Johnny Marr

At 0:39 in this performance of William it Was Really Nothing on Top Of The Pops on August 30 in 1984, Johnny Marr can be seen playing this guitar.

Custom guitar made by luthier Danny Ferrington for Elvis Costello, used on August 30th 1984 in a performance of "William, It Was Really Nothing" on Top Of The Pops. This guitar was apparently loaned to Johnny by Elvis for this performance. It was also used by Aztec Camera on another episode of TOTP, after which Roddy Frame had Ferrington make two guitars for him inspired by this Costello acoustic.

Source: www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html

In this picture Johnny Marr can be seen playing this guitar. This snap actually comes from 13th sequel of "Lo mejor de la Edad de oro", which was aired on spanish television (TVE) during 2006.

Used on 'Back To The Old House'.

Source: www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html

At 0:12 in this video of the song Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now, Johnny Marr can be seen playing this guitar.

Used on Heaven Knows... and Strangeways Here We Come.

"I've got a Telecaster, made by Roger Giffin, which is a phenomenal guitar; it's in a dark-green sunburst."

I have read rumours that this guitar was bought from Alan Rogan, who sold Johnny several of Pete Townsend's guitars. Roger Giffin made a lot of Tele's for Pete in the 80's. This guitar is pretty unique, though, and I have never seen Pete playing it. Note the mini-toggle switch between the volume and tone knobs, likely a coil-tap for the humbucker. The humbucker looks like it could be a Super Distortion.

Source: www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html

At 1:00 in the music video for the song Boy With The Thorn In His Side off of The Queen is Dead,Johnny Marr can be seen with this guitar.

"This is a 1954 Gibson 295 or "Scotty Moore" that I used in the video for 'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side' and on some of 'The Queen Is Dead' album."

Source: http://www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html

What Difference Does It Make, Miserable Lie, Handsome Devil demos. Drone Studios Manchester, 1982.

This is the earliest Smiths-era photo of Johnny with a guitar. This is a Gibson 335 in a Walnut finish. 1977 was the only year(at that time) in which they were offered with the coil tap switch on the lower horn

"I met Sire Records boss Seymour Stein in late 1983 when the Smiths were about to sign to the legendary New York label. Seymour told me that he had once gone to a guitar store on 48th Street with Brian Jones to get him a guitar when the Rolling Stones were in town, so I suggested that if I signed with Sire he should buy me a guitar. We signed the contract on January 2, 1984, and true to his word, Seymour took me down to We Buy Guitars on 48th and bought me the 1959 Gibson 355. I took it back to the Iroquois Hotel and wrote "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" and "Girl Afraid". It became my main guitar for quite a while, and I'm told it inspired Bernard Butler and Noel Gallagher to get buy one of their own. It's still one of my favorites."

-Excerpt from Pat Graham's book Instrument, used with permission.

Used on Heaven Knows..., Nowhere Fast, and the 1984-5 Smiths tour.

"On the first tour I also ended up using the Gibson 355 quite a lot. As it was wired in stereo we just didn't have any power at all, so I got it re-wired and also put it through a Boss equaliser to give it some boost."

The first documented appearance of the guitar was January 26, 1984 on Top Of The Pops. It's last known documented appearance was Feburary 14, 1985 also on Top Of The Pops.

Bought for Meat Is Murder tour, also used on 'How Soon Is Now?'.

"My other Les Paul is a mid-'80s one with a Bigsby retro-fitted; that's the one I used on 'How Soon Is Now?'.

The Les Paul I used on the second Smiths album is the one I've still got now, the cherry one. I put a retro-fit Bigsby on it. I also put on Seymour Duncans and a coil tap.

I was looking for a harder sound for the Meat Is Murder album, and I tried a few different guitars before coming around to the Les Paul. There are a lot of traditional rock cliches associated with this make of guitar, so I had to work past that. This was used to write Nowhere Fast, That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore and I Want The One I Can't Have. I used it to record The Headmaster Ritual."

