The Guitars of The Edge

The Edge is one of the most important and influential guitarists of the 80s and 90s (and beyond!). On albums like War, The Unforgettable Fire, and Joshua Tree, he displayed his unique guitar style focused more on texture and atmosphere than flashy riffs or solos. 

Throughout his lengthy career with U2, the Edge has used numerous different guitars. Gibson, Fenders, Rickenbackers, and more fill out his large guitar collection. So today, let’s take a look at some of the guitars of the Edge and the instruments that bring his inventive playing to life. 

Gibson Guitars

It’s hard to say what guitars the Edge is most known for. Unlike some guitarists who strictly use Strats, Teles, or Les Pauls, he uses just about everything. However, many associate him with Gibsons, and that seems like a good starting point. 

1976 Gibson Explorer

Out of all the guitars he uses, his 1976 Explorer is likely his most iconic. He purchased this guitar in New York City in 1978 as a teenager, intending to use it on stage.

The initial Explorer run in 1956 was far from successful for Gibson, and after that run ended in 1963, they were out of production until 1976. Explorers were not common or popular guitars when the Edge bought his and began using it with U2. He claims this made him and the band stand out.

From then on, he used the guitar on every U2 studio recording up until the guitar was retired. Due to the high sentimental value, he decided to leave the guitar at home and not tour with it. And in 2008, he decided to auction the guitar off to help musicians impacted by Hurricane Katrina. 

As you’d expect though, the Edge owns numerous Explorers that he uses in-studio and live. While the original might be gone, he clearly can’t get enough of the Gibson Explorer. 

1975 Gibson Les Paul White Custom

It may not be quite as iconic as his Explorer, but this white 1975 Gibson Les Paul Custom is still a very well known guitar. It was the third guitar the Edge ever purchased, only his Black Strat and Explorer coming first. 

This guitar was used heavily throughout his time with U2, appearing on most albums and live performances. It has been used on numerous classics such as “New Year’s Day.” 

Just like the Explorer, the Edge also auctioned this guitar off to support musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina. However, the story doesn’t end there. 

After auctioning the guitar off, he received a package from UPS one day. Opening it, he was shocked when he saw his Les Paul. Why would they send him the guitar back after he just auctioned it off? And who would send a guitar like that via UPS? 

As it turned out, Gibson made him an exact replica. It was exactly the same down to the number two decal on the back, and the Edge said he was astonished at how accurate it was. He still uses the replica to this day. 

1983 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Reissue

Another Les Paul, the Edge’s 1983 Goldtop 30th anniversary reissue is another guitar he’s used a lot over the years. 

It featured prominently on the album Achtung Baby, as well as the live album U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle, Ireland. This guitar also has been used live a lot, being in rotation consistently. 

As for the guitar itself, it’s a typical Goldtop style guitar with all the appointments, specs, and features you’d expect. As you’ll pick up on, the Edge typically doesn’t modify his guitars much. 

1966 Gibson SG Standard

Wrapping things up for his Gibsons, he also has a 1966 Gibson SG Standard. This guitar is interesting in that the Edge has said he really loves it, yet he doesn’t actually use it very often. 

He uses it pretty consistently live, but only for the song “Elevation.” He also says he used it for various writing sessions, as well as in the documentary, It Might Get Loud.

One has to wonder why his use of the guitar is minimal if he likes it so much. Why only use it on one song? Does he not want anything to happen to it? But then why take it on tour in the first place? And why not just get another SG if that’s the case? 

Regardless, this is another interesting guitar in his collection that shows he has no loyalty to a particular model. He uses whatever guitars he likes, and he likes a lot of different guitars. 

Fender Guitars

The Edge may be most known for Gibsons, but he also loves Fenders. He’s used a whole bunch of them throughout the years, live and in the studio. So let’s see what he has on the Fender side of his collection. 

1970s Black Fender Stratocaster 

Outside of his Explorer, this is probably the Edge’s most iconic guitar. This was supposedly the first guitar he ever bought. 

It seems as though the guitar had been modified before he bought it, with the previous owner swapping the white pickguard for black, adding brass saddles, and replacing one or all of the pickups with DiMarzios. This was the Edge’s main guitar in the early/mid 80s alongside the Explorer, 

However, there is a bit of confusion about this guitar. There are two of them—the original and another identical one purchased later at some point. Distinguishing between the two is difficult, and people still debate which one is which. 

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster

Out of all the guitars on this list, this is one of the most fitting for the Edge. Fender’s EOB Sustainer Stratocasters are a partnership with Ed O’Brien of Radiohead, featuring a sustainer pickup for near-infinite sustain. 

These guitars are perfect for players interested in ambience, soundscapes, and texture. Sound familiar? It’s no shock that the Edge ended up with one of these guitars and incorporates it into his already unique style. 

That said, he only uses the guitar on specific songs where he needs the sustainer pickup. It was most prominently featured during the iNNOCENCE & eXPERIENCE tour. 

