Jonny Greenwood Gear Guide
Associated groups: Radiohead; The Smile.
Radiohead and The Smile guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood combines guitars with pedals, switching and experimental processing.
A quick-reference inventory of documented guitars, amplification, effects and recording-era gear. Equipment can differ by song, session, venue and tour.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Fender Telecaster Plus | Early-1990s model with Lace Sensor pickups, documented on “My Iron Lung.” | The Bends |
| Second Telecaster Plus | Another finish used during The Bends sessions. | 1990s |
| Fender Starcaster | Semi-hollow for selected live and studio parts. | Later Radiohead |
| Fender Telecaster | Additional workhorse instrument. | Selected periods |
| MIDI guitar interfaces | Custom switching/MIDI can trigger keyboard and sampling textures. | Later live |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Fender Eighty-Five | Clean foundation paired with Whammy and ShredMaster on “My Iron Lung.” | The Bends |
| Fender Twin / clean combos | Headroom contrasts with distortion and pitch effects. | Selected live |
| Vox AC30 | British combo in changing amplifier setup. | Selected periods |
| Multi-amp routing | Switching provides clean and distorted voices. | Touring |
Effects and processing
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| DigiTech Whammy WH-1 | Pitch-shifting pedal on “My Iron Lung.” | 1994 |
| Marshall ShredMaster | Distortion paired with Fender Eighty-Five on that track. | The Bends |
| DOD 440 Envelope Filter | Filter sweep for vocal-like movement. | Selected periods |
| Roland Space Echo | Tape echo textures in experimental passages. | Selected sessions |
| Kaoss Pad | Touch-controlled pitch/effects routed through live system. | Later tours |
| Stutter / kill switching | Rapid muting creates chopped textures. | Radiohead live |
Group / recording references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Pablo Honey | Conventional guitar-and-amp alternative rock. | 1993 |
| The Bends | Telecaster Plus, Fender Eighty-Five, Whammy and ShredMaster on key parts. | 1995 |
| OK Computer | Layered processing and studio experimentation. | 1997 |
| Radiohead live | Guitar, effects, keys and MIDI controls overlap. | 2000s onward |