Guitar tone · rock, prog

Rush guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 25 Rush songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Gibson ES-355 into Hiwatt DR103 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet.

Guitars Rush used

Gibson ES-3558 songs
Gibson ES-3354 songs
Rickenbacker 40014 songs
1972 Fender Jazz Bass3 songs
Fender Stratocaster 'Hentor Sportscaster' (modified, white, used on Moving Pictures)1 song
Fender Stratocaster (black, modified with Schaller neck and humbucker in bridge position)1 song
Hentor Sportscaster (custom Strat-style, black, with DiMarzio humbucker in bridge)1 song
Steinberger GL21 song

Amps Rush used

Hiwatt DR103 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet3 songs
Ampeg V-4B2 songs
Marshall JCM800 22032 songs
Marshall 100-watt JCM 800 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio, Moving Pictures era)1 song
Marshall JCM 800 (50-watt and 100-watt heads) with 4x12 cabinets (Celestion 25-watt speakers)1 song
Marshall 50-watt head with single 4x12 cabinet and Fender Twin Reverb1 song
Hiwatt DR103 (likely studio amp for 'Xanadu' 1977 recording)1 song
Hiwatt 100w head with 4x12 cabinet1 song

41 Rush tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Limelight · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (black, modified with Schaller neck and humbucker in bridge position)	Marshall JCM 800 (50-watt and 100-watt heads) with 4x12 cabinets (Celestion 25-watt speakers)	6
Fly By Night · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-335	Marshall 50-watt head with single 4x12 cabinet and Fender Twin Reverb	5.5
Tom Sawyer · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (Hentor Sportscaster, custom modded by Alex Lifeson)	Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 Head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	6
The Spirit of Radio · riff	Riff · distorted	1976 Gibson ES-355	Hiwatt DR103 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	5.5
Far Cry (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess	Hughes & Kettner TriAmp MKII	7
Limelight · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (black, modified with humbucker in bridge, Schaller neck)	Marshall 50-watt head (likely JMP or JCM800, as used on Moving Pictures sessions)	0
Working Man (Remastered 2013) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-335	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Plexi, late 1960s/early 1970s)	7
2112: Overture / The Temples Of Syrinx / Discovery / Presentation / Oracle / Soliloquy / Grand Finale (Remastered 2012) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-335	Marshall 50-watt head (likely JMP 1987) with Marshall 4x12 cabinet	6.5
Clockwork Angels · clean	Clean · clean	1972 Fender Jazz Bass	Orange 4x10 cabinet (mic'd), with Palmer speaker simulator and Avalon U5 DI; amp modeling with 'tweed-Bassman-flavored' sound at FOH	0
Clockwork Angels · distorted	Distorted · distorted	1972 Fender Jazz Bass	Orange 4x10 cabinet (studio, mic'd), SansAmp RBI preamp, Palmer speaker simulator, Avalon U5 DI	6
Closer to the Heart · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson ES-355	Marshall 100W Super Lead (likely JMP era, late 1970s)	5.5
Fly By Night · clean	Clean · clean	Rickenbacker 4001	Ampeg SVT (1970s tube head, likely with 8x10 cab)	0
Fly By Night · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson ES-335	Fender Twin Reverb (clean sections), possibly Marshall 50-watt for other sections, but Twin Reverb is primary for clean riff	3.5
Freewill · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-355	Marshall 100-watt head (likely JMP or Super Lead) into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	6
Freewill · clean	Clean · clean	Fender Jazz Bass (1972 model, pawnshop purchase)	Speakerless rig: Avalon U-5 tube DI, Palmer PDI‑05 speaker simulator, Tech 21 SansAmp preamp	0
Freewill · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson ES-355	Hiwatt DR103 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	6.5
La Villa Strangiato · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (white, heavily modified, aka 'Hentor Sportscaster')	Marshall 50-watt head (likely JMP), Fender Twin Reverb (for clean blend), possibly Hiwatt (less likely for solo), Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120 (for chorus tones, but not solo)	6
La Villa Strangiato (Remastered 2013) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-355	Hiwatt 100w head with 4x12 cabinet	5
La Villa Strangiato (Remastered 2013) · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Rickenbacker 4001	Ampeg SVT (1970s tube head) with 8x10 cab	6
