Mike Campbell

"Rich Robinson had this out, or had a new Mason from Duesenberg. So he got this guitar to me to let Tom check it out and it stayed in a case for two weeks, we were at the Hollywood Bowl, and Nathan came back and said 'Hey, what about that guitar?' and I said 'Well I don't know Tom hasn't said anything. Let me take it in to Mike.' I took it in to Mike and he said he played it that night and this is what became the Mike Campbell model. So the story on this is, I think, is it was made as a prototype made for Ford, the Shelby, the Shelby Cobra, but Ford didn't want to do anything with it because it was not American-made. Duesenberg is from Germany, so that's how it became the Signature model," explains Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Duesenberg Mike Campbell Signature Guitar.

"'64-'65 SG. He's had it for years and years and years, but he's just really fell in love with it for this tour. Angus Young, Malcom, you know, whatever, it's just solid as a rock. He plays it pretty much in the set. Loves the long road and on through the set," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Gibson SG Electric Guitar

" '64 Firebird lll, His tech is mistaken; it's not a VII. this is what he uses for 'Running Down a Dream.'" says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Gibson Firebird Vintage Electric Guitar. Pictured here is a sort of reissue Firebird V.

"This Les Paul is tuned down a whole step for 'I Should Have Known It," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Gibson Les Paul Traditional Electric Guitar.

"This one, '59 B-Bender, it's tuned for 'American Girl.' Here's another thing about Mike: if you clean the necks you're fired, haha, especially on a maple! He likes that," mentions Mike Campbell's guitar tech while talking about the Fender 1959 Telecaster B-Bender Electric Guitar.

"Sherwood green Strat. This is for 'You Wreck Me,' which is tuned up to F, half step up," explains Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Fender American Vintage '59 Stratocaster Electric Guitar in Sherwood Green.

"This '54 Tele - it's a favorite Tele. I prefer to have the Broadcaster out but for whatever reason he'll take it out. I like the Broadcaster just because the way it is, I mean that's what was done on American Girl and all the first recordings was all Tele sub. This is really solid and it's for Women in Love. That's what he's playing on this," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Fender 1954 Telecaster Electric Guitar. The Tele pictured here has a black Rainbow pick guard. the guitar that mike always refers to as his broadcaster is actually post-55 Telecaster with a replaced pickguard and decal. both pickguard and decal had already been replaced when Mike bought the guitar 1976.

"Rickenbacker, 370, 360? I don't know. Maple Glow. 65, or 66. This is 'Free Falling.' It's what he plays on 'Free Falling," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech while talking about the Rickenbacker 360 Electric Guitar.

" '67, 375. This is for everything else for 12-strings," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Rickenbacker 1967 375 Electric Guitar.

"'59 Falcon, Stereo, and this is pretty much a backup for the Tennessian," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech.

"So this is for Rebels. Just a standard Tennessean, I don't know, mid-60s," explains Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Gretsch Guitars G6119-1962HT Chet Atkins Tennessee Rose Electric Guitar.

"This is Coral Sitar. This is tuned up to F for 'Down Come Around Here No More.' The second part of 'Down Come Around Here No More,' the solo, is where the Strat comes in," explains Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Coral 3S19 Electric Sitar.

"Barney Kessel, probaby '54 or '55. This one he was playing in the set but he's not really playing it now. He's used it on 'I Just Want to Make Love To You', 'Muddy Water' so of course it's okay," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Barney Kessel 1954 Electric Guitar.

"StratoTone. This is tuned down a whole step. This is a backup for that Les Paul just in case he does anything or it breaks up," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech about the Harmony StratoTone.

In this source video Mike Campbell is playing a Rickenbacker 325 Capri in black. He tunes the guitar down a whole step, and has been using it on the Hypnotic Eye tour for "American Girl".

At 1:19 in this Dunlop TV interview, Mike Campbell's guitar tech talks about his late 1955 Les Paul. "This is no re-issue. This is a '55. Late '55 cause it's 6 digit on the back." Yeah, his stop tailpiece custom is a 55... I sold it to him.

In a Video from Rolling Stone.com, "Campbell talks about the Rickenbacker sound and the various styles he's used throughout his career, including the first one he ever owned – the same one slung over Petty's shoulder on the cover of Damn the Torpedoes. 'That shot the price up quite a bit, I'm glad to say," jokes Campbell. "I'm sure it's worth more than the 120 bucks I paid for it.'"

In this 1985 live footage, Mike Campbell plays a red Fender Telecaster with Gibson Humbuckers and a Bigsby vibrato. He is quoted as saying "I have a Fender Telecaster I call Red Dog. It has two Gibson humbucking pickups and a normal Telecaster pickup in the bridge."

Campbell used this guitar for "The Gorge" concert with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and the concert happened in 2010.

In this photo, Campbell is seen playing the mapleglo Rickenbacker 330.

Designed in collaboration with Campbell.

Designed in collaboration with Campbell.

Featured in this page from the Elite Guitars website.

The following photos are from the companion book to one of the best music documentaries that I have ever seen named "Runnin' Down a Dream." Released in 2007, the well made-movie chronicles the life and times of Tom Petty and the band that became known as "The Heartbreakers." I enjoyed viewing it and I learned a lot about the man and the band. If you're a fan too and haven't yet watched it, you should treat yourself and see it.

(...) below: This photo is also in the "Runnin' Down a Dream" book. The picture is a screen grab from the "Learning to Fly" video that was a huge MTV hit when it debuted in June of 1991. Tom is playing 1 of 2 Ebony finished Gibson REISSUE Everly Brothers acoustics that he owned. He also had several original examples in his collection too. Tom acquired this particular guitar from Me sometime prior to the video shoot and he used it regularly. Behind him, You can see Mike holding his beautiful custom made Danny Ferrington 6/12 Double Neck. The video was filmed at a private airplane graveyard near Tucson, Arizona.

