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Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Joni Mitchell. Every item links to its public source.
14 items · Last checked

What guitar does Joni Mitchell play?

Joni Mitchell has said her 1956 Martin D-28 was on at least her first four albums. She was seen with Ibanez George Benson models through a Roland Jazz Chorus, a Martin D-45, Collings D2H and a Fred Walecki Strat-style guitar driving a Roland VG-8 for her tunings.

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What guitars Joni Mitchell uses: a sourced gear guide

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

Acoustics

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Electrics

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Music that shaped her

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Questions

About Joni Mitchell's gear.

What guitar did Joni Mitchell play on Blue?

Her 1956 Martin D-28, bought from an army captain back from Vietnam. She told Guitar Player she used it for at least her first four albums and that it was superb.

How did Joni Mitchell handle her alternate tunings live?

In the late 1970s she toured with five Ibanez George Benson guitars strung for different tunings. From 1995 she used a Fred Walecki Strat-style guitar with a hex pickup and a Roland VG-8, which changed tunings electronically.

What acoustic guitars does Joni Mitchell own?

A Martin D-28 and D-45, a Collings D2H and a Collings three-quarter size, all with Highlander pickups, plus a custom Steve Klein acoustic from the 1970s.

What music inspired Joni Mitchell?

She told Guitar Player that the 18th variation of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini remains the most beautiful melody she ever heard, followed by Chuck Berry and rock and roll.

JM
Joni Mitchell
About this guide · Last checked

Joni Mitchell is the Canadian-born singer-songwriter behind Blue, Court and Spark and Hejira, who built her guitar style on more than 50 open tunings. This guide covers her Martin D-28 and other acoustics, the Ibanez, Klein and Walecki guitars she played, and the Roland VG-8 that let her switch tunings at the touch of a button, from Guitar Player and her own site's library.

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

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