Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Photo: swimfinfan (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 2.0
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Primus. Every item links to its public source.
31 items · Last checked What bass does Primus play?
Les Claypool has been seen using Carl Thompson basses, including his 1976 walnut 4-string and the Rainbow fretless 6-string, plus a Pachyderm Sleek Bass and his signature EMG pickup. Larry LaLonde has been seen using a Fender Stratocaster through a Fender Super-Sonic and later Orange Dark Terror heads.
Top 5
Where to start with Primus's gear.
What gear Primus uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Les Claypool (bass)
Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Carl Thompson
2009 replica of his 1976 walnut bass (Les Claypool)Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Carl Thompson
Maple 4-string backup bass (Les Claypool)Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Carl Thompson
Birdseye maple 6-string fretted bass (Les Claypool)Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Carl Thompson
"Rainbow" 6-string fretless bass (Les Claypool)Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Carl Thompson
Fretless 4-string piccolo bass (Les Claypool)Seen in Les Claypool (Carl Thompson artist page), February 2019
No store page for this one.
Carl Thompson
4-string bass (Les Claypool)
Has said they use
Carl Thompson
4-string bass (Les Claypool)“Most people know that I play a Carl Thompson.”
Said in Les Claypool on his bass collection (Guitar World), September 2023
No store page for this one.
Rickenbacker
Vintage 4001 signed by John Entwistle (Les Claypool)
Has said they use
“It is a spectacular-feeling and sounding bass”
Said in Les Claypool on his bass collection (Guitar World), September 2023
No store page for this one.
Dobro
Dobro bass with an EMG pickup (Les Claypool)
Has said they use
Said in Les Claypool on his bass collection (Guitar World), September 2023
No store page for this one.
EMG
Les Claypool Signature Pachyderm Gold PA P-bass pickup (Les Claypool)
SponsoredSeen using
Seen in EMG Releases the Les Claypool Signature Pachyderm Gold P-Bass Pickup (Premier Guitar), January 2021
No store page for this one.
Pachyderm Instruments
Sleek Bass (Les Claypool)Seen in Les Claypool Approves: Pachyderm's Sleek Bass Debuts (No Treble), July 2025
No store page for this one.
Larry LaLonde (guitar)
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Fender
Super-Sonic 60 (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
EVH
412 cabinet (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Sennheiser
e906 amp mics (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Sennheiser
e906 amp mics (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Korg
DT-7 tuner (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Maxon
Phaser (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Strymon
Ola Chorus (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Strymon
Ola Chorus (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
MXR
Carbon Copy Delay (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Fulltone
Ultimate Octave (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Fulltone
Ultimate Octave (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
Dunlop
Uni-Vibe (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Dunlop
Uni-Vibe (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Empress Effects
Tremolo (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Empress Effects
Tremolo (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
TC Electronic
Nova Repeater (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
EBS
OctaBass (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Electro-Harmonix
Ring Thing (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Radial Engineering
Tonebone Bones Twin City ABY switcher (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Ler LaLonde (Premier Guitar), January 2012
No store page for this one.
Orange
Dark Terror heads (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Larry LaLonde [2017] (Premier Guitar), November 2017
No store page for this one.
Fractal Audio
Axe-Fx (Larry LaLonde)
Seen using
Fractal Audio
Axe-Fx (Larry LaLonde)Seen in Rig Rundown: Primus' Larry LaLonde [2017] (Premier Guitar), November 2017
No store page for this one.
Questions
About Primus's gear.
What bass does Les Claypool play?
Carl Thompson lists seven of its basses in his hands, led by the 1976 walnut 4-string he bought as a teenager and the Rainbow fretless 6-string. In 2025 he was seen with a Pachyderm Instruments Sleek Bass.
What pickups does Les Claypool use?
EMG released his signature Pachyderm Gold PA P-bass pickup in 2021, and the Carl Thompson page lists EMG pickups across his basses.
What guitar does Larry LaLonde play?
Premier Guitar's 2012 Rig Rundown shows a stock 2011 Fender American Deluxe HSS Strat as his main guitar, plus Fender Pawn Shop Mustang Specials.
What amp does Larry LaLonde use?
He was seen with a Fender Super-Sonic 60 into an EVH 412 in 2012, and Orange Dark Terror heads with a Fractal Axe-Fx in 2017.
What pedals does Larry LaLonde use?
His 2012 boards included a Maxon Phaser, Strymon Ola, two MXR Carbon Copy delays, Fulltone Ultimate Octave, Dunlop Uni-Vibe and MC404 wah, Empress Tremolo, TC Nova Repeater, EBS OctaBass and EHX Ring Thing.
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Named in this guide
P
Primus
About this guide · Last checked
Primus are the Bay Area band of bassist Les Claypool and guitarist Larry LaLonde, known for Sailing the Seas of Cheese and Pork Soda. This guide covers Claypool's basses and LaLonde's guitars, amps and pedals from Premier Guitar, Guitar World and Carl Thompson.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Primus didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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