Steve Howe

"Steve Howe’s main guitar for the current Yes tour—on which the band is playing The Yes Album, Close to the Edge, and Going for the One albums in their entirety—is his No. 2 1964 Gibson ES-175 (which he only uses in the U.S.)," states this article.

As is shown on his website, Steve Howe used this fancy guitar on a couple of his well known masterpieces, such as "Close to the Edge" (with Yes) and "Dream River".

Howe starts talking about his Steinberger GM 12-String at 22:51 in this video.

This article states that Howe uses a 1970 Gibson ES-345.

"This guitar is an original '56 Black Beauty, which is of course a marvelous guitar and full of warmth and character," says Howe. Howe can be seen talking about and displaying his 1956 Gibson Les Paul at 20:32 in this video.

Howe talks about his Fender Pedal Steel at 28:58 in this video.

Around the twenty minute mark mr. Howe explains he used to run his Gibson es-345 in stereo through two fender twin reverbs.

The interviewer, Anil Prasad, asks: "What guitars did you use across the “Fly from Here” suite?"

Steve Howe replies: "At the start and throughout the suite, I’m playing my red mid-’80s Fender Stratocaster."

Howe uses a Coral Sitar in this video performance of "Close to the Edge" by Yes. It can be seen clearly at 3:28.

You can see Steve's famous Les Paul in wine red, he used this guitar a lot during the 70's and later on his career. You can also see more of this guitar at Troglys Guitar Show, on youtube. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La2u66QNt5E)

This article states that Howe uses a Line 6 Variax 600.

Steve Howe states in this interview, on the topic of the Yes song "Sad Night at the Airfield"; "It starts with me using a late ‘60s Electro-Harmonix Big Muff which coupled up well with my volume pedal."

During a Yes concert at Olympia in late March, Steve Howe replaced his Pod HD500 with the Line 6 Helix.

Halfway down this page, there is a shot of the gatefold of Howe's debut album, showing his gear; among his gear is a Gibson Les Paul Recording Model.

Howe can be seen playing a Gretsch Chet Atkins guitar in this image in a studio.

Howe can be seen at the beginning of this video playing a Gibson EDS-1275 in this live performance of "And You and I" by Yes.

Howe beings talking about his Line 6 DT 50 amplifier at 30:22 in this video. He says, "I think it's a terrific amp...I'm very very impressed. If you put a good guitar in here it winds up very loud if you want to play loud. It's a very rich sound if you want to play at the kind of levels that I do."

Can be heard at 2:15 in this video

Howe states in this interview: "You’ll hear me on a Gibson Les Paul Junior in the intro to “We Can Fly” when Benoît first comes in."

Howe can be seen in a photo on this site playing a Rickenbacker 360/12.

Howe states in this interview: "Then I went to America after making The Yes Album and bought a Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster, which is absolutely stunning."

Used on Yes' Tormato and Asia's "Wildest Dreams", as stated in the September 1982 issue of Guitar Player and Roland Users Group Volume 2, Number 4 (1984).

The Gear Page, February 12, 2021, user John C, post #16 of "Steve Howe Question: What guitars did he use one the first Asia album?"

Okay - I went back and pulled out the old Guitar Player magazines - Steve did an extensive interview about the Asia debut album split across 2 issues - August 1982 (Steve Morse cover story) and September 1982 (Andy Summers cover story). And I was wrong about the ES Artist; it is the backing tracks on on songs except Heat Of The Moment; I thought it didn't come in until their live shows.

Here's the rundown - Side 1 is in the August issue:

• Heat Of The Moment: Power cords on intro/verse are a "late 50s LP Jr."(I think this is a sunburst one I've seen in photos of Steve's collection) tracked 8 times with 8 different amps; chorus and solo are the modded '55 Tele, various acoustic 12 strings, and a small koto
• Only Time Will Tell: ES Artist, ES-335 12-string, LP TV yellow Jr. (he specifically says TV yellow so I think this is a different one than the Heat Of The Moment LP Jr.), and the '55 Tele
• Sole Survivor: ES Artist, Fender Broadcaster, Gretsch Super Chet (!!!) for some doubling/backing tracks
• One Step Closer: ES Artist, a St. Louis Music guitar (described as a double-cutaway Les Paul - sounds similar to the guitar that Gary Richrath of REO had at that time as well), Rickenbacker 12-string (model not named), a 6-string Rickenbacker (also model not named), and a 6-string banjo
• Time Again: ES Artist, The Les Paul (I described it in another post - limited edition, very upscale LP with a figured top, wooden knobs, pickup rings, wooden binding, etc.); he talks a lot about his rig with fuzzes, ods, and volume pedals used on this track - more effects than guitars

Side 2 is in the September issue:

• Wildest Dreams: ES Artist, Electro-Harmonix Guitar Synth used on some of the doubled tracks (this was more of a synthy-sounding stomp box than a true guitar synth - Howe evidently doubled some of the parts with the E-H box turned on). No guitars actually mentioned; I'm listing the ES Artist because he said he used it on everything but Heat Of The Moment)
• Without You: ES Artist, Guild 12-string acoustic, The Les Paul
• Cutting It Fine: ES Artist, Martin 00-18; lots of effects talk since only the one electric
• Here Comes The Feeling: ES Artist, Roland GR-300 guitar synth with G808 controller (that's the neck-through model; the nicer of the two 24.75" controllers Roland had at that time), and a Gibson Byrdland

Roland Users Group (transcription available here)

"After that there was a gap of two years when if anyone said, `guitar synth,' I'd say, 'Go away!' Electro-harmonix produced a monophonic system which I used on Tormato. That was the one before Drama. It was, possibly, the most dreadful album Yes did. But, at the time, we were in Mickey Most's studio and Chris Spedding had a GR-500, Roland's first guitar synth. This was about 1979 and everyone's reaction was, 'Wow, what's it sound like?' But nobody really knew, at that time, what to do with it."

When Martin produced the 00-18SH Limited Edition a decade ago all 250 instruments sold out. Now Steve has once again collaborated with Martin to produce the MC-38 Steve Howe Limited Edition guitar. The instrument is based on the MC-28, an acoustic Martin that has been a constant on his guitar rack in recent years. As noted on the Martin site, only about 1100 of this unusual model between 1981 and 1996, but its grand auditorium cutaway body, oval soundhole, 22 fret fingerboard and superb "live" tone so won over Steve that he suggested it be the starting point for a new Steve Howe Special Edition. With the addition of some personal touches and a bit of abalone pearl to give it stage presence, the MC-38 Steve Howe Special Edition - the first Martin to have an oval soundhole in more than a decade - was born.

Steve Howe states, in this article: "I also play a Ramirez 1a Spanish guitar for 16 bars on 'Sad Night at the Airfield,' during which I follow the vocal melody quite closely."

A photo of the gatefold of Howe's debut album, showing his gear; among this gear is a Gibson EB-6.

At 1:39 of this video, Howe can be seen picking up and playing a Gibson EMS-1235.

Howe states in an interview on the topic of his pedals: "I was using an Ernie Ball volume pedal when I wasn’t using the Line 6 Pod XT Live, which has a built-in one."

Effects Howe and his tech have spent many hours programming true-to-the-record tones into his Line 6 PODHD500—his only effects device. He uses the Morley A/B pedal to switch between acoustic and electric guitars.

Steve playing a Burns Nu-Sonic Prototype.

Pedal 40 in Stompbox: 100 Pedals of the World's Greatest Guitarists, as can be seen in the quick browse video at 0:19.