In 1977/78 at the age of 11, Mike, with the help of his family got his first electric guitar. He bought it at Kennelly Keys Music in WA for around $100.

Acquiring this guitar strongly helped shape Mike’s musical taste. It allowed him to join his first bands “Shadow” and “Warriors”, and eventually landed him a gig at a talent show.

The guitar was a knockoff or to be more “gentle” – a replica of the famous Gibson Les Paul model.

Chronologically looking, this was probably Mike’s second electric guitar, preceded by a Maton Les Paul copy, and succeeded by a Kramer. This was the guitar that he used as his main with his first band that was called “Shadow” with whom he played around the late 80s.

The guitar was likely an IC100 model since that seems to be the only Iceman that was available in white color. That model usually came with basic featured dot inlays, but Mike’s guitar had Pearloid parallelogram ones, which could mean that we’re potentially wrong with this presumption.

Mike mentioned in a in interview with Guitar World in 2011 that prior to owning a Stratocaster, he played an Ibanez Iceman and a Kramer. While the Ibanez is pretty well documented (can you can read about it here – Mike McCready’s Ibanez Iceman IC100), the Kramer is unfortunately largely a mystery.

Stone and Jeff bought me a black 1962 Japanese reissue Stratocaster. It was just so cool. I was like, ‘Oh my god…’ Because I had always wanted one. I had a Telecaster prior to that, and before that I had an Ibanez Iceman and a Kramer. But that was my first Strat

So I used that (on Ten). … I felt I wanted a Strat to complement what Stone was doing. If we both played Les Pauls, the record might’ve sounded different.

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready looks back on 30 years of Ten

The only photo that we have of the Kramer originates from Danny Newcomb’s Rainy Day podcast, during which Danny and Mike talked about their early years, playing together in a band called Shadow. Sometime during the podcast Danny showed a photo of Mike with the Kramer, and towards the end of the podcast, Mike noted that in the final years of the band he did indeed have a Kramer, and joked that that was the reason he started playing lead guitar more.

Mike can be seen with this guitar in the music video for the song Hunger Strike. The song was recorded with Temple of the Dog – a tribute band to the late Andrew Wood, conceived by his friend Chris Cornell. Andrew was also the frontman of the band Mother Love Bone in which both Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were.

The ’62 Reissue Strat was used on and off by Mike until April 29, 1995, when he smashed it during a Mad Season rock supergroup concert at the Moore Theater.

Yeah, I had an import Strat that Jeff (Ament, Pearl Jam bassist) and [co-guitarist] Stone Gossard got for me. I played that on Ten and in Temple of the Dog.

[The ’57 is] in many pieces somewhere, along with the ’62 reissue I smashed to pieces during a Mad Season concert at the Moore Theater [in Seattle]. They were both really cool guitars, but when we were hitting those highs, and me being a fan of Jimi Hendrix and The Who, all of these things going through my mind and I was breaking s**t. It just happened because it always felt so good.

Mike McCready – VintageGuitar magazine

This is probably Mike’s trademark guitar. He bought it in 1991, north of Seattle at Danny’s Music, shortly after Pearl Jam’s debut album “Ten” came out and began taking off. Commonly mistaken by fans and McCready himself as a 1959 instrument, the guitar is actually a 1960 model (more details about that at the end of the article).

Funnily enough, the main influence for buying specifically this year’s model, Mike mentions Stevie Ray Vaughan – who himself didn’t really play a “real” ’59 Strat. Stevie’s guitar was actually a 1962/63 model, and only the pickups came from a ’59 (you can read more about Stevie’s guitar here – Stevie Ray Vaughan 1962/63 Fender Stratocaster (Number One))

It was the first guitar I bought when we started making money. I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to buy a vintage guitar, and I’m going to buy a ’59. Because I had read that Stevie (Ray Vaughan) had a ’59, and now I could afford one.

Mike McReady

This guitar was used as a backup/second guitar for a short period from 1991 to 1993. During that time, Mike had a few Stratocasters that he regularly used, including the 1959/1960 sunburst Strat that he acquired shortly after the release of Pearl Jam’s debut album “Ten”.

