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Russian Circles, Photo: corevette (Wikimedia Commons)

Photo: corevette (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY 2.0

Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Russian Circles. Every item links to its public source.
36 items · Last checked

What guitar does Russian Circles play?

Russian Circles guitarist Mike Sullivan has used Dunable guitars with DiMarzio pickups and D'Addario strings, Hiwatt amps with Octapulse speakers, and two boards with Strymon Dig, TimeLine and Flint, a Friedman BE-OD Deluxe, DigiTech Drop and Whammy Ricochet, after rebuilding his rig following the band's 2021 gear theft.

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AllTop 5Mike Sullivan: guitarsMike Sullivan: ampsMike Sullivan: pedalsBrian Cook: bass
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What guitar rig Russian Circles uses: a sourced gear guide

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

Mike Sullivan: guitars

8 items

Mike Sullivan: amps

4 items

Mike Sullivan: pedals

19 items

Brian Cook: bass

5 items
Questions

About Russian Circles's gear.

What guitar does Mike Sullivan play?

In 2025 he uses Dunable guitars, a green Narwhal-based model and a white 25.5-inch-scale model for drop A, both with DiMarzio PAF 26th Anniversary and Joe Duplantier Fortitude humbuckers. Earlier rigs centered on Gibson Les Paul Customs and SGs.

What amp does Mike Sullivan use?

Hiwatt heads with cabinets loaded with Hiwatt Octapulse speakers, per Premier Guitar's 2025 Rig Rundown. In 2017 he ran a Fender Super Bassman and two Twin Reverbs, and before that Verellen Meat Smoke heads.

What pedals does Mike Sullivan use?

His 2025 boards hold a Dunlop Cry Baby Mini and DVP3, DigiTech Drop, Whammy Ricochet and JamMan Stereo, MXR Phase 95, Friedman BE-OD Deluxe, Strymon Dig, TimeLine and Flint, T-Rex Image Looper, Maxon Apex808 and a Fortin-modded Tube Screamer.

What strings does Mike Sullivan use?

D'Addario, a .011 to .056 set with the low E swapped for a .058, in tunings based on D-A-D-G-A-D, per Premier Guitar's 2025 Rig Rundown.

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Russian Circles
About this guide · Last checked

Russian Circles are the Chicago instrumental post-metal trio of guitarist Mike Sullivan, bassist Brian Cook and drummer Dave Turncrantz. This guide covers Mike Sullivan's rebuilt 2025 rig of Dunable guitars, Hiwatt amps and two pedalboards, his earlier Gibson and Fender setups, and Brian Cook's bass rig, from Premier Guitar and MusicRadar.

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

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