Guitar tone · rock, New wave / dance‑rock
Billy Idol guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 5 Billy Idol songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Hamer Steve Stevens I into Marshall JCM800 2203 head.
Guitars Billy Idol used
- Hamer Steve Stevens I1 song
- Unknown (credited bassist: Kenny Aaronson)1 song
- Kramer Pacer (early 1980s, Floyd Rose tremolo)1 song
- Kramer Pacer (likely 1983-84, as per Steve Stevens interview)1 song
- Hamer S-Style (custom, 1980s, likely with DiMarzio pickups)1 song
- Hamer S-Style (custom, 1980s, white, single-coil pickups, as pictured with Steve Stevens in 1986)1 song
- Hamer S-Style (custom, early 80s, Steve Stevens signature prototype)1 song
- Hamer SS Signature (Steve Stevens signature, likely custom shop, humbuckers)1 song
Amps Billy Idol used
- Marshall JCM800 2203 head2 songs
- Marshall 1971 JMP 100-watt (metal panel, non-plexi)1 song
- Unknown1 song
- 1970s Marshall Metal Face (non-plexi, likely JMP 2203 or 1959 Super Lead)1 song
- Marshall Super Lead (used for the massive crunch in the outro/riff, per Steve Stevens quote)1 song
- Marshall Plexi (likely 1959 Super Lead, studio recording, 1982)1 song
- Marshall Plexi (likely 1959 Super Lead, as referenced by Steve Stevens and forum consensus for clean/edge-of-breakup tones on this recording)1 song
- Marshall Plexi (likely 1959 Super Lead, as referenced by Stevens and sources for the era)1 song
11 Billy Idol tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| Eyes Without a Face · riff | 4.5 |
| Rebel Yell · riff | 7.5 |
| Eyes Without a Face · riff | 4.5 |
| Eyes Without a Face · solo | 6.5 |
| Flesh for Fantasy · riff | 7 |
| Mony Mony · distorted | 6.5 |
| Mony Mony · riff | 6 |
| Rebel Yell · solo | 7.5 |
| White Wedding, Pt. 1 · solo | 0 |
| White Wedding, Pt. 1 · riff | 4 |
| White Wedding, Pt. 1 · riff | 5.5 |
Billy Idol songs on popular amps
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.
Get Billy Idol's tone on your gear
Pick any Billy Idol song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Billy Idol use?
Across 5 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Marshall JCM800 2203 head (2 songs), Marshall 1971 JMP 100-watt (metal panel, non-plexi) (1 song), Unknown (1 song), 1970s Marshall Metal Face (non-plexi, likely JMP 2203 or 1959 Super Lead) (1 song).
What guitar did Billy Idol use?
Most often: Hamer Steve Stevens I (1 song), Unknown (credited bassist: Kenny Aaronson) (1 song), Kramer Pacer (early 1980s, Floyd Rose tremolo) (1 song), Kramer Pacer (likely 1983-84, as per Steve Stevens interview) (1 song).
How do I get Billy Idol's tone on my amp?
Open any Billy Idol song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.