guitars, amps, pedals and pickups from their Premier Guitar Rig Rundowns, Guitar World's look at their pedalboards and Guitar.com's account of The Colour and the Shape sessions, plus the records Dave Grohl has named as favorites.

truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Foo Fighters didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.

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