Bono

Bono's signature guitar is the Gretsch Irish Falcon.

In this video, Bono can be seen playing a Black Fender Lead II in a live performance with U2 at Red Rocks.

According to Gretsch's blog, Bono is quoted as saying, "“The (GRETSCH)RED guitar is a guitarist’s dream. And the reality is that every time someone buys one, it’s raising money to fight AIDS. That money can buy life-saving medicine for pregnant mothers living with HIV, and prevent their babies being born with the virus. They’re the same pills that will help deliver an AIDS Free Generation.”

Paul Waller, a Master Builder in the Fender Custom Shop in Corona, California built this telecaster for Bono in 2011. In this photo, Bono can be seen playing the guitar during a live U2 performance (the pickguard appears to have been removed from the guitar). The guitar has a semi-hollow Fender Telecaster style body with f-holes, and the pickups look to be TV Jones Filter’Tron style pickups (possibly TV Classics). The guitar also features Gretsch style gold binding and Gretsch style knobs.

Some of the information is according to a forum post made by a user who says he's Paul Weller's father-in-law.

Here, Bono is shown with his custom black Gibson ES-175. In this photo the words "I Feel Good" have been added to the bottom of the guitar.

In this photograph, we can see Bono playing his Elvis Presley Dove live onstage. He has been seen with the guitar many times over the years, starting primarily around 1991's Zoo TV Tour.

In this video, at 3:05, Bono can be seen playing a Gibson Hummingbird in a wine red finish.

Bono used a Gibson ES-335 from 1987-1990, during the Joshua Tree &Rattle and Hum tours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpozVvYe-h4

Bono can be seen in this photo playing a Gibson J-200.

In this top of the pops performance of "New years day" in 1983, Bono is seen with a Fendere telecaster deluxe in black.

In this photo from the Zooropa sessions, you can see Bono playing a Gibson Les Paul Custom. (Photo from Vox Magazine, August 1993 page 21, according to website U2 Bono Files.)

This guitar was used by Bono during the Popmart tour for "Gone," as seen in this clip here.

Bono has used a Vox AC30 combo for most of his career.

Here is a picture of Bono's handwired AC30 that was used for the U2 360 tour.

The transcribed article accompanying an equipment list from U2 MAGAZINE No: 1 in November 1981 states that "Bono also has a guitar - a black Fender Lead 2. This is fed through a Roland Bolt 60 combo miked with another Sennheiser MD421."

We can actually catch a glimpse of the Bolt-60 onstage in this live video of U2's performance at the Werchter Festival in 1982. At the 26 second mark, if paused, the amp sits in the background to the left of the Edge's elbow.

From the Sound On Sound March 1994 article "Robbie Adams: Recording U2's Achtung Baby & Zooropa":

Bono's vocals were largely recorded with an SM58 and compressed with a Summit compressor. Adams: "Instead of using the Summit, what we did on several of the tracks on Achtung Baby was to record his vocals on tape with Dolby SR and play it back without Dolby SR. It tightens up the vocal sound and gives it more brightness and presence. It makes his voice sit really nicely in the mix and easier to balance."

The transcribed article accompanying an equipment list from U2 MAGAZINE No: 1 in November 1981 states that "Bono also has a guitar - a black Fender Lead 2. This is fed through a Roland Bolt 60 combo miked with another Sennheiser MD421."

According to producer Phil Ramone, Bono used the AE5400 for "I Wanna Be Around" off of Tony Bennett's Duets: An American Classic.

Bennett and Ramone had collaborated before, and both were keen on using classic recording techniques so well-suited to these songs and artists. “I’ve always loved the way the AE5400 sounds for vocals,” says Ramone, who also produced two duet recordings with Frank Sinatra. “And I wasn’t alone — Bono told me he loved the dynamics of the A-T handheld AE5400. And the A-T microphones are able to capture every nuance of performance, so they fit a wide variety of vocal styles.”

Used for "Get On Your Boots", as stated by producer Declan Gaffney.

Most of Bono's vocals were recorded through a Shure Beta 58 dynamic mic, with some EQ (including the Waves VEQ3, top) and heavy compression from the Fairchild 660 plug-in. No reverb was used, but Sound Toys' Echo Boy provided delay.

(...) "When we were in France, we got this great vocal sound that Bono really liked, which was a [Shure] Beta 58, going through a 1091 and then an LA2A, into Pro Tools. I even A/B'ed the different 58s and Neves, and found my favourite LA2A, to get the best ones. I'm very proud of the vocal sound. I added a bit of compression while he was singing, and he got excited by that and adjusted his voice accordingly. When we were at Olympic, the vocal chain changed a little. I normally have two or three 58s up in a room, and at Olympic one of them would go through a Neve preamp and the LA2A, but the other would be Neve and then Distressor, and I actually preferred that sound. The LA2A sounded a little too thick. The Distressor had a sort of hardness that balanced the thickness out better.”

The Beta 58A was later used for the iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE tour, as stated in this Mix Online article.

“Bono uses a standard Shure Beta 58A,” says his monitor engineer, Alastair McMillan. “Then I have an analog chain that goes directly into an SSL X desk to be summed with the SD7 outputs. It’s very clean in that classic SSL way and has loads of headroom, which was an important feature as his vocal is very dynamic. There’s something about his voice that hits the compressors and effects in a unique way. It’s impossible to replicate during setup! So I just have to start with a basic setting and dial it in once he starts singing.”

In one scene, Bono can be seen using a Fender Precision bass in this mini-documentary

Bono can be seen in this photo playing a Yamaha CP 80.

Used for "Get On Your Boots".

Most of Bono's vocals were recorded through a Shure Beta 58 dynamic mic, with some EQ (including the Waves VEQ3, top) and heavy compression from the Fairchild 660 plug-in. No reverb was used, but Sound Toys' Echo Boy provided delay.

An image of the settings can be found here.

Used for "Get On Your Boots".

Most of Bono's vocals were recorded through a Shure Beta 58 dynamic mic, with some EQ (including the Waves VEQ3, top) and heavy compression from the Fairchild 660 plug-in. No reverb was used, but Sound Toys' Echo Boy provided delay.

An image of the settings can be found here.

Used for "Get On Your Boots".

Most of Bono's vocals were recorded through a Shure Beta 58 dynamic mic, with some EQ (including the Waves VEQ3, top) and heavy compression from the Fairchild 660 plug-in. No reverb was used, but Sound Toys' Echo Boy provided delay.

An image of the settings can be found here.

As stated by producer Declan Gaffney, the Digirack EQ III was used for "Get On Your Boots".

"There's also a seven-band Digirack EQ that notches out around 245Hz and adds some top end above 10k for some sparkle."

Based on images from the rest of the source, it is version three.

As stated by producer Declan Gaffney, the Digirack De-esser was used for "Get On Your Boots".

"The Digirack De-esser and Echo Boy are on a separate track, because I wanted to hit the De-esser first, so that any kind of sibilance didn't hit the echo."

As stated by producer Declan Gaffney, the Waves SSL Master Bus Compressor was used for "Get On Your Boots".

Declan Gaffney incorporated extensive master processing into his mix. Dynamic control was provided by the Waves SSL Master Bus Compressor and Massey L2007 limiter, while Waves' VEQ4 added tonal changes.

An image of the settings can be found here.