Billie Joe Armstrong

In this Rig Rundown video of Billie Joe Armstrong’s guitars and gear, his tech Hans shows one of Billie Joe’s most famous guitars, the Fernandes Stratocaster copy named Blue. The guitar shows a lot of wear and is covered in stickers. Starting at the beginning of the video, 0:30 in:

“The guitar everyone likes to hear about most is Blue, Billie’s guitar he got many years ago for his birthday. And it’s the same guitar, he’s still playing it. There’s a pic of him there on the back.”

The interviewer asks if there are any modifications Billie Joe Armstrong has done to it, to which his tech replies:

“I replaced - it’s a Seymour Duncan SH-4, which just sounds great, and… not really much. This is the biggest mod, having the pickup angled like that. It’s a completely different sound than having it just straight, like in a Les Paul. I’m still trying to figure it out in my mind, why it sounds that way, but it just does. Eddie Van Halen - same thing, his guitar has the pickup angled. ”

The tech then confirms that Billie Joe Armstrong uses this guitar to perform Green Day’s older material live, which is all Eb. He also confirms that guitar is strung with Ernie Ball .010 - .046 strings.

Blue's official model is a Fernandes The Revival RST-50 '57 - dating from early 1980. The official color is "Sonic Blue" - which is the same one Fender Japan used on their guitars as the guitar was manufactured by Fuji Gen Gakki (whom made Ibanez and the Fender Japan instruments).

Gibson's website describes this artist guitar, "In honor of Billie Joe’s achievement in taking the punk ethos, attitude and energy right to the top of the mainstream without once compromising his vision, Gibson USA presents the Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Junior Double Cut, a great partner to the original single-cutaway Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Junior, and a guitar that is primed to get you straight into no fuss, no frills rock ’n’ roll. Designed in the image of the late ’50s rendition of the breed, the Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul Junior Double Cut is crafted with select tonewoods and an advanced rendition of Gibson’s hallowed P-90 pickup, the noise-cancelling H-90, with a double-cutaway body and subtle custom graphics to help it stand out from the crowd, and includes an extra special new Gibson gigbag with a stylish surprise lurking inside."

This guitar was also used on famous iHeart Radio festival, and it was smashed later. Armstrong, frustrated with his set cut short, smashed this guitar. He later posted to Instagram the rebuilt guitar, which he later used on Trilogy tour after his comeback. This guitar was rebuilt by Billie Joe's guitar tech, Hans.

This guitar was sold in 2019 during Green Day's sale of their gear via Reverb. According to the listing, the serial number of the guitar is 109011416.

Billie Joe Armstrong starting using Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster for playing all song from Nimrod in E Standard.

In 1997, Billie Joe Armstrong ordered "Blue" replica and other Stratocaster called "Frankenstein" in Shell Pink (which can see on Howard Stern Show and 1998 MTV New Year Eve's), There all guitar was smashed/turned out into other guitar (confirmed by Bill Schneider), "Blue" replica and shell pink "Frankenstein" guitar no longer used since 2000.

"Blue" replica has left handed bridge with GraphTech Saddles. Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB humbucker with 9 holes pickguard and neck has sanded off Fender logo on headstock (later he replace with another Stratocaster neck with Fender logo). The guitar is bulit by Alex Perez from Fender Custom Shop.

Green Day's guitarist and singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, often used a red Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar during shows.

Red Gibson SG Standard was mostly used on TV appearances for "Warning" era, as well as live shows. He played "Waiting" with this guitar on Jay Leno show.

Second Gibson SG Standard he was seen using, was on the appearance on Hotel Babylon, which was in 1996, to be precise, on 27th of April, 1996. This guitar is rumoured, as well as the whole equipment in this show, to be borrowed from the Living End members. But actually this guitar was owned by Billie. You can see this picture with his son playing Gibson SG Standard.

At this concert in Stockholm, Billie used Björn's Warterloo guitar, the actual one from the museum. He directly thanks Björn at 1:51 in this video

In the photo from Photobucket, Billie Joe Armstrong is holding a customized Gretsch Brian Setzer Hot Rod Model, not the Gretsch G5420T Electromatic Hollow Body. The guitar features modifications such as a removed pickguard and a Dogear P90 pickup. Despite the low resolution, it's evident that this Gretsch, like others Armstrong owns, was used during the recording of the "Trilogy" albums.

