Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
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Photo: IllaZilla (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Social Distortion. Every item links to its public source.
15 items · Last checked What guitar does Social Distortion play?
Mike Ness has been seen using 1970s Gibson Les Paul Deluxes fitted with Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90s, a '67 Fender Bassman into Marshall cabs and a single Boss SD-1. Jonny Wickersham has been seen using '60s Les Paul Juniors and a '50s Telecaster through a Satellite head.
Top 5
Where to start with Social Distortion's gear.
What guitars Social Distortion uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
Mike Ness: guitars
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
No store page for this one.
Gibson
'70s Les Paul Deluxe goldtops
Seen using
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness & Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
Gibson
Sunburst Les Paul
Has said they use
Gibson
Sunburst Les Paul“I've always gone with my Seventies goldtop and my sunburst Les Pauls”
Said in Dear Guitar Hero: Mike Ness, April 2011
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.
Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion [2015], September 2015
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
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Mike Ness: amp and effects
Fender
'67 Bassman head
Seen using
Fender
'67 Bassman headSeen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness & Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
Divided by 13
Bassman mod by Fred Taccone
Has said they use
Divided by 13
Bassman mod by Fred Taccone“it allows me to get a good tone at a lower volume”
Said in Dear Guitar Hero: Mike Ness, April 2011
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Marshall
1960 reissue cabs (two)
Has said they use
Marshall
1960 reissue cabs (two)“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.
Jonny Wickersham: guitars and amp
Gibson
'60s Les Paul Juniors
Seen using
Gibson
'60s Les Paul JuniorsSeen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness & Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
Fender
'50s Telecaster
Seen using
Fender
'50s TelecasterSeen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness & Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
Satellite Amplifiers
Amp head
Seen using
Satellite Amplifiers
Amp headSeen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness & Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
Marshall
4x12 cabs (two)
Seen using
Marshall
4x12 cabs (two)Seen in Rig Rundown: Social Distortion's Mike Ness & Jonny Wickersham, September 2010
No store page for this one.
Questions
About Social Distortion's gear.
What guitar does Mike Ness play?
His longtime No. 1 is a 1976 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe with custom-wound Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90s. He has said he took the P-90 idea from watching Neil Young's tech swap pickups on tour.
What amp does Mike Ness use?
A '67 Fender Bassman head, modded in recent years by Fred Taccone of Divided by 13, into two Marshall 1960 reissue cabs with Greenback speakers.
What strings does Mike Ness use?
Ernie Ball 2215 Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinkys, with .88 mm Dunlop Nylon picks.
What guitar does Jonny Wickersham play?
Original '60s Gibson Les Paul Juniors and a '50s Fender Telecaster, run through a Satellite head and two Marshall 4x12 cabs.
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Named in this guide
SD
Social Distortion
About this guide · Last checked
Social Distortion are the Southern California punk band led by Mike Ness since 1978. This guide covers the guitar rigs of Mike Ness and Jonny Wickersham from Premier Guitar's Rig Rundowns and what Ness told Guitar World about his amps and strings.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Social Distortion didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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