John Squire Gear Guide
The Stone Roses guitarist’s guitars, amplifiers, effects and era-linked equipment, from the debut album through later work.
A quick reference to guitars, amplification, effects and song/era associations. Equipment changes between sessions and tours; specific attributions are noted cautiously.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 Fender Stratocaster | Often identified as the Shell Pink Strat used around the debut-era sound. | The Stone Roses |
| Fender Stratocaster variants | Squire used Strat-style guitars for bright, articulate parts and leads. | 1980s–90s |
| Gibson Les Paul | Associated with the thicker, sustaining guitar sound on Second Coming-era material. | Second Coming |
| Gibson ES-335 | Semi-hollow electric reported among his stage and studio choices. | Selected use |
| Gibson Les Paul Junior | Single-cut guitar suited to direct, punchy rhythm tones. | Selected use |
| Acoustic guitars | Acoustic parts appear in songwriting and studio arrangements. | Studio work |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Fender Twin Reverb | Twin Reverb with JBL speakers is associated with the first album’s recording sound. | The Stone Roses |
| Fender Twin Reverb combos | Clean headroom and loud projection for layered guitar parts. | Live / studio |
| Marshall amplifiers | Higher-gain options for denser later-period rock tones. | Later work |
| Studio amplifiers and cabinets | Amp choices and miking varied by song and session. | Recording |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Reverb | Creates space around clean and lightly driven guitar layers. | Studio/live |
| Modulation | Chorus- or flanger-like colors appear in selected arrangements; exact chain varies. | Selected tracks |
| Delay | Repeat and ambience effects used where parts call for width or sustain. | Studio/live |
| Fuzz / overdrive | Distortion character changes between the debut’s layered tones and later heavier material. | By song |
| Xotic RC Booster | Listed among pedals in a later gear discussion; not a blanket attribution to early records. | Later setup |
| Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man | A later-session pedal reference for delay/modulation colors. | Later sessions |
| Neo Instruments Ventilator II | Rotary-speaker simulator cited in later gear context. | Later setup |
Song and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| “I Wanna Be Adored” | Layered, spacious guitar textures and sustained notes. | 1989 |
| “Waterfall” | Bright, chiming guitar parts with stereo ambience. | 1989 |
| “Fools Gold” | Rhythmic guitar figure sits within an extended groove. | 1989 |
| “Love Spreads” | Heavier Les Paul-associated tone and sustained riffing. | 1994 |
| “Ten Storey Love Song” | More melodic, layered guitar arrangement. | 1994 |