Gary Moore

"This Strat is '60/'61. It's right on the cusp. It's seen some use and Gary's had it since the Greg Lake Band. A chap showed up with it for Greg, who said it was too tatty, but Gary tried it and said it's the one for me. It had been owned by Tommy Steele's guitarist." (Graham Lilley - Guitarist, Issue 187, October 1999)

On the Gary Moore Signature Les Paul Standard product page, Gibson writes about the guitar that inspired this creation, his legendary ’59 Les Paul. "Throughout his career, Moore virtually defined high-octane blues-rock, coining a signature tone that thousands have sought to emulate. Across three decades of playing, his weapon of choice remained the mighty Les Paul, one of which was the legendary ’59 Burst originally owned by Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green."

In this source it's been recalled that Gary Moore used this guitar while recording “Still Got the Blues”.

In this video, Gary Moore tells us his opinion on Les Pauls compared to Strats. He plays a salmon colored Stratocaster as he plays us a few riffs starting at :46s.

At 1:41 in this video, Gary talks about why he chose the ES-335 saying "it's a beautiful guitar". Gary goes on to describe how the "warmth" of this guitar leads him to choose this on specific songs over his Les Paul.

In this Guitar World article Gary talks about when he came across Charvel's saying "I use the Hamer guitars to the same extent, simply because I find them really good. A few years after I discovered the Charvels, it was a great experience getting acquainted with Hamer guitars. I wrote the album Run For Cover with these guitars, for example. They're based on the same principle as the old Les Paul Junior."

Gary Moore used a couple of these models in the late 80s to early 90s.

Gary Moore played a couple PRS guitars according to this article from Guitar World.

Gary Moore was spotted with a red Firebird on stage in this image.

Gary Moore used a lot of different Takamine models including a PT-015. He recalled on Takamine guitars: “They are really excellent guitars really. I’ve got this black 12 string which they made; there’s only two of them in the world, one built for Greg Lake and one for me. Then I’ve got another one which is the six string semi-jazz model with the electric and EQ built in.”

here´s an interview with Phill Lynot explaining what the sybthaxe is and confirming that gary moore used it in the song "Out in the Fields"

Video

And here's a quote from Vintage Guitar Magazine: "Moore had finally shaken off the Deep Purple clichés that bogged down his early ‘80s material and created a slick hard-rock style that was polished like a Def Leppard radio hit, but still kicked like a Thin Lizzy record. Playing a solidbody Ibanez Roadstar RS1000 in this video (along with that ‘80s relic, the SynthAxe), he executes a wonderfully blitzkrieg guitar solo. Dig especially the “axe cam” that captures the lead from a fingerboard perspective."

Here Garry Moore is seen with his red Gibson Firebird III.

For 1978 Sydney Opera House concert with Thin Lizzy, Moore used Gibson Melody Maker. Pickup has been changed, and some say that might be DiMarzio Super Distortion pickup.

At around 1983 or 1984, Moore was seen with Dean Z Chicago Flame electric guitar.

At around 1985, Moore used the Hamer Vector. This guitar is in light blue colour, and has been made only from 1982 to 1985.

0:30 Played mainly in this concert.

You can see Gary playing a white Model 2 in this live performance.

According to Hamer’s records, this guitar was completed and shipped with a natural finish Standard #0731 to Gary Moore on 31/08/84. It could be assumed that the pickups were Hamer Slammers, built by DiMarzio, and since the guitar was sent to Mr. Moore, the neck pickup was probably wired with reverse polarity. Steve Matthers, an expert on Hamer says "Hamer Standards in Natural with the matching flame headstock are rare. I’d guess no more than two or three were made." You can see more photos about this guitar at www.rarestarguitars.com

"Lately I have been experimenting with guitars like Hamers. I've got a Hamer Explorer which they built for me recently. It's a great instrument. They built it out of a beautul piece of maple. It's the closest thing you can have to a tasteful Explorer shape guitar. It sounds really fantastic, so I've been playing that quite a lot..." (Gary Moore)

Gary used this guitar in Montreux in 2001 for the song “The Prophet”. The guitar is essentially a double-cutaway version of the Gibson Les Paul guitar with 24 frets and simplified controls (only one control knobs for volume and tone each).

In Jack Bruce’s (Cream bassist) 1998 instructional film titled “The Cream of Cream” Gary appeared as a guest guitarist, and perhaps as a nod to Clapton picked up an unusual instrument for him – a Gibson SG. The film features interviews with Jack, and separate segments during which the bend composed of Jack, Moore, and Gary Husband performed some of Cream’s best known songs.

Gary’s guitar was most likely a 1961 Gibson SG, or more precisely a Les Paul – since the “SG” branding wasn’t introduced until 1963. It featured cherry red finish, and was most likely originally equipped with the sideways vibrola tremolo since the screw holes are still visible behind the newly fitted stop-tail bridge.

In the video please see 7:48

The white one in its original shape in 1982, together with the red one in 1985...and later with its new Jackson neck (1988/1989?)

In this photo you can see Gary use a Leopard Skin Charvel guitar.

Gary Moore played different Fender Telecaster models. At the beginning of this video we can see a nice example of a Deluxe Telecaster thinline.

Designed in collaboration with Moore.

Designed in collaboration with Moore.

The amazing Gary Moore can be seen here playing a BC Rich Mockingbird, a strange choice to think for him at first but with its wood combination, set neck and very versatile electronics its easy to see where the inspiration has come from.

On Marshall's website there is a page on Gary Moore, and on that page it states that he used a Marshall 1959HW.