Gene Simmons

One of Gene Simmons’ two basses is a Cort GS Ax Punisher. According to Simmons’ tech at (13:16), “This is the main bass for the show. A black Punisher with a little white trim and it's real simple. It's just two EMG active pickups hardwired right to the volume knob. We get rid of the pickup selector. We get rid of the input jack underneath. It's literally two pickups right to the volume knob...the Punisher is the meat of the show.”

In this video, Gene uses this Thunderbird bass live during one of KISS's shows. According to the website Axeology "After being on a brief hiatus the Thunderbird returned to the Gibson catalogue in 1976 for the Bicentennial. Gene's version is either a '76 or '77 ebony version that was modified from the get-go."

In this photo Gene is shown playing the Gibson EB-O in black. According to the website Axeology this bass is "long believed to be a prototype for a possible Gibson Gene Simmons signature guitar, this bass is actually a heavily modified 60’s Gibson EB-0."

The Gibson pickup was moved closer to the bridge and a Badass bridge installed. The faux “binding” was a cosmetic modification done to highlight the guitar’s body shape and size, as Gene wanted a striking visual to go along with KISS’s image. Source: https://www.vintageguitar.com/3353/kiss-able-gibson/

Spotted 0:09s in KISS' "MTV Unplugged" video for "Coming Home".

In this photo set, Gene is seen playing this Gibson Ripper. According to the website Axeology "the Ripper was introduced as the 'big brother' to the Grabber in 1973."

According to the website Axeology Gene had 2 of these Spector SB-1 commissioned around 1976 to be customized to his liking. Used mainly throughout the 1977 Love Gun tour they were also used in later tours with other Bass guitars.

Gene plays this guitar for shows as seen in this video. Cort debuted the guitar at NAMM 2012, although it looks as though it may no longer be available for purchase.

While there seem to not be any live photos of Gene with the Spector NS-2, there are these from Asylum tour book and a video or two.

According to Simmons’ tech Jason Lemiere, the KISS frontman plays through Ampeg 8x10 cabinets. At (12:35), he says, Gene Simmons is “super, super loud. We point them backwards to cut the stage volume a little bit for the other guys.” Simmons uses “Just one [cabinet]. We run one cabinet, one main, one backup.”

In this Premier Guitar Rig Rundown, Gene Simmons’ Tech Jason Lemiere shows off Gene Simmons’ compressor pedal. The pedal is used to, “Add a little more sustain to the basses. Not so much squashing the signal.” (11:07)

In this video, Gene is seen playing the Grabber bass. According to the website Axeology this bass was "introduced in 1973, the Grabber was Gibson's first bolt-on neck bass and featured a sliding pickup (you 'grabbed' it to change the pickup position, hence the name)."

In this image, we can see Simmons preforming live with his mic stand laced with Herco .75s.

Simmons runs his signal through Tech 21 Solid State 1969 heads. According to Simmons’ tech, Jason Lemiere, (11:07) “It's simply straight right into the new Tech 21, their 1969 heads. It's an all solid state head. It really, really has the sound of a tube amp. They really done a really good job of getting that tone you always want with a tube, but it's hard to get from Solid State. What they've done, is they've figured out a way to get it. It's the reliability of the Solid State. I'm not going to have to switch tubes, it's going to sound the exact same every night, I don't have to let it warm up. I can literally turn this rig on, hit on, play it, and it's going to sound the same the whole night. Where a lot of times the older ampegs I have to turn it on an hour, two hours before the show. By the end of the show, because we drive it really hard, we drive the amps really hard, the tone is changed because those tubes are so hot and the capacitors are so hot that it doesn't sound as good.

Gene Simmons has endorsed GHS Gene Simmons Bass Boomers Medium Gauge Strings, as shown in the provided image.

Gene Simmons with his signature Jackson Axe Bass

In this video, we can see Simmons recording Bass tracks with a Sunburst 1976 Gibson Ripper.

Custom made for Gene with his input on design is the B.C Rich Punisher Bass which Gene used live from 1992.

In this video Gene teaches how to play "Lick It Up" with black Gibson Les Paul Standard. Kiss Kruise V

This particular bass was seen in the UH ! All Night video, This bass was very unique in terms of construction, the neck was made out of magnesium and a fiberglass body, i continued on my research on this bass and discovere that it was a pure custom job for gene. Gene had played the MG model with a further custom touch of EMG pickups, as we all know he has been a long time proponent of EMG.

The Stacatto MG was crafted in Norfolk, England.

This was one of the more crazier lookin basses i think gene ever used. i havent seen any other production than the video that this bas was seen in..

In the spring of 79, gene commissioned luthier Steve Carr to create a prototype bass that resembled an ‘executioners axe’. The result was a large, Bass with an aesthetic that fit the character of ‘the demon’. However this Bass was never filmed live and can be seen only in photographs of gene posing with the Bass. However it can be assumed he performed with this Bass as a ‘test drive’ of sorts. One of the possible reasons this Bass never came to more use was the weight of the thing. Owing to the size and wood used. But it cannot be denied this sparked the beginning of a long standing relationship between kiss and Steve Carr resulting in several historic and innovative guitar designs and features (gimmicks) and the beginning of an essential and inseparable part of Gene Simmons as we know him today.

Gene had several "Axe" bass guitars before the Kramer model, but this particular model was the one that he toured with and used live from 1979, 1980 and 1983. As usual the Bass was modified over the years.

In one of the photos of Lita Ford's "Time Capsule" album cover, you can see Gene Simmons with Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay 5 Ivory White Special, with Roasted Maple Fingerboard. He also played bass on several songs on the album (including "Rotten to the Core", writen by himself for a Kiss album "Crazy Nights"). Perhaps the bass used only in the studio.

For his solo on “God of Thunder,” Simmons uses the Strymon El Capistan Tape Delay Echo pedal. Gene’s tech says at (12:04), “We use the Strymon tape delay echo pedal for Gene's solo. We've gone back and forth, we've used a full tone tape delay. Depending on where we are we'll switch it back and forth. There's always something coming through the effects loop, which is a tape delay or a tape delay simulator for the solo where he does "God of Thunder."

Here is Gene playing this on Paul Lynn's Halloween show in 76.

Rare picture of Gene Simmons with this Les Paul. Used in the song "Ladies in Waiting"

Rare photo of Gene Simmons with Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass

Gene uses EMG PJ Pickup Set for his bass guitars

The three-night stand in Detroit from 77.01.27, represented here by the pro-shot video from the third night, is the first sighting of the last incarnation of the LoBue (mk VIII)

The Source URL is a rig rundown by PremierGuitar Magazine. PG caught up with current guitarist Tommy Thayer, along with techs Francis and Michael Berger, to dig into all the axes (in some cases, literally), effects, and amps that the band brought out on their 2014 tour with Def Leppard.

Gene Simmons uses the Valdez Bat Bass, crafted by Arturo Valdez, which first appeared in a 1979 Sunn amps advertisement. Its use is documented in the 1989 "Kiss - Hide Your Heart" music video on YouTube, uploaded by Jaramosltr.