The most famous appearance of this particular guitar was during a set in 1992 at a dutch festival – Pinkpop, where Mike used it to play “Jeremy”, “Alive”, and “Black”.

According to Mike, he also used this guitar on the original recording of “Yellow Leadbetter”.

Mike received this gutiar as a gift from Tom Petty sometime in the early 90s and used it to record the song “Not for You” from Pearl Jam’s 1994 album Vitalogy.

The guitar is Tom’s own signature model which he developed together with Rickenbacker in the late 80s.

Tom Petty sent me this amazing 12-string Rickenbacker, and Not for You was the first time I used it. It was like a Christmas present. One day it just showed up at my door. I called him up and thanked him. But it’s a cool song – an Eddie song.

Mike McCready breaks down the gear and inspiration behind 15 landmark Pearl Jam tracks – Guitar World

Mike acquired this instrument in 1998 from Danny Mangold at Danny’s Music store in Everett. He claims that he got it for a good deal, despite the original price tag of $25,000, trading a couple of guitars and paying some extra money to get it.

The guitar originally had a “Belfast” sticker on had belonged to Jim Armstrong, who played in the bands such as “Van Morrison” and “Them”. He allegedly acquired the guitar way back in 1968.

This is one of the gutiar that Mike has been using on more recent tours, usually on “Even Flow”. This guitar is a completely original 1958 Fender Stratocaster finished in a three-tone sunburst.

I have a ’58 maple-neck Strat that I love, and use live sometimes for “Even Flow.” Like most players, I really like the feel of a worn-in old guitar. I don’t love the finish on a lot of necks, so when I get a newer one, I’ll sand it down a bit.

Mike McCready – Strat Swap: Fender CS Mark Anniversary of Ten

Mike received this guitar for his 40th birthday from his wife Ashley. Unsurprisingly, it’s a 1959 model – a year that is so special to Mike that had it tattoed on his wrist.

I just love that year. I don’t know what it is, there is something about it. [The guitar] knows how to break up and it sounds tough.

Fretboard Journal interview, 2013

Mike’s Les Paul Jr. has a double cutaway mahogany body, and is equipped with a single P-90 pickup in the bridge position. The guitar is finished in what’s known as the “TV Yellow” color – a finish designed by Gibson in order to “pop out” and seem like its bright snowy color on the old black & white television screens.

Mike got this guitar sometime in 2010s, possibly even earlier since the guitar became available in 2008. It’s a David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster, built as a copy of David’s original guitar that he used as his main guitar in Pink Floyd (you can read more about that particular guitar here – David Gilmour’s 1969 Fender Stratocaster “The Black Strat”.

Mike noted in a number of interviews that he really liked David Gilmour when he was younger, so it would make sense that he would purchase this guitar. It also makes sense that he would use it on Pearl Jam’s cover of “Comfortably Numb” which the band occasionally performs live.

Mike acquired this guitar sometime around 2013. He used the guitar occasionally live, usually on “Pendulum”, or “Off He Goes”.

I think my newest favorite one is the White Falcon, that’s a reissue. I just like how it looks – it’s pretty cool looking.

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready Takes You Backstage at NYC’s Barclays Center ABC News

The guitar is the G6136T-59 model with a Bigsby tremolo and a pair of TV Jones Classic pickups. Normally, these guitars come equipped with a Bigsby B-6 vibrato, but Mike’s guitar for some reason has a B-3 version.

Mike started using this guitar around 2012/13 as one of his many live guitars. Mike doesn’t seem to have any preferences as to what songs he plays on this specific guitar, and most likely he just picks it up when he feels like it. In a short interview with ABC News in 2013, he said that he pretty much liked the blue color of the gutiar, and that’s the reason he bought it.

The guitar is an SG Jeff Tweedy signature model, featuring a mahogany body, Curacao de negro – pau Ferro (“ironwood”) fingerboard, a Lyre Vibrola tailpiece, and a 2 BB1 Burstbucker pickups. Although Mike noted that he liked – quote “pelham blue” finish on the guitar, the guitar is actually finished in what Gibson calls “blue mist”.

