Top 5Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness and Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
Photo: Lawton Howell (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY 4.0
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Mike Ness. Every item links to its public source.
10 items · Last checked What guitar does Mike Ness play?
Mike Ness has been seen using his 1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop with custom-wound Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90s, which Gibson turned into a signature model in 2022. He has said he played a Fender Bassman through two Marshall 1960 reissue cabs with Greenbacks, with Ernie Ball 10-52 strings.
Top 5
Where to start with Mike Ness's gear.
01
02
Gibson
Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop (1976)
Top 5Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
No store page for this one.
03
Gibson
Mike Ness 1976 Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop (Murphy Lab)
Top 5SponsoredSeen using
Seen in Social Distortion's Mike Ness teams up with Gibson to create new signature 1976 Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop guitar, January 2022
No store page for this one.
04
Gibson
Les Paul Deluxe (1970s goldtop, second guitar)
Top 5Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness and Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
05
Seymour Duncan
Antiquity P-90 pickups (custom wound)
Top 5Seen using
Seymour Duncan
Antiquity P-90 pickups (custom wound)Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
No store page for this one.
What guitar gear Mike Ness uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Guitars
Gibson
Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop (1976)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Mike Ness 1976 Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop (Murphy Lab)
SponsoredSeen using
Seen in Social Distortion's Mike Ness teams up with Gibson to create new signature 1976 Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop guitar, January 2022
No store page for this one.
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness and Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
Seymour Duncan
Antiquity P-90 pickups (custom wound)Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
No store page for this one.
Ernie Ball
2215 Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinky
Has said they use
Ernie Ball
2215 Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinky“As far as strings go, we use Ernie Ball. I believe it's the 10-52 set.”
Said in Dear Guitar Hero: Mike Ness, April 2011
No store page for this one.
Dunlop
Nylon picks, .88 mm
Seen using
Dunlop
Nylon picks, .88 mmSeen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
No store page for this one.
Amp and cabs
Fender
Bassman head
Has said they use
Fender
Bassman head“I'm pretty sure it was my Fender Bassman. That's the motor that drives this machine.”
Said in Dear Guitar Hero: Mike Ness, April 2011
No store page for this one.
Marshall
1960 reissue cabinets
Has said they use
Marshall
1960 reissue cabinets“I use two 1960 Marshall reissue cabs with Greenback speakers.”
Said in Dear Guitar Hero: Mike Ness, April 2011
No store page for this one.
Celestion
Greenback speakers
Has said they use
Celestion
Greenback speakersSaid in Dear Guitar Hero: Mike Ness, April 2011
No store page for this one.
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness and Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
Questions
About Mike Ness's gear.
What guitar does Mike Ness play?
A 1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop, his longtime number one, fitted with custom-wound Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90s. Gibson released a Murphy Lab replica of it in 2022.
Why does Mike Ness play P-90s?
He has said he switched after touring with Neil Young, when he watched Young's tech swap a Les Paul Deluxe's mini-humbucker for a P-90, and he liked the Deluxe's slightly tapered neck.
What amp does Mike Ness use?
A 1967 Fender Bassman head into two Marshall 1960 reissue cabs with Celestion Greenbacks. He has said Fred Taccone of Divided by 13 modded his Bassmans so they sound good at lower volume.
What strings does Mike Ness use?
Ernie Ball. He has said it is the 10-52 set, and Premier Guitar listed Ernie Ball 2215 Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinkys in 2015.
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MN
Mike Ness
About this guide · Last checked
Mike Ness is the singer, guitarist and founder of the California punk band Social Distortion. This guide covers his goldtop Gibson Les Paul Deluxes with P-90s, his Fender Bassman and Marshall cabs. Social links are the band's official accounts.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Mike Ness didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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