Dave Grohl Gear Guide
A quick reference to Dave Grohl’s Gibson guitars, Foo Fighters-era amps, distortion, modulation and recording effects.
A period-by-period quick reference to guitars, amplification, effects and song associations. Specific equipment varies by recording, tour and available documentation.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Gibson Trini Lopez Standard | Grohl’s best-known guitar; he has described using it on Foo Fighters records. | 1990s onward |
| Gibson DG-335 | Signature semi-hollow based on the Trini Lopez design. | 2000s onward |
| Gibson Les Paul | Used in early recordings and heavy rhythm parts. | Foo Fighters debut era |
| Gibson RD Standard | Used for the Your Favorite Toy recording. | 2026 recording |
| Gibson SG Custom | Part of the wider collection and live palette. | Selected use |
| Ampeg Dan Armstrong Plexi | Transparent-bodied guitar used in selected Foo Fighters periods. | Selected albums |
| Gibson Explorer | Solid-body guitar for heavier parts. | Selected use |
| Gibson Firebird | Additional guitar color in the live collection. | Selected use |
| Gretsch White Falcon | Hollow-body option used on selected material. | Selected use |
| Martin D-28 / Gibson Dove | Acoustic guitars for songwriting and recording. | Studio |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Fender Tone-Master (Zinky) 2×12 | A major early Foo Fighters recording amplifier. | The Colour and the Shape era |
| Vox AC30 | Used for bright, loud guitar sounds on selected recordings. | There Is Nothing Left to Lose era |
| Marshall JCM900 | Associated with the self-titled debut album period. | 1995 |
| Fender Tone Master head | Used with a Mesa/Boogie cabinet on a recent recording. | 2026 |
| Mesa/Boogie 4×12 cabinet | Cabinet used for the RD Standard recording of Your Favorite Toy. | 2026 |
| Mesa/Boogie amplifiers | Higher-gain amp colors in later live/studio rigs. | Selected eras |
| Small battery amp inside a gas can | A deliberately rough recording texture used on the debut album. | 1995 sessions |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Pro Co RAT / RAT 2 | Distortion pedal associated with the Foo Fighters guitar sound. | Multiple eras |
| MXR Phase 90 | Phaser for moving textures and selected riffs. | Selected songs |
| Electro-Harmonix Memory Man | Delay/modulation option in the broader live gear. | Selected rigs |
| Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron | Envelope filter for more unusual parts. | Selected use |
| Dunlop Univibe | Rotary-style modulation color. | Selected rigs |
| Heil Talk Box | Used for the vocal-like guitar effect in Generator. | There Is Nothing Left to Lose |
| Echoplex tape delay | Old tape echo used on Aurora according to recording coverage. | 1999 album |
| Boss DM-2 delay | Analog delay used for space and repeats. | Selected rigs |
| MXR Phase 90 / modulation | Adds motion around dense guitar layers. | Live/studio |
| Shure UHF wireless | Wireless system used in touring setups. | Live |
| Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus | Power supply documented in touring setup lists. | Live rigs |
Songs and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| This Is a Call | Early Les Paul/Trini-era guitars and loud amp drive. | 1995 |
| Everlong | Layered guitar parts and strong amp distortion create the dense wall of sound. | 1997 |
| Aurora | Echoplex tape delay into a Vox AC30 is documented for the recording. | 1999 |
| Generator | Talk box adds the distinctive vocal-like guitar line. | 1999 |
| The Colour and the Shape | Trini Lopez and Fender Tone-Master are central documented gear. | 1997 |
| Your Favorite Toy | RD Standard into Fender Tone Master head and Mesa 4×12 cabinet. | 2026 |