Dave Navarro Gear Guide
A gear reference for Dave Navarro across Jane’s Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers: Ibanez and PRS guitars, Marshall amps and his BOSS-heavy effects board.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ibanez RG | A prominent guitar in early Jane’s Addiction years. | 1980s–early 1990s |
| Ibanez custom-painted RG | The striking custom finish is associated with Nothing’s Shocking-era imagery. | 1988 era |
| PRS Custom 24 | A long-term signature instrument and key stage guitar. | 1990s–present |
| PRS signature models | Custom PRS instruments became his main touring platform. | Later live |
| Gibson Les Paul | Used in early Jane’s Addiction studio and stage contexts. | Early era |
| Fender Stratocaster | Used for selected clean parts and alternate textures. | RHCP era |
| Fender Jazzmaster | Appears in selected recording/overdub contexts. | Selected sessions |
| Acoustic guitar | Used for acoustic and textural parts. | Selected work |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall JCM800 | Associated with early hard-rock tones. | Jane’s Addiction |
| Marshall JCM900 | A central amp in later Jane’s Addiction touring setups. | 1990s–present |
| Fender Twin Reverb | Clean amp voice for spacious and chorus-heavy parts. | Selected live |
| Marshall head into 4x12 cabinet | High-gain foundation for the live rig. | Live |
| Clean/dirty amp blending | Separate clean and distorted sounds help maintain clarity. | Selected rigs |
| Amp switching | Changes between clean, crunch and lead tones by song. | Touring |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| BOSS DD-3 Digital Delay | Used for carefully timed delay parts, including “Just Because.” | Jane’s Addiction |
| BOSS Super Chorus CH-1 | Two units have been reported on the band’s board for clean tones. | Live |
| BOSS Turbo Distortion DS-2 | Distortion/boost color in selected setups. | Selected rigs |
| BOSS overdrive/distortion pedals | Navarro has described preferring individual BOSS pedals for direct control. | Various eras |
| BOSS octave effect | Octave color in selected board configurations. | Selected use |
| Dunlop Cry Baby wah | Filter sweep for expressive lead parts. | Live |
| Tuner | Stage tuning for multiple guitar changes. | Live |
| Pedalboard switching | Individual stomp access supports quick song-by-song changes. | Touring |
Songs and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Song | Early Ibanez and Marshall-era alternative rock guitar sound. | 1988 |
| Ocean Size | Heavy rhythm guitar and spacious effects. | Nothing’s Shocking |
| Been Caught Stealing | Layered, jangling guitar textures and tightly timed effects. | 1990 |
| Three Days | Long dynamic build with clean, driven and ambient guitar sections. | Ritual de lo Habitual |
| Just Because | Opening guitar figure is specifically timed around DD-3 delay. | 2003 |
| Warped | PRS-era guitar sounds in the Red Hot Chili Peppers period. | One Hot Minute |
| Stop! | Punchy guitar attack and BOSS-centered live effects approach. | Ritual de lo Habitual |