Top 5Has said they use
“Not in the signal chain is a Boss RC-5 Loop Station, because I only use it for one or two songs.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
Photo: GaoKyle · CC BY-SA 4.0
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Jake Shimabukuro. Every item links to its public source.
20 items · Last checked What guitar does Jake Shimabukuro play?
Jake Shimabukuro uses a custom Kamaka koa tenor ukulele. He has said he uses D'Addario Pro-Arté strings, a Fishman pickup and a D.W. Fearn DI, with pedals including a Jam Pedals Tubedreamer and Delay Llama, an Orion Kafka Reverb, an Electro-Harmonix POG and a Boss RC-5 looper.
Top 5
Where to start with Jake Shimabukuro's gear.
01
02
Top 5Seen using
TC Electronic
Ditto Looper03
“But I always just travel with my one uke.”
Said in Ukulele Magazine: Jake Shimabukuro joins forces with Mick Fleetwood for sensational blues outing, January 2025
No store page for this one.
04
D'Addario
Pro-Arté EJ65T custom extruded nylon tenor ukulele strings
Top 5Has said they use
“I've been using D'Addario strings on my Kamaka tenor ukulele forever.”
Said in D'Addario artist page: Jake Shimabukuro, September 2026
05
Fishman
Ukulele pickup system
Top 5Has said they use
Fishman
Ukulele pickup system“My pickup system is Fishman.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
What ukulele gear Jake Shimabukuro uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Ukuleles
“But I always just travel with my one uke.”
Said in Ukulele Magazine: Jake Shimabukuro joins forces with Mick Fleetwood for sensational blues outing, January 2025
No store page for this one.
D'Addario
Pro-Arté EJ65T custom extruded nylon tenor ukulele strings
Has said they use
“I've been using D'Addario strings on my Kamaka tenor ukulele forever.”
Said in D'Addario artist page: Jake Shimabukuro, September 2026
Fishman
Ukulele pickup system
Has said they use
Fishman
Ukulele pickup system“My pickup system is Fishman.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
Pedalboard
Analysis Plus
Instrument cables
Has said they use
Analysis Plus
Instrument cables“My cables are all Analysis Plus, and my strings are D’Addario.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
Saturnworks
True Bypass Looper
Has said they use
Saturnworks
True Bypass Looper“I use a Saturnworks True Bypass Looper and an Orion Kafka Reverb with a germanium transistor that warms up the signal.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
Orion
Kafka Reverb
Has said they use
Orion
Kafka Reverb“I use a Saturnworks True Bypass Looper and an Orion Kafka Reverb with a germanium transistor that warms up the signal.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
D.W. Fearn
DI box
Has said they use
D.W. Fearn
DI box“That goes into the D.W. Fearn DI.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
JAM Pedals
Tubedreamer overdrive
Has said they use
JAM Pedals
Tubedreamer overdrive“For my overdrive stuff, I use the Jam Pedals Tubedreamer, which has a nice midrange sweep.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
Analog Alien
Bass Station (amp simulator)
Has said they use
Analog Alien
Bass Station (amp simulator)“Then I go into an Analog Alien Bass Station, which I use for the amp simulator.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
No store page for this one.
JAM Pedals
Delay Llama
Has said they use
JAM Pedals
Delay Llama“For delay, I use a Jam Pedals Delay Llama, and I have an Electro-Harmonix Pog for octave and freeze.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
Electro-Harmonix
Micro POG polyphonic octave generatorSeen in Ukulele Magazine: Some guitar pedals translate better to ukulele than others, just ask Jake Shimabukuro, February 2021
No store page for this one.
Has said they use
“Not in the signal chain is a Boss RC-5 Loop Station, because I only use it for one or two songs.”
Said in Vintage Guitar: Jake Shimabukuro interview (January 2022 issue), January 2022
Tech 21
Richie Kotzen RK5 Fly Rig
Seen using
Tech 21
Richie Kotzen RK5 Fly RigSeen in Ukulele Magazine: Some guitar pedals translate better to ukulele than others, just ask Jake Shimabukuro, February 2021
No store page for this one.
Honda Soundworks
Spice pedal
Has said they use
Honda Soundworks
Spice pedal“just kind of warms it up”
Said in Ukulele Magazine: Some guitar pedals translate better to ukulele than others, just ask Jake Shimabukuro, February 2021
No store page for this one.
Keeley
Nocturner reverb
Has said they use
Keeley
Nocturner reverb“nice, subtle”
Seen using
TC Electronic
Ditto LooperThe GigRig
Quartermaster QMX 8 true bypass switcherSeen in Ukulele Magazine: Some guitar pedals translate better to ukulele than others, just ask Jake Shimabukuro, February 2021
No store page for this one.
Fulltone
Secret Freq overdrive
Seen using
Fulltone
Secret Freq overdriveSeen in Ukulele Magazine: Some guitar pedals translate better to ukulele than others, just ask Jake Shimabukuro, February 2021
No store page for this one.
Hilton Electronics
Volume pedal
Seen using
Hilton Electronics
Volume pedalSeen in Ukulele Magazine: Some guitar pedals translate better to ukulele than others, just ask Jake Shimabukuro, February 2021
No store page for this one.
Studio
Boomerang
Rang III looper
Seen using
Boomerang
Rang III looperSeen in Ukulele Magazine: Some guitar pedals translate better to ukulele than others, just ask Jake Shimabukuro, February 2021
No store page for this one.
Questions
About Jake Shimabukuro's gear.
What ukulele does Jake Shimabukuro play?
He plays a custom Kamaka koa tenor ukulele. Ukulele Magazine noted in 2025 that he digs deep on his custom Kamaka on Blues Experience, and he told Vintage Guitar that Kamaka made him a new signature model during the pandemic.
What strings does Jake Shimabukuro use?
D'Addario. His D'Addario artist page lists the Pro-Arté EJ65T tenor set, and he has said he has been using D'Addario strings on his Kamaka tenor ukulele forever.
What pickup does Jake Shimabukuro use?
He told Vintage Guitar that his pickup system is Fishman, his cables are Analysis Plus and his signal goes into a D.W. Fearn DI.
What pedals does Jake Shimabukuro use?
In Vintage Guitar he named a Saturnworks True Bypass Looper, an Orion Kafka Reverb, a Jam Pedals Tubedreamer and Delay Llama, an Analog Alien Bass Station as an amp simulator, an Electro-Harmonix POG and a Boss RC-5 Loop Station.
What looper does Jake Shimabukuro use?
He has said he uses a Boss RC-5 Loop Station for one or two songs a set and a Boomerang looper in the studio. Ukulele Magazine also named a TC Electronic Ditto on an earlier board.
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JS
Jake Shimabukuro
About this guide · Last checked
Jake Shimabukuro is the Honolulu-born ukulele player known for his viral "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and records like Blues Experience with Mick Fleetwood. This guide covers his Kamaka tenor, strings, pickup and the pedals he has named in interviews.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Jake Shimabukuro didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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