"For me, I think that, you know, Les Paul Juniors have more of a rock 'n roll sound just because it's the true sound of a guitar. The sound that I go for is that real punchy mid-range kind of sound."

Billie Joe start using this guitar for this year, and mostly gave away to audience after playing Knowledge.

Also in this video, you can see Billie Joe playing this guitar from Epiphone in Cracow, Tauron Arena, Poland, on 2017-01-21. At the end of the video he gives it away to a fan named Christopher.

The Gibson Les Paul Junior 1956 Sunburst Electric Guitar is used by guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong of the world-renowned rock band Green Day. Billie Joe named this guitar "Floyd," which served as the inspiration for his signature Gibson model and remains his favorite guitar.

In an interview for Guitar Player he also notes that this guitar was used for recording "21st Century Breakdown".

I mainly played a ’56 Gibson Les Paul Junior, but I also had a Slash model Les Paul, a Jimmy Page model Les Paul, and my ’59 ’burst.

As can be seen in this photo, Billie Joe during the hella mega tour is using a Gibson Les Paul Junior in Satin White but modified with black stripes around it making it look like in the style of Eddie Van Halen’s guitar. This is not the same Les Paul Junior he used in 2004-2010 because that is in the rock n roll hall of fame.

Here he is pictured with a black Les Paul Junior with white pickguard.

This is one of Billie Joe Armstrong's main guitars on the Hella Mega Tour. It was a natural finish Les Paul Junior that Billie hadn't used much before. He had it repainted in this gold sparkle finish and now he plays it for the first songs of these gigs: American Idiot, Pollyanna, Holiday, Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Know Your Enemy and a few more.

Billie Joe can be seen playing this custom Epiphone Les Paul Junior throughout this video. 5:24 is best shot of "Special" marking on guitar and around 2:11 is clear shot of guitar.

Billie Joe Armstrong uses a custom-built Fender Telecaster as a backup for his iconic "Blue" guitar. This blackout Telecaster features a slanted Seymour Duncan SH4-JB pickup, a maple neck, a solid body, and a single volume knob, matching the specs of "Blue." It also includes a Fender Tele Deluxe pickguard, custom-routed by Armstrong's guitar tech, Hans.

Though not frequently used live, Armstrong played this guitar for the entire Reading Festival 2013 show, as seen in the accompanying photo. A similar custom-made Telecaster served as a backup during 2000-2001, featuring slight variations like black tape, different volume knob positions, and sometimes a rosewood fretboard. This guitar has also been played by Timmy Chunks and Jason White during performances of "Platypus" and "King for a Day."

In this photo, we can see Billie Joe with a Gibson Explorer.

Another one of these was sold in Green Day's Reverb Shop. Source

The Gibson Explorer is a type of electric guitar that made its debut in 1958. The Explorer offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its siblings: the Flying V, which was released the same year, and the Moderne, which was designed in 1957 but not released until 1982. The Explorer was the final development of a prototype design that, years later, Gibson marketed under the name Futura. The Explorer's initial run was unsuccessful, and the model was discontinued in 1963. In 1976, Gibson began reissuing the Explorer after other guitar companies had success selling similar designs. The Explorer became especially popular among the hard rock and heavy metal musicians of the 1970s and 1980s.

He used this guitar at Reading 2013, but he smashed it almost immediately because the guitar went out of tune. He used this guitar solely for "Waiting". The similar model, although with the P-90's was used around 2007 - this can be seen during the 2007 performance of "Working Class Hero"..

Another LP Custom, the white one, has been used in the 2016 EMA Awards performance of "Bang Bang".

Billie Joe Armstrong used a Fernandes LE-1 for his "Blue" replica guitar in 1997, which was modified by Bill Schneider. This is evidenced by a user-uploaded photo.

During performance at Reading Festival 2013, Billie Joe Armstrong can be seen playing with this guitar during "Pulling Teeth"

Billie Joe Armstrong, front man for punk rock band Green Day, is seen using a red Gibson ES-135 Electric Guitar in the music video for the song Redundant.

