Top 5Has said they use
Fender
Telecaster“I played a Tele for a while, but I loved Strats forever”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
Photo: Toglenn (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Mick Mars. Every item links to its public source.
20 items · Last checked What guitar does Mick Mars play?
Mick Mars has said his main guitar is Isabella, a white Fender Stratocaster from his Fender endorsement with a hotter pickup swapped in, alongside 1969 Strats and sparkle Strats. For his 2024 solo album he has said he used Marshall, Soldano, Rivera, Hiwatt and a 1963 Magnatone amp, plus an Ibanez seven-string from Steve Vai.
Top 5
Where to start with Mick Mars's gear.
01
02
Fender
Stratocaster "Isabella" (white, maple neck)
Top 5SponsoredHas said they use
“It came from Fender, actually. I had an endorsement with them”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
03
Fender
Stratocaster, Sparkle Pink (c. 1996)
Top 5Has said they use
“I think it's a '96, and it came like it is.”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
04
Fender
Stratocaster, purple sparkle
Top 5Has said they use
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
05
Fender
Stratocaster, gold sparkle
Top 5Has said they use
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
What guitars Mick Mars uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Strats
Fender
Stratocaster "Isabella" (white, maple neck)
SponsoredHas said they use
“It came from Fender, actually. I had an endorsement with them”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
Fender
Stratocaster, Sparkle Pink (c. 1996)
Has said they use
“I think it's a '96, and it came like it is.”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
Fender
Stratocaster, purple sparkle
Has said they use
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
Fender
Stratocaster, gold sparkle
Has said they use
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
Fender
1954 Stratocaster, two-tone sunburst
Has said they use
“One of my first real guitars I had was a 1954 Stratocaster 'burst.”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
Fender
1969 Stratocaster (candy red, sunburst and cream)
Has said they use
“Everybody likes the 1969 Stratocasters 'cause you know, I have three of them.”
Said in Mick Mars shows off his guitar collection in new studio tour, January 2024
No store page for this one.
Fender
Stratocaster built from '63, '64 and '65 parts
Has said they use
“This one was the first prototype that I built in my kitchen”
Said in Mick Mars shows off his guitar collection in new studio tour, January 2024
No store page for this one.
Seymour Duncan
Bridge humbucker in a Strat
Has said they use
Seymour Duncan
Bridge humbucker in a Strat“I did put a Seymour Duncan in the bridge [position].”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
No store page for this one.
Other guitars
Has said they use
Fender
Telecaster“I played a Tele for a while, but I loved Strats forever”
Said in Mick Mars on why he played a Fender Strat in Mötley Crüe, July 2024
Seen in Mick Mars shows off his guitar collection in new studio tour, January 2024
No store page for this one.
Ibanez
Seven-string guitar (gift from Steve Vai)
Has said they use
“There's also an Ibanez seven-string that Steve Vai had given me.”
Said in Mick Mars used a seven-string guitar for the first time on his new solo album, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Ernie Ball Music Man
John Petrucci seven-string
Has said they use
Ernie Ball Music Man
John Petrucci seven-string“now I bought one of those Ernie Ball [John] Petrucci models and that sounds really good.”
Said in Mick Mars used a seven-string guitar for the first time on his new solo album, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Amps
Marshall
1973 Super Lead 100-watt (modded by Jose Arredondo)
Has said they use
Said in Mick Mars on how his Mötley Crüe Dr. Feelgood tracks ended up on another great album, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Marshall
Amp heads
Has said they use
Marshall
Amp headsSaid in Mick Mars used a seven-string guitar for the first time on his new solo album, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Soldano
Amp head
Has said they use
Soldano
Amp headSaid in Mick Mars used a seven-string guitar for the first time on his new solo album, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Rivera
Amp head
Has said they use
Rivera
Amp headSaid in Mick Mars used a seven-string guitar for the first time on his new solo album, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Hiwatt
Amp head
Has said they use
Hiwatt
Amp headSaid in Mick Mars used a seven-string guitar for the first time on his new solo album, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Magnatone
1963 three-watt amp
Has said they use
Magnatone
1963 three-watt amp“I have a '63 Magnatone. I've just got a little three-watt little amp and I used it on Right Side of Wrong.”
Said in Mick Mars used a seven-string guitar for the first time on his new solo album, February 2024
No store page for this one.
Mesa/Boogie
Amps (Dr. Feelgood sessions)
Has said they use
Mesa/Boogie
Amps (Dr. Feelgood sessions)“Originally, I was using Mesa/Boogie amps for most of the low-end stuff”
Said in Mick Mars on how his Mötley Crüe Dr. Feelgood tracks ended up on another great album, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Garnet
Amp (Dr. Feelgood sessions)
Has said they use
“I used it mostly for low-end stuff.”
Said in Mick Mars on how his Mötley Crüe Dr. Feelgood tracks ended up on another great album, December 2024
No store page for this one.
Questions
About Mick Mars's gear.
What guitar does Mick Mars play?
Fender Stratocasters. His main one is Isabella, a beat-up white maple-neck Strat that he has said came from Fender through his endorsement, with a hotter pickup swapped in. He also owns three 1969 Strats and sparkle Strats in pink, purple and gold.
What amps does Mick Mars use?
For The Other Side of Mars (2024) he has said he used Marshalls, a Soldano, a Rivera, a Hiwatt and a little three-watt 1963 Magnatone. On Dr. Feelgood his main amp was a 1973 100-watt Marshall Super Lead modded by Jose Arredondo, blended with Mesa/Boogie and Garnet amps.
What pickups does Mick Mars have in his Strats?
He has said he put a Seymour Duncan in the bridge of his pink sparkle Strat for more output, and that he changed the pickup in Isabella to a hotter one he described as 16 ohms, not 8.
Did Mick Mars play a seven-string guitar?
Yes. He has said he played an Ibanez seven-string that Steve Vai gave him on the track Undone, and that he bought an Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci model for his next record.
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Named in this guide
MM
Mick Mars
About this guide · Last checked
Mick Mars is the guitarist who co-founded Mötley Crüe in 1981 and released his solo album The Other Side of Mars in 2024. This guide covers the Fender Strats, amps and other guitars he has talked about in interviews.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Mick Mars didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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