1966 Fender Telecaster

We covered the Strats, so now it’s time for the Teles. This 1966 Telecaster is probably his most used Telecaster, using it occasionally live and in the studio. Most of this guitar’s use came in the early to mid 2000s, using it to write “Vertigo” and other songs. 

Outside of that, his Teles don’t see much use. However, he seems to have a penchant for these guitars as he owns nearly a dozen of them. For whatever reason though, he just doesn’t seem to actually use them. 

Acoustics

U2 has always been a band that embraced acoustic guitars. Their first acoustic tracks appeared on their debut album, Boy, and they’ve been on nearly every album since. Let’s see what acoustics the Edge has used over the years.  

1980s Washburn EA40 Woodstock

A 1980s Washburn EA40 Woodstock was the Edge’s primary acoustic during the band’s early years. These guitars were quite popular in the 80s, being used live by the likes of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Prince. 

The Edge’s Washburn had a bunch of black tape on the top. The reason for this is unknown, but it seems like it might have been to cover up some scratches and accommodate for the lack of a pickguard. 

He also added a stick to the top of the guitar that says, “Support Your Local Musician,” which is a fitting sticker for someone who’d end up auctioning off his most iconic guitars to help struggling musicians. 

Gibson J-200/SJ-200

From the 90s/00s and on, the Edge seems to prefer Gibson 200 style acoustics for live and studio use (though he does use Martins from time to time as well). He’s used multiple of these guitars, ranging from vintage J-200s to modern SJ-200s. Bono also uses these guitars as well. 

It’s no surprise that he’s a fan of these acoustics. They are some of the most beloved and popular acoustics of all time, so it makes sense he’d shift to them as the band became more popular and could afford to try out more expensive instruments. 

Line 6 Variax 700

Wrapping up the acoustic section is one of the odder entries on this list—a Line 6 Variax 700. 

These guitars have onboard acoustic modeling and were designed to be a perfect live acoustic solution: it's near impossible to make them feedback; they have a dozen different acoustic sounds you can switch between at a moment’s notice; and they offer near instantaneous tuning for alternate tunings.

He used this guitar for recording “The Fly” and still uses it live for the track. It might not be his main acoustic, but it definitely serves a unique purpose in his acoustic collection. 

Odds and Ends

We’ve already covered most of the main guitars of the Edge, but there are a few odds and ends that aren’t Gibsons, Fenders, or acoustics. It’d be a shame to overlook these, so let’s take a look before we wrap things up.  

1966 Rickenbacker 330-12

12 string guitars aren’t prominent in U2’s discography, but they do pop up from time to time. When the song calls for it, the Edge breaks out his 1966 Rickenbacker 330-12. 

He’s used this guitar on tracks like “Angel of Harlem” and “Love Rescue Me.” He also uses them live to play any 12 string songs on the setlist. 

Besides this Rickenbacker, he also has another one that’s nearly identical. One can assume this is as a backup just in case something happens to the main one. 

1963 Gretsch Chet Atkins Walnut Country Gentleman

The only hollowbody on this list, the Edge has been known to use a 1963 Gretsch Chet Atkins Walnut Country Gentleman on occasion. 

While he doesn’t use it much, this guitar is yet another example of the Edge being willing to play whatever guitar makes the sound he needs. He decided a few songs needed that hollowbody Gretsch sound, so that’s what he uses for those songs. 

Besides this Gretsch, he also has multiple other Country Gentleman models, ranging from vintage to modern models. 

Infinite Guitar

Last but not least is the Edge’s custom Infinite guitar made by Michael Brook (a side note on Michael Brook: his collaboration with Qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on the album Musst Musst is some of the most beautiful music ever made and doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, so give it a listen). 

Like the EOB Strat mentioned earlier, this strat-style guitar allows for infinite sustain. Only two of these guitars were ever made, with one belonging to the Edge and the other to Daniel Lanois. 

The Edge got this guitar at some point in the 80s and used it to record “With or Without You,” as well as on the Joshua Tree tour. At some point however, it seems this guitar was largely replaced by other infinite sustain guitars such as the EOB model. 

The Edge: a Diverse Collection for a Diverse Player

Sonically, the Edge covers a lot of ground in his playing. From catchy riffs and chord progressions to inventive textures and soundscapes, he’s one of the most unique and diverse players out there—and his guitar collection is equally as diverse. 

Having no loyalty to any particular brand or model, the Edge uses whatever guitar is necessary for the task at hand. Often that’s just a Strat or Explorer, but sometimes it’s a custom infinite sustaining guitar, a Washburn acoustic, or a Gretsch Country Gentleman. 

He may not be everyone’s favorite player, but it’s hard to deny his unique approach and influence to guitar as a whole. So whether you’re a fan of Explorers, Strats, or one of the many other guitars the Edge has used, put on a fresh set of strings and get that delay going in his honor!