Guitar tone · rock

U2 guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 19 U2 songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1973 Fender Stratocaster (Black, Maple Neck) into 1964 Vox AC30 Top Boost (TB/6).

Guitars U2 used

1973 Fender Stratocaster (Black, Maple Neck)2 songs
1983 Fender Stratocaster (likely stock or with DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup, as used by The Edge in the mid-1980s)1 song
Fender Stratocaster (likely 1973, stock single-coil pickups)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Custom (mid-1970s, black, likely with stock humbuckers)1 song
Fender Stratocaster (1980s, likely 1973 model with maple neck)1 song
Fender Telecaster 1966 (12-string, sunburst, used by The Edge on studio recording)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Custom (early 1970s, black, likely with original humbuckers)1 song
1976 Gibson Les Paul Custom1 song

Amps U2 used

1964 Vox AC30 Top Boost (TB/6)2 songs
Vox AC30 (Top Boost, silver panel, 1970s-early 1980s, as used by The Edge for The Unforgettable Fire era studio recordings)1 song
Vox AC30 (vintage, Top Boost circuit, studio recording)1 song
Vox AC30 (US-made, late 1960s, with Celestion Alnico Blue Bulldogs)1 song
Vox AC30 (Brilliant channel, 1964 Top Boost, studio recording)1 song
Vox AC30 (vintage, likely Top Boost model, as used by The Edge in late 1980s studio sessions)1 song
Vox AC30 (vintage, likely 1964 Top Boost, as used by The Edge on Achtung Baby)1 song
Yamaha RA-200 rotary speaker amp1 song

28 U2 tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
With or Without You · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (modified for Infinite Guitar system)	Vox AC30 (studio recording, 1987)	0
Where the Streets Have No Name · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (1983-1985, black, maple neck, stock pickups)	Vox AC30 (vintage, likely Top Boost, 1964 model)	3
Beautiful Day · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1973, stock single-coil pickups)	Vox AC30 (vintage, Top Boost circuit, studio recording)	4
New Year's Day · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (early 1970s, likely black, maple neck)	Vox AC30 (early 1960s, Top Boost model, non-master volume)	4.5
With or Without You · solo	Solo · distorted	Michael Brook Infinite Guitar (modified Stratocaster, used for infinite sustain on solo)	Vox AC30 (pre-1966, main studio amp for The Joshua Tree era)	4.5
Angel of Harlem · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Telecaster 1966 (12-string, sunburst, used by The Edge on studio recording)	Vox AC30 (vintage, likely Top Boost model, as used by The Edge in late 1980s studio sessions)	3
Bad · solo	Solo · distorted	1983 Fender Stratocaster (likely stock or with DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup, as used by The Edge in the mid-1980s)	Vox AC30 (Top Boost, silver panel, 1970s-early 1980s, as used by The Edge for The Unforgettable Fire era studio recordings)	3.5
Bad · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (1983-84, likely with stock single-coil pickups, used by The Edge on The Unforgettable Fire sessions)	Vox AC30 (Top Boost, 1964 model, studio recording)	0
Beautiful Day · solo	Solo · distorted	1976 Gibson Explorer	Vox AC30 (pre-1966, likely Top Boost model)	4.5
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (mid-1970s, black, likely with stock humbuckers)	Vox AC30 (US-made, late 1960s, with Celestion Alnico Blue Bulldogs)	6.5
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For · riff	Riff · clean	1983 Fender Stratocaster (The Edge's main guitar for the riff section on the studio recording)	Vox AC30 (Top Boost, vintage model, studio recording)	0
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Lillywhite Alternate Mix '87) · riff	Riff · distorted	1983 Fender Stratocaster (Edge's main Strat for Joshua Tree sessions)	Vox AC30 (1964 Top Boost, studio recording)	4
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Lillywhite Alternate Mix '87) · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1973 model, maple neck, as used by The Edge on The Joshua Tree sessions)	Vox AC30 (Top Boost channel, 1964 JMI model likely, as per Joshua Tree era studio use)	0
In God's Country · riff	Riff · distorted	1983 Fender Stratocaster (Edge's main black Strat, maple neck, stock single-coil pickups)	1964 Vox AC30 Top Boost (silver panel, Celestion Blue speakers)	5
Mysterious Ways · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or 1980s, as used by The Edge on Achtung Baby sessions)	Vox AC30 (main studio amp for Achtung Baby era, confirmed for Mysterious Ways sessions)	5.5
New Year's Day · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (Black, likely 1973 model)	Vox AC30 Top Boost (early 1980s studio model)	4.5
Numb · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 1980s, as used by The Edge in the Zooropa era)	Vox AC30 (studio recording, 1992-1993 Zooropa sessions)	4
One · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom (serial 0318503126, black, used on 'One' studio recording)	1964 Vox AC30 (studio recording, main amp for 'One' era)	2.5
One · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 1970s, sunburst, stock humbuckers)	1990s Vox AC30 (Top Boost, Silver Bulldog speakers)	4
Pride (In the Name of Love) · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1973 or early 1980s, stock single coils, maple neck, as used by The Edge on The Unforgettable Fire sessions)	Vox AC30 (Top Boost, likely 1964 JMI, as used in studio for The Unforgettable Fire, 1984)	2.5
Pride (In the Name of Love) · riff	Riff · distorted	1973 Fender Stratocaster (modded with DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup)	Vox AC30 (vintage, likely early 1960s model)	4.5
Sunday Bloody Sunday · riff	Riff · distorted	1976 Gibson Les Paul Custom	Yamaha RA-200 rotary speaker amp	2
The Fly · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (early 1970s, black, likely with original humbuckers)	Vox AC30 (vintage, likely 1964 Top Boost, as used by The Edge on Achtung Baby)	6.5
Until the End of the World (Live at The Fleet Center, Boston, MA, 06/06/01) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard 1988 Goldtop '58 Reissue	Vox AC30 (pre-1966, vintage model)	5
Vertigo · riff	Riff · distorted	1966 Fender Telecaster (Lake Placid Blue, maple neck, Bigsby vibrato)	Fender Deluxe (vintage, likely blackface or tweed, exact model not specified)	6
Where the Streets Have No Name · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (1980s, likely 1973 model with maple neck)	Vox AC30 (Brilliant channel, 1964 Top Boost, studio recording)	4
Where the Streets Have No Name (New Edit U218) · riff	Riff · clean	1973 Fender Stratocaster (Black, Maple Neck)	1964 Vox AC30 Top Boost (TB/6)	0
Where the Streets Have No Name (New Edit U218) · solo	Solo · distorted	1973 Fender Stratocaster (Black, Maple Neck)	1964 Vox AC30 Top Boost (TB/6)	4.5

U2 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 U2 use?

Across 19 researched songs, the amps that come up most are 1964 Vox AC30 Top Boost (TB/6) (2 songs), Vox AC30 (Top Boost, silver panel, 1970s-early 1980s, as used by The Edge for The Unforgettable Fire era studio recordings) (1 song), Vox AC30 (vintage, Top Boost circuit, studio recording) (1 song), Vox AC30 (US-made, late 1960s, with Celestion Alnico Blue Bulldogs) (1 song).

What guitar did U2 use?

Most often: 1973 Fender Stratocaster (Black, Maple Neck) (2 songs), 1983 Fender Stratocaster (likely stock or with DiMarzio FS-1 bridge pickup, as used by The Edge in the mid-1980s) (1 song), Fender Stratocaster (likely 1973, stock single-coil pickups) (1 song), Gibson Les Paul Custom (mid-1970s, black, likely with stock humbuckers) (1 song).

How do I get U2's tone on my amp?

Open any U2 song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.