Thurston Moore

According to Sonic Youth's official website, Thurston Moore use ProCo Turbo Rat. The pedal was also mentioned in the Premier Guitar's 2017 interview.

I always used RATs and then I graduated to Turbo RATs, which are rugged and dependable. They sound big—they have a good sound. I have a few different outlying pedals like a phase shifter and a chorus pedal, but I rarely go near them. When I play improvised music—like completely free and improvised devoted music—I’ll use more of an array of pedals, usually.

A photo of Thurston Moore's pedalboard shows he uses a Sovtek Civil War Big Muff distortion pedal (this photo's time period is undetermined).

Thurston Moore consistently used the MXR Blue Box (Script Logo) fuzz pedal throughout most of his career with Sonic Youth. This is evidenced by a photo from Sonicyouth's collection.

Lot 41 in the 2020 Cafe OTO COVID-19 Fundraiser Auction. This March 19, 2020 video was recorded to promote the auction.

Hi, my name is Thurston Moore and I am offering this Sovtek Big Muff pedal that was made in probably the 1990s... 1980s, 1990s, to Cafe OTO for their auction for getting some new equipment into the space. This pedal I used for about ten years in Sonic Youth and I think 2004 to 2014 is when I purchased it, uh, somewhere. Went through a few of these through the years and they would just like, I would just... they would just die. I would just kill them on tour. This one went through the wars, as you can see it's really, like, went through the wars. It might even still work. I haven't used it in quite some time. It is an objet d'art as they say [laughs] somewhere. I've inscribed it. It's a conversation piece and it's yours if you would like to bid on it.

Two are visible in this March 5, 2020 Instagram post.

On this photo uploaded to Moore's Facebook page one can see an EHX Metal Muff. The pedal was also mentioned in the Premier Guitar's 2017 interview.

Extensively documented on Sonic Youth's official website.

1997

• Mu-Tron Wah/Vol
• Sovtek Big Muff
• Proco Turbo Rat
• Dunlop Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• MXR Blue Box
• MXR Phase 90

1998

• Sovtek Big Muff
• Proco Turbo Rat
• MXR Blue Box (Dunlop)
• MXR Phase 90
• Dunlop Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• Mu-Tron Wah/Vol
• Mu-Tron Octave Divider (not in tour rig)
  

Thanks to the now defunct original SY supersite evol.org, I can provide you with some photographs of SY's effects gear from the '98 "A Thousand Leaves" tour, specifically the 5/21/98 Portland, OR gig. Many thanks to Michael McCullough for taking these.

• Sovtek Big Muff & Turbo Rat
• Turbo Rat
• Phase 90 & Blue Box
• Mu-Tron Wah/Vol, Big Muff, Turbo Rat & Hendrix Octave Fuzz

1999

• Sovtek Big Muff
• ProCo Turbo Rat
• MXR Phase 90
• MXR Blue Box
• Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz

2000

• No pedals for "nyc ghosts & flowers" LP
• Tour effects very similar to '98

2002

• Mu-Tron Wah-Vol
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
• ProCo Turbo Rat
• Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• MXR Phase 90
• MXR Blue Box

Here are photographs of Thurston's entire effects rig I took before soundcheck at the August 30th, 2002 Murray Street tour show in Portland, Oregon at the Crystal Ballroom (some are fairly large so you may want to open them in a new window):

• Mutron Wah/Vol (w/ $295 price tag!), E-H Big Muff, Turbo Rat, Octave Fuzz
• MXR Phase 90 + Blue Box

2003

• Mu-Tron Wah-Vol
• Sovtek Big Muff
• ProCo Turbo Rat
• Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• MXR Phase 90
• MXR Blue Box

2004

• Mu-Tron Wah-Vol
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
• ProCo Turbo Rat
• Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• MXR Phase 90
• MXR Blue Box

2005

• Mu-Tron Wah-Vol
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
• ProCo Turbo Rat
• Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• MXR Phase 90
• MXR Blue Box

2006

Photographs taken by me July 14th, 2006 @ the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA.