This was Johnny's first "main" Les Paul, which had it's first documented appearance on December 1, 1984 and it's last appearance was at the Smiths final show on December 12, 1986. There were periods where it saw less use, when the '72 Custom took over as Johnny's go-to Les Paul, but it was one of the 3 Les Paul's he regularly used on the final Smiths tour. The Bigsby was installed in mid-March, 1985.

Source: http://www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html

In this picture Johnny Marr can be seen playing this guitar.

"This is my 1983 Black Rickenbacker 330 that I used throughout The Smiths. I got it from A1 Repairs on Oxford Road in Manchester and it was my main guitar at all the early gigs. It's the sound of the riff on 'What Difference Does It Make' and 'Reel Around The Fountain', all of the first album and on other albums too. I still use it now.

I've got my old faithful which is my Rickenbacker 330; a 6 string. I find that this one is the workhorse, it's the one that I use on most of the numbers live and in rehearsals."

This was a major guitar throughout the Smiths live and recorded history. Retired by Johnny sometime in early 1985 for live use, it was later used regularly by Craig Gannon in 1986 as one of his 3 primary live guitars. It has "button top" style higain pickups and Grover slimline tuners. These tuners were used on Rickenbackers for a very short transitional period, and are fairly rare.

Source: http://www.smithsonguitar.com/2008/12/johnny-marrs-gear.html

In this picture Johnny Marr can be seen playing this guitar.

Johnny Marr talks at length about his signature model Jaguar guitar by Fender in this video interview.

Johnny Marr gave a quote saying that he uses a Rickenbacker 330.

Johnny Marr gave a quote saying that he uses a Rickenbacker 360 12 String guitar.

Johnny Marr gave a quote saying that he uses a Gibson ES-355 guitar.

Johnny Marr gave a quote saying that he uses a Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar. Mostly one that is similar to this one.

This 1966 Gibson ES-335 12 String is also used by Johnny Marr. He is famous for his "guitar break" in the song "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" in this video.

Johnny Marr recalled that he is using a Martin D-28. Most likely to be a similar to the 70s D-28.

Johnny Marr gave a quote that he is using a Martin D12-28.

On his official website, Johnny Marr says, "1964 Fender Jazzmaster that I used for the Modest Mouse LP “We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank” and The Cribs “Ignore The Ignorant” LP. This guitar played the main riff on “We Share The Same Skies”

On his official website, Johnny Marr says,"The Gretsch Country Gentleman made for me in 2008. I used this guitar to write and record “Satellite Skin” for Modest Mouse."

"1968 Gibson 345 Stereo converted to Mono. Used for a lot of Electronic’s 2nd and 3rd LP and Boomslang by The Healers," says Johnny Marr, on this page of his official website.

Johnny Marr says, "The 1963 Gibson SG that was my main guitar until it was stolen from the Healers show at the Scala, London in 2000. Amazingly this guitar was retrieved from the person who stole it in 2010," about his Gibson SG on this page of his official website.

It is unsure whether is this a 1963 or 1964 Gibson SG, because this Gibson article lists this story under fact number 33. "A theme is developing here. Ex-Smith Johnny Marr had his favorite red Gibson SG Standard (a ’64) stolen in 2000. The thief eventually confessed to police, returned it, and was sentenced to 200 hours community service. Watch a rarity: Johnny Marr singing and playing his ’64 SG on The Late Show with David Letterman". Apparently, this is the video Gibson talks about. He can be seen playing that guitar at 1:33 minute mark for song "The Last Ride" with The Healers.

On this page of Johnny Marr's website, one can see his 1960 Les Paul Custom, of which he says, "My 1960 Les Paul Custom that I used on the Boomslang album."

On Johnny Marr's website, he lists a Gibson Les Paul Special among his guitars.

On his website, Johnny Marr says, of his 1954 Les Paul, "1954 Gibson Les Paul that I played on stage with Oasis at Manchester Apollo and Glasgow Barrowlands."

On his website, Johnny Marr says, "Gibson Chet Atkins CE Nylon string Classical Electric guitar I used on La Cassa by K-Klass."

Johnny Marr has a 1980 Gibson Flying V listed among his guitars, on his website.