Johnny Marr Gear Guide
Guitars, amps and effects behind Johnny Marr’s layered, jangling guitar sound.
A quick-reference inventory of documented guitars, amplification, effects and recording-era associations. Exact setups vary by song, session and tour.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Fender Jaguar | Primary offset guitar in many Smiths-era and later setups. | 1980s onward |
| Fender Jaguar signature model | Modified switching and pickup setup based on Marr’s familiar Jaguar platform. | Signature era |
| Rickenbacker 330/12 | Twelve-string electric for bright, chiming arpeggios. | Smiths era |
| Rickenbacker 360/12 | Alternative twelve-string body and voice used in studio and stage work. | Selected use |
| Gibson ES-355 | Semi-hollow guitar for fuller electric parts. | Studio / live |
| Fender Telecaster | Clear single-coil attack for layered rhythm parts. | Across career |
| Gibson Les Paul | Humbucker guitar for thicker tones. | Selected sessions |
| Acoustic guitars | Acoustic strumming layered with electric parts. | Studio |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Roland JC-120 | Clean stereo platform; onboard chorus is key to the Smiths-era sound. | 1980s |
| Fender Twin Reverb | High-headroom clean amp for bright guitar layers. | Studio / live |
| HH IC100 / Musician | Transistor amp associated with early new-wave sound. | Selected periods |
| Vox AC30 | Chime-rich British combo for jangling electric sounds. | Selected use |
| Multiple amp layering | Different clean amp voices create width in recorded parts. | Studio |
Effects
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Roland JC-120 chorus | Onboard stereo chorus for shimmering chords. | Smiths era |
| Boss CE-2 Chorus | Analog chorus for slow modulation. | Selected use |
| MXR Flanger | Marr has cited flanging as a color for particular parts. | Song dependent |
| Carl Martin chorus | Slow-rate chorus for subtle width. | Selected recording |
| Boss TW-1 Touch Wah | Touch-sensitive filter used as tone color. | Selected use |
| Boss OD-2 Overdrive | Light overdrive for added grit without losing articulation. | Selected use |
| Boss GT-100 | Patch-based effects and switching for multiple songs. | Later touring |
| Delay and reverb | Rhythmic repeats and ambience place layered parts. | Studio / live |
Song references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| This Charming Man | Bright single-coil textures and tightly picked arpeggios. | 1983 |
| How Soon Is Now? | Pulsing guitar texture built from studio layering and modulation. | 1984 |
| The Headmaster Ritual | Chiming rhythm parts and layered clean guitars. | 1985 |
| Bigmouth Strikes Again | Jaguar and layered acoustic/electric textures. | 1986 |
| Panic | Hook-led arrangement with sharper, driven parts. | 1986 |
| Later solo work | Jaguar switching, chorus and patch effects broaden the palette. | Solo era |