Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes uses Dunlop Tortex Standard 0.73mm picks, as seen in photos from the iHeartRadio Music Awards Fan Army Nominee Celebration featured on Zimbio.

In a video posted on Instagram by Shawn Mendes, Genelec 8350A SAM™ Studio Monitors are visible in his setup, suggesting he uses them in his studio recordings.

In this Instagram post by photographer Sam Dameshek, Shawn Mendes can be seen posing with the Fender Ed O'Brien Sustainer Stratocaster. The guitar is identifiable by its unique pickups and switch configuration, aligning with the model's specifications.

In this photo, which accompanied an article from The New York Times, Shawn Mendes can be seen strumming a Taylor 150E Dreadnought 12-String Acoustic Guitar. The headstock clearly has the Taylor emblem, and the guitar is obviously a 12-string. The guitar's finish, body shape, pickguard color and shape, and the shape of the bridge match the Taylor 150E Dreadnought exactly.

This photo shows Shawn Mendes playing his own signature model Martin 000JR-10E. In the 2023 Martin Journal on pages 12 to 19 Mendes talks about the guitar, what inspired it, and what makes it special. Here are the relevant excerpts from the article:

Like his idols Ed Sheeran and John Mayer, it didn’t take long for Mendes to get switched on to Martin guitars. A key discovery arrived in the form of a 1959 000 that he picked up from Guitar Center in Hollywood shortly before he began recording his debut album, Handwritten, in 2015.

“I just stumbled across it in the shop and fell in love,” he says of the guitar. “It was my first vintage acoustic. Actually, [OneRepublic frontman] Ryan Tedder had one in his studio. He told me where to go to find a vintage one, and since then, it’s been my favorite guitar.”

“I’ve been a fan of Martin guitars for as long as I can remember,” Mendes enthuses. “So having the opportunity to start working with such an iconic and respected brand, and to be able to play and help design my own guitar, is truly special.”

“I did use my 1959 model as a bit of a base,” he confirms. “But I wanted to incorporate some new and unique elements that would make the guitar special to me and one-of-a-kind. We went back and forth with the Martin team working on the design until we landed on something we both felt proud of.”

Speaking about the signature inlay at the third fret:

“It was partially inspired by a guitar I was gifted for my 21st birthday by John Mayer, which had a custom inlay in the first few frets,” Mendes explains. “I loved the look and just thought it would be a fun and unconventional way to make my signature guitar more unique.”

“I think the size of it feels perfect — it fits like a glove,” Mendes enthuses. “I’ve always loved the sound and tone of a 000, but also the feel of it — I thought this would be a great size for my fans.”

“It’s an amazing feeling to see people use it, especially those making their own music,” Shawn says. “Getting my first guitar was a big deal, so I wanted the guitar to be as affordable as possible so that young musicians could have something to start their own journeys with or just simply fall in love with playing. I love the idea that this could be a ton of fans’ first guitar.”

“I try to put sustainability at the forefront of everything I do,” he agrees. “Everything we do has an impact, so whether it’s small changes to my daily lifestyle or bigger ones, it’s extremely important to me that anything I put out in the world be as sustainable as possible.”

The 000JR-10E Shawn Mendes is also helping to do good in other ways. Harking back to charitable collaborations between Martin and longtime signature artist Eric Clapton, this guitar is also helping to support a charitable cause close to Mendes’ heart. In honour of the partnership, Martin made a contribution to the Wonder of Music Program presented by The Shawn Mendes Foundation at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. The program works to support music therapy activities for young patients, including songwriting, music exposure, and more.

“The Wonder of Music Program is a really special project for me, especially because it’s based in my hometown of Toronto at SickKids Hospital,” Shawn explains. “Music has always been such an important part of my life and has helped me in many ways, so it’s an honor to be able to share that magic with kids in need. The Wonder of Music Program is all about giving young people the opportunity to experience the joy and transformative power of music, and I’m so thankful that Martin wanted to support the program.”

“It was an absolute honor to be asked to do my own signature guitar with Martin. I’ve been a fan of Martin for a while, so it was a really special moment for me. It made sense that my first official artist signature guitar would be an acoustic. I’m very grateful to my fans and everyone who made this my reality.”