Leave That Thing Alone (Live) · clean	Clean · clean	Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass	SansAmp RBI (rackmount preamp/DI), Palmer speaker simulator, Avalon U5 DI; no traditional amp or cab used live in this era	0
Limelight · solo	Solo · distorted	Hentor Sportscaster (custom Strat-style, black, with DiMarzio humbucker in bridge)	Hiwatt DR103 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	6
New World Man · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (1981-82, likely 1977 model with DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup)	Marshall 50-watt head (likely JMP or JCM800) into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	5
Red Barchetta · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1977 model, rosewood fretboard)	Marshall 4140 Club and Country 2x12 combo (Channel 2 High input, redframe McKenzie speakers) AND Hiwatt DR105 head with Hiwatt 4x12 cab (Fane or Celestion speakers, linked 'Bright' input)	5
Red Sector A (2026 Remaster) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-355 (likely 1976 or reissue, as per Lifeson's main guitar for Grace Under Pressure era and 2026 remaster live rig references)	Marshall JCM800 2203 (most cited for Rush's 1980s tones and referenced as the most used in ToneMirror breakdowns for Rush studio tones)	6
Resist · riff	Riff · distorted	Paul Reed Smith CE24 (likely, as used by Lifeson in late 1990s studio recordings)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (likely for studio recording in late 1990s, as per era and Lifeson's known rig)	5
Subdivisions · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson ES-355 (likely 1976 model, as used by Alex Lifeson on Signals era studio recordings)	Marshall 100W amp head (likely JMP or JCM800, as used in Signals era studio sessions)	6.5
The Analog Kid · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender American Professional II Stratocaster	Marshall JCM800 2203	6
The Analog Kid · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (early 1980s, likely 1977 model, maple neck, stock pickups)	Marshall JCM800 100W head (studio recording, Signals album, 1982)	6.5
The Enemy Within (2026 Remaster) · riff	Riff · distorted	Steinberger GL2	Gallien-Krueger 250ML	6
Time Stand Still · riff	Riff · clean	Signature Guitars (with single-coil active pickups)	Marshall JCM800 2x12 combo	4.5
Tom Sawyer · clean	Clean · clean	1972 Fender Jazz Bass	Bi‑amped rig including Ashly SC‑40s (studio era) and SansAmp preamp; live rig later evolved to include Orange tube amp and SansAmp	0
Tom Sawyer (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion	Hughes & Kettner Coreblade 100W Head	6
Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-355	Marshall JCM800 2203	6
Working Man (Remastered 2013) · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson ES-335 (tobacco sunburst, 1974)	Marshall 1987 50W Plexi (1970s, non-master volume) with 4x12 cabinet	6
Xanadu (Remastered 2013) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-355	Hiwatt DR103 (likely studio amp for 'Xanadu' 1977 recording)	6
Xanadu (Remastered 2013) · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Rickenbacker 4001	Ampeg V-4B	5.5
Xanadu (Remastered 2013) · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson ES-355	Hiwatt DR103 (studio, 1977 recording era)	6
Xanadu (Remastered 2013) · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson ES-355	Hiwatt DR103 100-watt head into Hiwatt 4x12 cabinet	0
Xanadu (Remastered 2013) · clean	Clean · clean	Rickenbacker 4001	Ampeg V-4B	0
YYZ · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster 'Hentor Sportscaster' (modified, white, used on Moving Pictures)	Marshall 100-watt JCM 800 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio, Moving Pictures era)	6.5
YYZ · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Fender Jazz Bass (1972, Geddy Lee's main bass on Moving Pictures)	Hiwatt DR103 + Marshall Club & Country (studio blend, no SansAmp in 1981)	6

Rush songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Rush use?

Across 25 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Hiwatt DR103 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (3 songs), Ampeg V-4B (2 songs), Marshall JCM800 2203 (2 songs), Marshall 100-watt JCM 800 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio, Moving Pictures era) (1 song).

What guitar did Rush use?

Most often: Gibson ES-355 (8 songs), Gibson ES-335 (4 songs), Rickenbacker 4001 (4 songs), 1972 Fender Jazz Bass (3 songs).

How do I get Rush's tone on my amp?

Open any Rush song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.