Equipment

Electric and acoustic guitars, amplifiers, effects and other Tony's gear!

Electric guitars:

Tony Iommi used to play a Watkins Rapier and Burns Trisonic guitars as a teenager at the beginning of his musical career;

Fender Stratocaster

Originally in Sunburst finish with Black Rosewood fretboard, spraypainted white by Tony and his father. Was used during the pre-Sabbath period, with Jethro Tull, and during the early days with Black Sabbath. Due to suddenly pickup failure in phase of recording of their first album, Iommi quickly turned to his spare Gibson SG;

Gibson SG aka ‘’Monkey’’

A 1965 Gibson SG in red finish fitted with a Gibson P-90 pickup in the bridge position and a custom wound John Birch Simplux, a P-90 style single coil in the neck position. The guitar became Iommi’s main instrument after his white Fender Stratocaster’s neck pickup failed during the recording of Black Sabbath debut album;

St. Moritz Red SG Custom "Monkey" Replica

The replica of the old "Monkey" built by American luthier Lou Moritz. The guitar was used on the recordings of the album "13", and on following tour.

Gibson SG Standard

A left handed version of the SG fitted with two extra frets to give Iommi the full two octaves which he prefers. The guitar is fitted with his signature pickup.
Iommi also using 1991 Gibson SG equipped with a Floyd Rose floating tremolo made by J.T.Riboloff;

Gibson Custom Shop SG Tony Iommi Signatured

The first black prototype was built by the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville after Iommi’s specifications and finished in 1997. The second one is in red finish. Both prototypes were made for the Gibson Custom Shop Limited Edition Tony Iommi Special SG. The guitars features 24 fret necks, four control knobs, of which two are active;

Epiphone G – 400 Tony Iommi Signature Model

An Epiphone signature model in black finish fitted with Gibson Iommi signature humbucker pickups;

Epiphone Ltd. Ed. Tony Iommi Signature SG Custom

Tony and Epiphone recreated the new SG model in 2015, featuring Gibson Iommi signature humbucker pickups, and full set of mother pearl crosses on fretboard;

JayDee Custom SG aka N.1 Old Boy

Built in Birmingham by luthier John Diggins between 1975-1978, the guitar was first used for overdubs on the album ‘’Heaven and Hell’’ and later became one of Iommi’s main guitars. The guitar is equipped with 24 fret neck with the cross inlays, four control knobs, three of which are functional, a disconnected second output jack, a hole for a master volume knob on the pick guard covered up with a black stopper and a highly distressed maroon finish. There were other models of JayDee Custom SG built for Iommi. One of these was used during the Born Again era, which can be seen on the music videos for the songs ‘’Trashed’’ and ‘’Zero The Hero’’.

JayDee SG Custom

Tony had a large variety of Custom creations from JayDee during his career. This model was used on Mob Rules album.

The new JayDee SG Custom is a gift to Tony from Birmingham luthier John Diggins. Tony uses this guitar in Black Sabbath 2013 tour.

John Birch Custom SG 

Was made by luthier John Birch, and before Iommi has used predominantly his JayDee model, was one of his main instruments. The characteristic sound of this guitar can be heard on Never Say Die album.
Iommi had also a John Birch model with interchangeable pickups;

Patrick Eggle Artist Custom

This guitars were used live and in the studio in the mid to late 1990;

BC Rich Custom Ironbird

Built for Iommi in 1980. Features Dimarzio pickups, two built-in preamps, Iommi trademark cross inlays and 24 fret neck, scalloped by luthier Neal Moser. That guitar was used in Star Licks Master Series Tony Iommi Video, for Star Licks Productions. Iommi also had a left handed BC Rich Mockingbird;

Epiphone Riviera 12 String

Originally a regular right handed version in red finish that was converted by Epiphone to a left handed version to fit Iommi;

Gibson Barney Kessel

A left handed version of the jazz guitarist B. Kessel artist model, built in the first half of 1960;

Tony Iommi also used in various periods of his career:

Steinberger Transtrem, Washburn EC29, Guild Bluesbird Custom, Gibson Les Paul, Hamer Phantom Custom, Fender Telecaster and Fender American DeLuxe Stratocaster.

Acoustic guitars:

Taylor 815L, Gibson J50, Epiphone PR 350CE, Washburn EA30 Acoustic-Electric, Godin. 

Amplifiers:

Laney TI 100 Tony Iommi Signature

amp heads 100 Watt, and eight 4x12 cabinets;

Laney GH 100 TI Tony Iommi Signature

amp heads 100 Watt;

Laney GH TI 412S Tony Iommi Signature 

4x12 speaker cabinets;

Laney TI15-112 Tony Iommi Signature

15Watt backstage amp:

Laney LA100BL, Supergroup MK1

and other models (in past), Tony also extensively uses 13 new units oppositely built for him by Laney Amplification, during The End tour 2016-2017;

LA100BL Supergroup and LA412 cabinet

used during The End 2016-2017 tour; 

Engle Powerball

Preamps only, used in 2009;

Marshall JCM 800, Marshall 9005 Power Amps, Marshall 9001 Preamps, Marshall 2554 Silver Jubilee Combo and 2558 Silver Jubilee Combo 

and other models;

EVH 5153 Amp Head

 Used in studio with WhoCares;

Mesa Boogie Mark Series

 Used from the mid 1980 to the early 1990;

Celestion G12H model speakers

Some effects:

Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster

Tycobrahe Wah Pedal

Tycobrahe Octavia

Chicago Iron Parachute Wah

Laney Black Country Customs TI boost

Boss RCE 10 Chorus Ensemble; Boss OC 3 Super Octave; Boss Over Drive; Boss Delay; Jim Dunlop Rotovibe; Jim Dunlop Univibe; MXR Flanger; MXR Stereo 15 band rack EQ; MXR Phase 90; Korg DTR 1 Rack Tuner; Korg Rackmount Delay Model SDD 1000; Korg DLR 8000 Delay Multi-tap; Peavey AddVerb III Reverb; Line 6 MM4; Roland SDE 3000 Digital Delay; Furman Rack Power Distributor; Ibanez Flanger; DOD Octave Divider; Analog Man Chorus; Ernie Ball 6166 Mono Volume Pedal; Pete Cornish Custom Foot Controller; Hybrid John Henry’s Backroom Buck Booster Distributor; Digitech ME 14 Dual Equalizer; Drawmer LX Compressor; H&H V 800 Power Amplifier; Klark Technik DN 3600 Graphic Equalizer; Rocktron Guitar Silencer; Samson UHF Synth 5; Sennheiser EW 500 G2; 

Other gear:

Gibson Tony Iommi Signature Pickups

La Bella Custom Gauge Strings

On guitars detuned to D# 008, on guitars detuned to C# 009

Picato Superlight Gauge Strings

(in past years)

Shure ULX

Professional wireless guitar system;

Shure SM 57

Live guitar microphones;

Dunlop picks

Material used by kind permission of Mr. Greg Dorsett (RockStarsGuitars.com), Mr. Lou Moritz (St. Moritz Guitars), Mr. Andy Diggins (JayDee Custom Guitars).