Campbell himself mentions the guitar in this September 1999 "Spotlight on a Heartbreaker" interview from the official Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers website.

*22) Scott asked: If you could choose one of your guitars to represent you (like a Mike Campbell signature model) which one would it be? * Probably the double neck I was using on "Good to be King" -- made for me by Danny Ferrington. *30) Greg and Charlie asked: What was the double-neck guitar you used this tour? * Designed by Danny Ferrington here in LA ... based on the shape of an old Gibson played by Robert Johnson.

Mentioned in this page from the Elite Guitars website.

(...) below: This is a very good Guitar Player magazine issue from July 2006. In this issue, Tom is asked and talks about his gear and his guitars. From the interview, in the quote on the right, he reveals his thoughts and feelings about his recording studio secret weapon, his Epiphone Casino. Also included in the issue is an informative and detailed interview with Mike Campbell about his tone and gear too. That's Mike's Fender Broadcaster up at the top of the magazine cover!

Campbell himself mentions the guitar in this September 1999 "Spotlight on a Heartbreaker" interview from the official Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers website.

20) Tere in TX, Roxanne in NY, Ron in MA, Tim in FL, Jeremy, Cecilyn in CA, Daria and Christine asked: How many guitars do you have and what are your favorites in your collection? I'm ashamed that I don't know exactly how many guitars I have. I just got three this month ---- near 200 I guess. I'm starting to give some of them away --- no room. My favorite is my Fender Broadcaster......I'm designing one right now with a guy from Detroit. It will be a cross between Garcia's tiger and a Fender Jaguar. 31) Mike asked: Is the Telecaster you've been playing on this tour the Broadcaster that you used to play in the '70s and '80s? If it is, what made you decide to take a guitar of that value back out on the road? I brought the Broadcaster out for two reasons: It sounds amazing and I figured why not share the tone?

On pg. 4 of this interview in Tone Quest Report Vol. 9 #5, published March 2008, Mike Campbell states the following about acquiring the Broadcaster:

The first time I saw you live in the ‘70s, you were playing a goldtop Les Paul with the P90 covers removed and the pink coils exposed… It sounded great.

I love that guitar, and it was my first Gibson. When we were in the studio for the first album and we just had the Fenders, I thought, “I’ve gotta have a Gibson,” so I went into a store, and I actually got the Gibson and the Broadcaster the same day. I got the goldtop because I wanted something that I could play solos on – something with more sustain. As far as the Broadcaster, I didn’t know what I was getting – I thought it was just a Telecaster. These are amazing guitars that we’ve used on just about every record. So really, my original ’64 Strat, the goldtop and the Broadcaster are our recording gold. Anytime that we needed a sound we could go to those guitars. Even to this day, you just pull them out and get the job done.

Campbell himself mentions the guitar in this September 1999 "Spotlight on a Heartbreaker" interview from the official Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers website.

1) Amanda in NC, Ruth in NY, Kristin in TX, Tara from Canada and Lisa asked: How old were you when you started playing the guitar and what kind of guitar was it? I was 16 and it was a cheap Harmony from a pawnshop. My first electric guitar was a $60 Goya from Okinawa.

Used on a slew of recordings, Campbell himself mentions the guitar in this September 1999 "Spotlight on a Heartbreaker" interview from the official Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers website.

24) Mark in GA asked: What kind of guitar, pick-ups, amps, any effects pedals, etc. did you use to get the sound for "Don't Come Around Here No More?" On "Don't Come Around Here No More" I used a gold top Les Paul through a rat distortion pedal with a boss octaver and a wah wah pedal through an Ampeg rocket amp.....also used a slide bottle.

The Goldtop is also mentioned in this March 1983 Musician article.

Tom Petty and Mike Campbell change guitars like some people change radio stations—after damned near every song, but they do have certain favorites that they keep returning to: Les Paul Gold Top, Fender Strat, California Classic Telecaster and three (count 'em) Rickenbacker twelve-strings. Pickups and insides are standard.

On pg. 4-5 of this interview in Tone Quest Report Vol. 9 #5, published March 2008, Mike Campbell states the following about acquiring the Goldtop:

The first time I saw you live in the ‘70s, you were playing a goldtop Les Paul with the P90 covers removed and the pink coils exposed… It sounded great.

I love that guitar, and it was my first Gibson. When we were in the studio for the first album and we just had the Fenders, I thought, “I’ve gotta have a Gibson,” so I went into a store, and I actually got the Gibson and the Broadcaster the same day. I got the goldtop because I wanted something that I could play solos on – something with more sustain. As far as the Broadcaster, I didn’t know what I was getting – I thought it was just a Telecaster. These are amazing guitars that we’ve used on just about every record. So really, my original ’64 Strat, the goldtop and the Broadcaster are our recording gold. Anytime that we needed a sound we could go to those guitars. Even to this day, you just pull them out and get the job done. The goldtop is a ’68 I believe… the funny thing about it is that when I bought it, I thought that it had custom pickups, I didn’t know until later that they were just P90’s with the covers off. I put covers on it at one point, but I liked the guitar better without them so I took them off again.

Campbell himself mentions the guitar in this September 1999 "Spotlight on a Heartbreaker" interview from the official Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers website.

29) Jim in OH asked: Are there any particular Gretsch model guitars that you like to play? I like a Tenessean that I keep at home and I have a Firejet from '56 that is really nice.