In the "Heart Like A Hand Grenade" documentary, at 4:00 minute mark, Armstrong is visible using this guitar for "Jesus of Suburbia".

Billie Joe Armstrong's guitar tech says, "He loves playing this thing." Rickenbacker 360 was used mostly for the Trilogy tour, and he played "X-Kid" with this guitar.

He used this guitar (or maybe the different guitar of the same making) to record some parts on "Revolution Radio". "Another underlying thing on a lot of parts is a Rickenbacker 360—like the ones Peter Case and Peter Buck use—through a Divided By 13 head. Those guitars are so punchy. I was going for something that was in between Paul Weller, Steve Jones, and Johnny Thunders, while still trying to find my own sound. And then, for a bigger, more heavy sound, I’d run a Les Paul through one of my Marshalls." - Guitar Player interview.

Billie Joe Armstrong is seen using an Ebony Gibson ES-339. If one looks at the bottom of the guitar, one will see the output jack on the side and not on the top (seen on 335s).

Billie Joe Armstrong used his Gibson Les Paul Special while playing "Letterbomb", in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony. a Good shot of this guitar is at 1:33.

In this photo, you can see Billie use a yellow Telecaster with Pinhead Gunpowder.

Billie used an ebony 335 in The Coverups to perform Crazy Train.

In this rare photo from 1993, Billie Joe Armstrong is seen playing a PRS McCarty Electric Guitar, as shared on Instagram.

Billie Joe Armstrong used the Gibson B.B. King Lucille Semi-Hollow Guitar during a live performance at the Fox Theater and on tour for "21st Century Breakdown," as shown in the user-uploaded photo on Photobucket.

In this photo, you can see Billie Joe Armstrong playing with this guitar during show with The Coverups.

This one was used for recording The Trilogy, and can be also seen in Cuatro rockumentary, on 34:08 minute mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJLNGhnQ_2Q

In this photo, Billie Joe Armstrong can also be seen with what appears to be a Les Paul Standard.

This is prototype of Billie Joe Armstrong signature Gibson Les Paul Junior that he used in Revolution Radio South America Tour.

In this video from the Alley in 1997, Billie Joe Armstrong can be seen playing with a red Fender Stratocaster with Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB and black volume knobs. He smash this guitar at the end show.

From Reverb.com:

This Gretsch Anniversary - Tobacco Sunburst is part of the private collection of Billie Joe Armstrong.

The Gretsch Anniversary series debuted in 1958 as a celebration of 75 years since the company’s founding. In what must be among the longest anniversary celebrations ever, Gretsch has pretty much kept on making Annies ever since. In fact, they’ve celebrated a few new anniversaries along the way.

This 1960 Gretsch Sunburst Anniversary is an absolute beaut.

Billie is releasing a decent collection of Gretsch guitars used on Uno, Dos, Tre [sic] and this is absolutely one of the highlights.

This guitar has been well loved. The best sounding instruments often are. Some small dings on the back, but overall not much in the way of finish issues. Gorgeous original sunburst finish.

Neck is straight and true. It should be noted that the neck of this guitar feels awesome. Clean and clear tone. Electronics all check out without issue There are no further issues, aside from the aforementioned, to be seen or heard. We have done our best to capture any imperfections of this instrument through our photography here on the site. Please enjoy.

A killer piece. Ships in an OHSC.

All items in Billie's Reverb Shop ship fully insured with a signed and embossed Certificate Of Authenticity by Billie Joe Armstrong.

The same guitar is now back on sale via Matt's Guitar Shop.

Another Double Anniversary, a red one from 1958, was sold alongside this one on Green Day's Official Reverb Shop, having also been used for ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! and ¡Tré!

This guitar was used on 21st Century Breakdown, as Billie Joe says in this Guitar Player interview.

"I also got some great sounds with my ’52 Fender Esquire though a Divided by 13 combo—we used that amp a lot on this record."

In the Rig Rundown video from Premier Guitars, Billie's guitar tech Hans said this white ES-137 was built by Gibson, you can tell that the mods on this 137 is Billie's style, two Dogear P90s and simplified controls.

Hans also said the Gibson Team might release a signature model, which they did in a Cherry Burst finish.

This guitar can be seen in Kill The DJ music video and it has been used throughout the 99 Revolution tour.