Tom Petty

At around the 21 minute mark, Tom Petty begins playing Don't Do Me Like That with his blonde Telecaster with a sticker from his 1994 album Wildflowers. This guitar, known as the 'Torucaster', was actually made by a luthier named Toru Nittono. Tom Petty was quoted as saying the following in a 1999 issue of Guitar Player; "Yeah ,I got it in 1981 at Normans's Rare guitars[in Reseda,Ca.].Norm said,"take it home and tell me what you think." I haven't stopped playing it since. Toru Nitono built it at L.A. guitar Works. I've had people bring me 20 vintage teles at show and rehearsals and nothing seems to match. The closest I've gotten is an old Esquire which I baught as a spare. If I lost my main Tele I'd die. Toru even tried to make me a second and it didn't sound nearly as good. Now it adorns the wall at the Hard Rock Cafe."

In this photo, one can see Tom Petty playing an Epiphone Frontier.

Tom Petty used this Rickenbacker double neck to perform 'American Girl' on the show 'Fridays' in 1981.

Tom Petty can be seen playing his Gibson Firebird guitar at a show at Red Rocks in October of 2014. This photo was posted to the official Tom Petty website.

Tom's white Mark VI Teardrop can be seen in this image. Guitar Player confirms Tom's use of this guitar in this post.

Tom Pettys Gibson Hummingbrid is no usual one. It shows some very special features, which propably make it a one of a kind Guitar. It has the "upside down belly bridge" with an adjustable ceramic sadlle. That would sugest being from between 1965 and 1970. But the neck is very out of the ordinary. It has the very unusual big block inlays and is bound with the spike at the soundhole like the neck of a J200. The conclusion would be that either somebody changed the neck of a late 60s Hummingbird for a J200 neck and added the big block inlays or it is a very rare prototipe. Sadly there is pretty much no info about it online.

It has a beautiful honey sunburst and he used a LR Bags magentic soundholepickup on it.

He can be seen unsing it on multiple live performances for songs like Wildflowers and in studio, so it is probable that he also used it for recording songs like Wildflowers.

In this photo, one can see Tom Petty with a Gibson Dove.

Tom Petty can be seen playing a Gibson SG guitar during a performance at Red Rocks in 2014 in this photo posted to his official website.

In this link, Tom Petty describes his 1964 Rickenbacker Rose-Morris 1993-12 string in Fireglo finish. The 1993 was a variation of the 330 created for The Rose-Morris company in the UK.

In this photo, one can see Tom Petty with a Rickenbacker 360-12 in a Mapleglo finish.

In this photo, taken by Jason Merritt, Petty is visible with the Fender Esquire, which is possibly the blond '67 model.

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: Tom is seen playing the 1966 Epiphone Casino that he acquired from me.

below: working in a "home" studio setup (Tom loved makeshift studios) recording with the late multi-instrumentalist / producer / singer and friend, Howie Epstein who is playing a vintage Danelectro Longhorn 4, and the fabulously talented Benmont Tench is on keyboards.

below: a much more recent photo of the Casino

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!

The magazine excerpt can be seen here and reads:

One of my favorite guitars for recording is an Epiphone Casino. It's a great guitar, but it's kind of tough to take it on the road because it feeds back at loud volumes. Even so, the last time we were in here rehearsing, the Casino is what I was playing most of the time.

In this image you can see Tom playing a vintage sunburst Gibson ES-335 during one of his concerts.

Tom Petty can be seen with a Rickenbacker 425 in this photo.

In this 1985 live video of Don't Come Around Here No More, Tom Petty plays a jetglo Rickenbacker 325.

Tom Petty can be seen using a Gretsch G6199 Billy-Bo Jupiter Thunderbird in this photo.

In this photo, Tom Petty can be seen with a Gibson Flying V.

Tom Petty can be seen with a Fender Standard Telecaster in candy apple red color in this photo.

In this photo, a Fender Jazzmaster can be seen beside Tom Petty.

In this user-uploaded photo from Photobucket, Tom Petty is playing a white 1960s Gibson SG Junior. This guitar, as seen in the image, is noted for its exceptional quality, reportedly surpassing even his wife's 1963 Les Paul SG Custom, despite being significantly more affordable at the time of purchase.

In this photo, one can see Tom Petty with a Gibson Everly Brothers J-180.

Tom Petty can be seen with white a Fender Electric XII in this photo.

Tom Petty can be seen playing a Ampeg Dan Armstrong Dan Armstrong Plexi Electric Guitar in this photo.

This article fom Guitar World has a photo of Tom Petty with a Rickenbacker 330.

In this photo, one can see Tom Petty with a Gibson ES-335.

In this photo, we can see Petty with Guild D212.

Tom Petty plays this guitar while one of his visits at Norman's Rare Guitars shop in Tarzana, California.

In a video from the Hyde Park performance on July 9, 2017, Tom Petty is seen playing a Gretsch G6139CBSL Silver Falcon, not a Black Falcon as sometimes misreported. The Silver Falcon is distinguishable by its silver hardware, contrasting with the gold hardware typically found on the Black Falcon.

Tom Petty is seen with a Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar in a user-uploaded photo from Vanity Fair. This image serves as proof of his use of the instrument.

In this photo, one can see Tom Petty with a Kay Barney Kessel Archtop.