Kerry King Gear Guide
A quick-reference guide to Kerry King’s high-output guitars, Marshall amplification, compact distortion-focused effects and Slayer-era rig changes.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| B.C. Rich Kerry King signature models | Signature guitars built for aggressive Slayer rhythm and lead work. | Modern era |
| B.C. Rich Warlock | The angular body became strongly associated with King onstage. | Selected tours |
| B.C. Rich V-shaped models | Alternate signature shapes retain high-output humbuckers and fast playability. | Selected tours |
| ESP signature guitars | Later signature instruments use active electronics and locking tremolo options. | Later career |
| Jackson custom guitars | High-output custom instruments appeared in various tour and studio configurations. | Selected years |
| EMG humbuckers | Active pickups deliver tight attack and consistent high-gain output. | Many signature rigs |
| Floyd Rose locking tremolo | Used where pitch dives and stable tuning are needed. | Selected guitars |
| 24-fret neck and fast action | Supports high-register leads and fast alternate-picked parts. | Setup dependent |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall JCM800 2203 heads | A core Slayer sound source, run loud and aggressively. | Classic Slayer |
| Marshall JCM800 2203KK | Kerry King signature version of the 2203 circuit with added gain features. | Signature era |
| Marshall 4x12 cabinets | Stage cabinets deliver the focused midrange and volume associated with the band. | Touring |
| Marshall 1960 cabinets | Common 4x12 cabinet pairing for the JCM800 family. | Selected rigs |
| Marshall 100-watt heads | High power and headroom support the fast, forceful rhythm sound. | Live |
| Stereo/slave power amp rigs | Some touring setups use additional power stages for greater stage coverage. | Tour-specific |
| High-gain amplifier distortion | The amp supplies the central saturation rather than relying on many stacked pedals. | Core tone |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Kerry King 10-band EQ | Signature equalizer shapes the aggressive midrange and low end. | Signature pedal |
| MXR 10-band EQ | Graphic EQ used for focused tone shaping and level boosts. | Selected boards |
| Noise gate | Controls idle hiss from high-gain amplifiers between tightly stopped riffs. | Live/studio |
| Overdrive/boost | A front-end boost tightens the low end and sharpens pick attack. | Selected rigs |
| Wah pedal | Used for expressive lead phrases and filtered accents. | Selected solos |
| Flanger | Adds a sweeping modulation effect to particular lead colors. | Song dependent |
| Octave effect | Used for occasional unusual lead textures rather than the basic rhythm tone. | Selected use |
| Rack effects | Touring racks have varied by era and production requirements. | Tour-dependent |
| Gate placement | Gate may be placed before or after the preamp depending on the rig. | Rig-dependent |
Song and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Raining Blood | Fast palm-muted riffs and tight stops demand high gain with controlled noise. | Reign in Blood era |
| Angel of Death | Marshall-driven rhythm attack and sharply articulated picking. | 1986 |
| South of Heaven | Slower riffs expose sustain, note separation and controlled low end. | 1988 |
| War Ensemble | High-speed alternate picking through a tight high-gain rig. | 1990 |
| Repentless | Later signature guitars and Marshall-based amplification continue the aggressive approach. | 2015 |
| Live Slayer rhythm sound | Noise control, EQ and cabinet projection keep dense riffs defined. | Touring |