Dave Murray Gear Guide
Iron Maiden guitarist Dave Murray’s Stratocasters, hot-rail pickups, Marshall amplifiers, rack effects and melodic twin-lead setup.
A period-by-period quick reference to guitars, amplification, effects and songs. Gear can vary by recording, tour and year.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 Fender Stratocaster | Black Strat once owned by Paul Kossoff; Murray’s defining instrument and debut-era guitar. | 1970s–1980s |
| Fender Dave Murray Signature Stratocaster | Based on his Strat setup, with high-output pickups and Floyd Rose tremolo. | Signature model |
| Fender Custom Shop Stratocasters | Several touring Strats with Floyd Rose systems and Seymour Duncan pickups. | Touring |
| Seymour Duncan Hot Rails | High-output rail pickups fitted to Strat-style guitars for stronger humbucker output. | 1980s onward |
| Gibson Les Paul Standard | Used as an alternative voice on later tours. | Selected periods |
| Dean and ESP guitars | Occasional alternatives to his main Stratocasters. | Selected use |
| Ernie Ball strings | Light-to-medium gauges selected for fast lead playing and bends. | Touring |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall 100-watt heads | Marshall valve heads form the foundation of the classic Maiden lead tone. | Early albums / touring |
| Marshall JMP / Super Lead | Driven British amp sound on early records and live shows. | 1970s–1980s |
| Marshall JVM | Modern touring amplifier option. | Later touring |
| Marshall JCM2000 heads | Multiple heads used as part of the rack and power-amplifier rig. | 2000s |
| Marshall 4x12 cabinets | Large cabinets with Celestion speakers for stage volume and projection. | Live |
| Fractal modeling | Current touring can use modeled amplifier and effect chains for consistency. | Recent setups |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| MXR Distortion+ | Classic boost/distortion used in the early sound. | Early Maiden |
| MXR Phase 90 | Phasing for selected lead and transition colors. | Selected songs |
| Wah pedal | Expressive filtering on leads and fills. | Career-wide |
| Fulltone Mini Deja’Vibe | Rotary/vibrato-like modulation in later rack setups. | Later rig |
| Dunlop rack Cry Baby | Wah unit controlled from the stage. | Touring |
| TC Electronic G-Force | Multi-effects processor for delay, modulation and ambience. | Rack era |
| Marshall JMP-1 / JFX-1 | MIDI preamp and effects unit used in programmable rack rigs. | Rack era |
| Pete Cornish routing system | Custom switching and power distribution for a complex touring rig. | Touring |
| Ernie Ball picks | Medium picks suited to fast alternate-picked lead lines. | Touring |
Song and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Phantom of the Opera | Murray’s early Strat and Marshall sound, with long melodic lead passages. | Iron Maiden (1980) |
| The Number of the Beast | Twin-guitar harmonies with Strat-style lead articulation. | 1982 |
| Hallowed Be Thy Name | Layered lead themes and sustained melodic soloing. | 1982 |
| The Trooper | Bright Strat attack and harmonized lead lines. | 1983 |
| Fear of the Dark | Later-period stage sound with high-gain Marshall amplification. | 1992 |