Steve Hackett Gear Guide
Genesis-era and solo gear associated with Steve Hackett: guitars, modified instruments, amplification, effects and signature sounds.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gibson Les Paul Goldtop | A central early Genesis guitar, used for sustain and singing lead lines. | Early Genesis |
| Gibson Les Paul Custom | A dark, high-output Les Paul used alongside the Goldtop. | Genesis years |
| Les Paul with Floyd Rose | Hackett modified a Les Paul with a locking vibrato for expressive pitch effects. | Later stage rig |
| Roland hex-pickup guitar system | A divided pickup fed guitar-to-synth equipment for keyboard-like textures. | Genesis and solo |
| Yamaha AES series | A modern solid-body choice seen in later touring rigs. | Later tours |
| Fernandes Sustainer guitar | Used to hold notes and build long, layered tones. | Selected solo work |
| 12-string electric guitar | Adds chiming doubled-string parts to arrangements. | Studio and live |
| Classical guitar | Supports nylon-string colors in solo compositions. | Acoustic passages |
| Acoustic steel-string guitar | Used for writing and softer picked arrangements. | Studio |
| Gibson doubleneck | A stage solution for switching between guitar sounds without changing instruments. | Selected performances |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Hiwatt DR103 | High-headroom British valve head associated with the powerful Genesis-era stage sound. | 1970s |
| Hiwatt 4x12 cabinet | Closed-back cabinet used with the Hiwatt head for projection. | Touring |
| Fender Twin Reverb | Clean valve combo option for clear attack and effects. | Selected rigs |
| Roland JC-120 | Stereo solid-state amplification useful for chorus and synth-like guitar textures. | Later rigs |
| Laney and modern valve heads | Later rigs vary with venue and touring requirements. | Later solo tours |
| Stereo amplifier setup | Separate outputs can keep guitar and synth processing distinct. | Hex-pickup system |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Roland GR-700 guitar synthesizer | Hex pickup tracks individual strings to trigger synthesized sounds. | 1980s |
| Roland GR-300 | Earlier guitar synth system for sustained, orchestral tones. | Selected recordings |
| Roland GK divided pickup | Provides per-string information to compatible guitar synth units. | Synth setup |
| Floyd Rose vibrato | Locking tremolo fitted to a Les Paul for dive-bombs and pitch movement. | Later guitar |
| Volume pedal | Shapes swells and orchestral entrances without pick attack. | Progressive passages |
| Wah pedal | Adds vocal filter movement for expressive lead lines. | Selected solos |
| Phaser | Creates moving, swirling modulation on sustained notes. | Studio/live |
| Chorus | Widens clean guitar and synth-like parts. | Later rigs |
| Delay | Repeats notes to create layered rhythmic or ambient parts. | Studio/live |
| Reverb | Adds room depth and sustain to clean and lead sounds. | Studio/live |
| Overdrive and distortion | Valve-style gain for singing leads and heavier riffs. | Song dependent |
Song and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Firth of Fifth | Les Paul lead tone with long sustain and melodic vibrato. | Selling England by the Pound era |
| Dancing with the Moonlit Knight | Guitar layers move from acoustic textures to heavier electric sections. | 1973 |
| Watcher of the Skies | Sustained electric lines and dramatic effects support the arrangement. | Genesis live era |
| After the Ordeal | Classical guitar color contrasts with electric lead sections. | 1973 |
| Clocks | Later solo work combines guitar with electronic processing. | Solo catalog |
| Every Day | Sustained notes and effects are central to the lead arrangement. | Solo catalog |