Artist Guitar Setups
Discover the guitar tunings, string gauges, and gear used by legendary guitarists
30 artists
Browse by Genre
Classic Rock
View AllJimi Hendrix
.010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038 (Heavy-high, light-low setup)
Eric Clapton
.010-.046 (Electric), .012-.054 Phosphor Bronze (Acoustic)
Jimmy Page
Led Zeppelin
.009-.042 (Electric), .010-.050 Extra Light (Acoustic)
David Gilmour
Pink Floyd
.010, .012, .016, .028, .038, .048 (Stratocaster), .0105, .013, .017, .030, .040, .050 (Les Paul)
Eddie Van Halen
.009-.040 (early career), .009-.042 or .009-.046 (later)
Stevie Ray Vaughan
.013, .015, .019p, .028, .038, .058 (Custom heavy gauge)
Keith Richards
Rolling Stones
.011-.048 (typical)
Carlos Santana
.0095, .0115, .016, .025, .033, .043 (Custom 'Big Core' gauges)
Jeff Beck
Variable: .009-.042 to .011-.049 (changed throughout tours)
Brian May
Queen
.009-.042 (Originally used banjo strings for high E)
Grunge / Alternative Rock
View AllKurt Cobain
Nirvana
.010-.052 (Light top, heavy bottom)
Jerry Cantrell
Alice in Chains
.010-.046
Stone Gossard & Mike McCready
Pearl Jam
.010-.046 (McCready), .011-.052 (Gossard varies)
Billy Corgan
Smashing Pumpkins
.009-.042
Dave Grohl
Foo Fighters
.011, .014, .018, .028, .042, .060 (Custom hybrid set)
Tom Morello
Rage Against the Machine
.010-.046
Chris Cornell
Soundgarden
.009-.046 (varied by tuning)
J Mascis
Dinosaur Jr
.010-.046
Kim Thayil
Soundgarden
.009-.046 (heavier strings for lower tunings)
Thurston Moore
Sonic Youth
Variable (often used A strings for both low strings)
Metal
View AllJames Hetfield
Metallica
.011, .014, .018p, .028, .038, .050 (Signature set)
Kirk Hammett
Metallica
.009, .011, .016, .026, .036, .048 (Hybrid: light top, heavy bottom)
Tony Iommi
Black Sabbath
.008, .008, .011, .018w, .024, .032 (D# tuning), .009, .010, .012, .020w, .032, .042 (C# tuning)
Dimebag Darrell
Pantera
.009-.042 (Standard), .009-.046 (Drop D), .009-.050 (D Standard), .011-.050 (C#)
Randy Rhoads
.009-.042 or .010-.046
Zakk Wylde
.010-.060 (heavy), .011-.070 (extra heavy for extreme drop tunings)
Dave Mustaine
Megadeth
.010-.052 (Signature set)
Kerry King
Slayer
.009-.042 (D#), .010-.046 (C#), + .052 for drop tuning
Adam Jones
Tool
.010-.052
John Petrucci
Dream Theater
.010, .012, .016, .024, .036, .046 (6-string), .009-.056 (7-string)