Brian Jones Gear Guide
Brian Jones’s Stones-era guitars, slide and 12-string instruments, sitar, Mellotron and studio textures.
A period-by-period quick reference to guitars, amplification, effects and recording equipment. Specific gear varies by song, session and tour.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Vox Mark III / Teardrop | Distinctive white Vox prototype used on stage in the mid-1960s. | 1964–65 |
| Vox 12-string Teardrop | Twelve-string variant for bright Stones rhythm textures. | Selected period |
| Gibson Firebird VII | Three-pickup reverse-body guitar used for slide and electric parts. | Mid / late 1960s |
| Rickenbacker 360 | Semi-hollow electric appearing in Stones gear histories. | Selected use |
| Gibson Les Paul Goldtop | Used in later live appearances and slide parts. | 1968 |
| Fender Telecaster | Single-coil guitar in the changing early Stones lineup. | Selected use |
| Gibson acoustic guitars | Acoustic rhythm parts and studio overdubs. | Recording |
Amplifiers and recording
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Vox AC30 | British combo amp associated with early Stones stage sound. | Early period |
| Sheldon amplifiers | High-powered amps used in some mid/late-1960s touring accounts. | Selected tours |
| Fender amplifiers | American amps appear in later touring and recording contexts. | Selected use |
| Studio microphone and console chains | Jones’s contribution often involved overdubs and alternate instruments rather than guitar effects pedals. | Studio |
Effects and other instruments
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Slide guitar | Expressive slide fills on blues-based Stones songs. | 1960s |
| Harmonica | Played on early blues and R&B arrangements. | Early Stones |
| Sitar / tambura | Indian string instruments used for drone and melodic colors. | 1966–68 |
| Mellotron | Tape-based orchestral/choir sounds on selected studio tracks. | 1967–68 |
| Marimba | Percussive pitched instrument used on several Stones recordings. | Mid-1960s |
| Dulcimer / autoharp | Acoustic string colors in studio arrangements. | Selected tracks |
| Recorder / flute | Woodwind parts on selected songs. | Studio |
Song and session references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Little Red Rooster | Vox-era guitar and slide phrasing. | 1964 |
| Paint It, Black | Sitar and tambura contribute to the distinctive arrangement. | 1966 |
| Under My Thumb | Marimba and electric guitar parts interlock. | 1966 |
| Lady Jane | Dulcimer and acoustic textures. | 1966 |
| We Love You | Mellotron orchestral effects and layered studio parts. | 1967 |
| No Expectations | Slide guitar and acoustic arrangement. | 1968 |