Vernon Reid

Vernon Reid was known to make use of an ESP Mirage earlier in his career with Living Colour, it is equipped with two EMG SA pickups in the middle and neck and an EMG 81 in the bridge and a Floyd Rose locking tremolo system.

I had been relying on a Hamer custom Chaparral sunburst, which I called “the Trout,” but I brought the prototype of the signature Parker with me to the sessions, and I ended up making a full-time switch to the Parker.

"This is a S2 Vela Custom..." Claims Reid at 0:52

Vernon relies on a Parker Vernon Reid Signature MaxxFly with EMG SAX neck and middle pickups and an EMG 81X bridge pickup, along with a Roland CK-kit-GT3 MIDI pickup and Floyd Rose tremolo. He strings up with D'Addario Jazz Rock .011 - .049, and uses all sorts of picks (a self-proclaimed "plectrum fetishist") as another way to play with his tone.

I became a Parker endorser, and this new record really represents my transition to the signature Parker. I had been relying on a Hamer custom Chaparral sunburst, which I called “the Trout,” but I brought the prototype of the signature Parker with me to the sessions, and I ended up making a full-time switch to the Parker.

I originally met Ken Parker back in the Nineties, and I had an early prototype that I always liked. I like the fact that the neck is slightly wider, which helps to facilitate tapping and some other techniques. The thing that smoothed my transition from Hamer to Parker is that the same luthier that made my Hamers, Terry Atkins, is also the head of production for Parker. He knew my neck profile, because I like a “V”-shaped neck, and he was able to get my neck profile back on track, which I’m so happy about. It’s a very comfortable guitar for me.

In a Premier Guitar article accompanying a rig rundown video, Vernon Reid is noted for using a PRS Custom 24. This guitar features a neck reshaped to a V profile by Paul Reed Smith.

Vernon Reid uses the Fender Jack White Triplecaster Telecaster Electric Guitar, as evidenced by an Instagram post from @officialjackwhite, which features Reid playing the guitar during a performance with Living Colour at the D’Addario 50th Anniversary holiday party.

Vernon Reid is confirmed to use the Reverend Vernon Reid Totem Series Electric Guitar, as evidenced by a post from Reverend Guitars on Instagram. The post showcases Reid's signature guitar, highlighting its features such as the three Railhammer pickups, a Floyd Rose tremolo system, and graphics inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat. This information is further supported by details on Reid’s artist page on the Reverend Guitars website. (https://reverendguitars.com/guitars/vernon-reid-signature/)