• Mutron Wah-Vol
• Sovtek Big Muff *Turbo Rat
• Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• MXR Phase 90

• MXR Blue Box

• Thurston's pedals

• Wah/Vol, Muff, Rat

• Octave Fuzz, Phase 90, Blue Box

• Thurston's pedals

• Thurston's pedals from other side

• Wah/Vol

• Big Muff

• Rat

• Octave Fuzz/Phase 90

• Blue Box

2007

Picture of Thurston's effects taken at July 21st, 2007 Santa Monica gig. Same old setup!

2008

• Sitori Sonics 'Harem Fuzz'
• MXR Phase 90
• Dunlop Jimi Hendrix Octave Fuzz
• Crowther 'Hot Cake' overdrive
• Electro-Harmonix/Sovtek Big Muff
• Mutron Wah-Vol

PIX: Phase 90, Harem Fuzz / Hot Cake, Octave Fuzz / Wah-Vol, Big Muff / Phase 90, Harem Fuzz

These pix are from July 28th, 2009 -- earlier in the tour he was using the standard six he's been using for the past decade, but it appears the band picked up some Sitori Sonics boxes when they swung thru Alabama in early July.

On this photo uploaded to Moore's Facebook page one can see a TC Electronic HoF Mini. The pedal was also mentioned in the Premier Guitar's 2017 interview.

Thurston Moore showcases the EarthQuaker Devices Tentacle on his Instagram, highlighting it among his "Geetar Pedz" collection.

Thurston Moore is seen discussing his "Geetar Pedz!!!!" on Instagram, suggesting his use of the JHS Crayon overdrive pedal.

On The Sonic Youth Gear Guide website it states that in 1995 Thurston began using a Mu-Tron Wah/Vol and that he used it up until the bands split.

Thurston Moore showcases the TC Electronic MojoMojo Overdrive in an Instagram post, referring to it as part of his "Geetar Pedz" collection.

Thurston Moore uses a MXR Fuzz Unit for Sonic Youth. (http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/eq/thurston.html).

On this photo of Thurston Moore's pedalboard we can see MXR Octave Fuzz. According to this page (http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/eq/thurston.html) he used it from 1998 to 2009. The pedal was also mentioned in the Premier Guitar's 2017 interview.

On this photo uploaded to Moore's Facebook page one can see a TC Electronic Corona Mini.

An Xotic EP Bosster is seen (with its blue led on) behind a Boss tuner at 52:04 into the video.

In an Instagram post, Thurston Moore showcases his use of the EarthQuaker Devices Levitation reverb pedal, sharing his excitement with the caption, "Geetar Pedz!!!! @ecstaticpeacelibrary just out today! 96 Stoke Newington Church St N16 0AP."

An EHX Cathedral can be seen at 52:04 in the video.

The Ludwig phase was a crucial pedal for the diamond sea and can be seen used by thurston in this performance

On this photo uploaded to Moore's Facebook page one can see an Ernie Ball volume pedal. The pedal was also mentioned in the Premier Guitar's 2017 interview.

On this photo uploaded to Moore's Facebook page one can see a T-Rex power supply powering his board.

Thurston Moore is seen with an MXR M-104 Distortion + (Late 1970s Model) in a post on his Instagram account, captioned "Geetar Pedz!!!! @ecstaticpeacelibrary just out today! 96 Stoke Newington Church St N16 0AP," showcasing his gear collection.

Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth uses the JAM Pedals Red Muck fuzz pedal, as noted by JAM Pedals on their website.

Thurston Moore, renowned for his work with Sonic Youth, uses the Jam Pedals The Chill tremolo pedal. This is confirmed by JAM Pedals' artist page, which showcases Moore among their featured users.

In an Instagram post, Thurston Moore shares a photo of his gear, featuring the Boss AC-2 Acoustic Simulator pedal, with the caption "Geetar Pedz!!!!"

On this photo uploaded to Moore's Facebook page one can see a Boss TU-3 tuner (black Waza edition). The pedal was also mentioned in the Premier Guitar's 2017 interview.

"Geetar Pedz!!!! @ecstaticpeacelibrary just out today! 96 Stoke Newington Church St N16 0AP"

In 1989, Thurston Moore used the DeArmond Volume Pedal, as documented by Sonicyouth.

Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth is associated with the JAM Pedals Wahcko +, as documented by JAM Pedals on their website.

A TC Electronic Vortex Mini is seen at 52:40 in the video.