Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

Guitar Picks of the Stars

Guitar Picks of the Stars

See a sampling of picks used by famous guitarists over the years.

Allman Brothers Band - Warren Haynes & Oteil Burbridge
Yngwie J Malmsteen
Mastodon's Bill Kelliher
Deftones' Stephen Carpenter
Eric Johnson
The Who's Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend
Thin Lizzy's Vivian Campbell and Ricky Warwick
Slash
Queen's Brian May
Def Leppard's Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell
Grace Potter
Maroon 5's James Valentine
Fall Out Boy's Joe Trohman
Buddy Guy
Lynyrd Skynyrd's Gary Rossington
Dave Matthews
Brian Setzer
Trivium's Corey Beaulieu
Sting
Anthrax's Scott Ian
Rush's Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee
Eddie Van Halen
Aerosmith's Joe Perry
Night Ranger's  Joel Hoekstra
Slipknot's Mick Thomson
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Geezer Butler
Earl Slick (David Bowie)
Zakk Wylde
Ted Nugent
Sepultura
Greg Koch
AFI
Disturbed's Dan Donegan
Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett
Slayer's Kerry King
John 5
Paul Gilbert
Velvet Revolver's Duff McKagan and Dave Kushner
Los Lonely Boys' Henry Garza
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine
The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach
Ritchie Blackmore (Blackmore's Night)
Megadeth's Dave Mustaine
The Cult's Billy Duffy
Kiss
Hoobastank
Exodus
ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons

Submit your own artist pick collections to rebecca@premierguitar.com for inclusion in a future gallery.

Some musical moments—whether riffs, melodies, or solos—bypass our ears and tug at our heartstrings.

It had to be in the early part of 1990, and I don’t know how or why, but I purchased Steady On, the debut album from singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin. Upon my first listen I knew it was something very special. By the time the third track, ā€œShotgun Down the Avalanche,ā€ came pouring from my ancient Dahlquist DQ10s, I was a fan. The song features an instrumental break—not a guitar solo per se, but more like a stringed-instrument vignette that cascaded seamlessly through a number of sounds created by guitarist-songwriter-producer John Leventhal. I’ve listened to it dozens of times since, and I still marvel at the emotion it stirs in me.

Read MoreShow less

An all-analog ’60s-inspired tremolo marries harmonic and optical circuits that can be used independently or blended to generate phasey, throbbing magic.

Spans practical, convincing vintage trem tones and the utterly weird. Hefty build quality.

Big footprint. Can’t switch order of effects.

$299

Jackson Audio Silvertone Twin Trem
jackson.audio

4.5
4.5
4
4.5

Almost any effect can be used subliminally or to extremes. But tremolo is a little extra special when employed at its weirder limits. Unlike reverb or delay, for instance, which approximate phenomena heard in the natural world, tremolo from anything other than an amp or pedal tends to occur in the realm of altered states—suggesting the sexy, subterranean, and dreamy. Such moods can be conjured with any single tremolo. Put two together, though, and the simply sensual can be surreal. Modify this equation by mating two distinctly different tremolo types, and the possible sound pictures increase manifold.

Read MoreShow less

Bonnaroo announces its 2025 lineup featuring Luke Combs, Hozier, Queens of the Stone Age, Avril Lavigne, and more.

Read MoreShow less

Enhance your Ratio Machine Heads with Graph Tech's new Barrel Knobs. Designed for comfort and style, these barrel-shaped tuning buttons offer a fresh look and feel to your instrument. Available in chrome and black finishes, these knobs are the perfect way to personalize your guitar.

Read MoreShow less