Mike was seen using this guitar in 2013 on a gig he played with the bandmates from his first band called Shadow (active in the mid to late 80s), where they played a cover of Kiss’ song “Black Diamond”. The guitar is a Paul Stanley signature model, so it would make sense that Mike would use it for that occasion.

But, it’s also important to mention that Mike also used an Ibanez Iceman way before he became a professional musician, so it’s definitely a model he’s familiar with.

Out of our advance, Stone and Jeff bought me a black 1962 Japanese reissue Stratocaster. It was just so cool. I was like, ‘Oh my god…’ Because I had always wanted one. I had a Telecaster prior to that, and before that I had an Ibanez Iceman and a Kramer. But that was my first Strat.

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready looks back on 30 years of Ten

This is one of Mike’s favorite acoustic guitars. In an interview with the Vintage Guitar magazine (source below), Mike noted that he remembers seeing a Gibson Dove on photos of Rolling Stones recording their album Exile on Main Street at Villa Nellcote in the south of France, and that played a big role in him starting to like these guitars.

I love my mid-’60s Gibson Dove and Hummingbird. I also have a newer Doves in Flight from the Montana factory; it’s so beautiful.

Mike McCready – Strat Swap: Fender CS Mark Anniversary of Ten

This is one of Mike’s favorite acoustic guitars, next to his Gibson Dove. Unfortunately, not a lot is known about this guitar, and Mike doesn’t seem to use it live very often. If you happen anything regarding when Mike got it, and whether he used it in the studio, please be sure to leave a comment below.

I love my mid-’60s Gibson Dove and Hummingbird.I also have a couple of Martins I like a lot, but I gravitate to the Gibsons because I saw the Stones using them in pictures from Exile on Main Street, and I thought, “Well, they’re my favorite band.” There’s a mythology to them, about how Gram Parsons played them, and the Everly Brothers. I bought into it, and still do, but they also play great and sound so warm.

Mike McCready – Strat Swap: Fender CS Mark Anniversary of Ten

Mike was seen playing a Taylor in a video recorded at this home sometime around 2012. It could be that Mike was using this Taylor as his “idea guitar” – the one that he would use to come up with ideas for the songs – since that’s exactly what’s he doing in the video.

Mike was seen playing this guitar during an interview with Fretboard Journal in 2013, in which he explained how he came up with the song “Sirens”.

According to Mike, he used this amp during the recording of Pearl Jam’s first album Ten, specifically just for clean tones. This of course includes perhaps the biggest hit song from that album, “Black”.

I had a Marshall JCM800 with a 4×12 cabinet with, I think, 25-watt speakers in it. And I had a Fender Bassman for the clean tones. You can hear that on Black.

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready looks back on 30 years of Ten

Mike saying it’s a Fender Bassman doesn’t exactly specify all that much, since it could’ve been a Fender Bassman Tweed, which is a combo amp, or it could’ve been a Bassman head. However, since he uses a 1963 blonde Fender Bassman (AB165) regularly in his live gig for clean tones, it’s likely that that was the same model he used on the record.

Mike used this amp on Pearl Jam’s debut album Ten, paired with a Fender Bassman – which he would use specifically for clean tones.

I had a Marshall JCM800 with a 4×12 cabinet with, I think, 25-watt speakers in it. And I had a Fender Bassman for the clean tones. You can hear that on Black.

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready looks back on 30 years of Ten

Mike started using this amp around 2011, in conjecture with a 65 Amps Empire head. The amp remained a part of his regular live rig until around 2022.

I’m using 65amps right now—I think it’s a 30-watt. So I’m using that in conjunction with a Satellite headI run both of those consecutively generally through four Marshall 25-watt speakers. I run a combination of the 65 and the Satellite generally the whole time when we’re doing Pearl Jam shows live.

Then I kick on one more head called “Savage” made by Andy Wolf who is the Stones guitar tech. I use the Savage for a clean tone, which goes through two 10″ speakers. I use the two consecutively as I said before then when I’m about to do a solo I kick all three on.

Premier Guitar Interview: Mike McCready on Mad Season Reissue and New Pearl Jam

Mike used this amp as part of his live rig from around 2011 to 2013, at which point it was replaced with a Union Jack HG.

I’m using 65amps right now—I think it’s a 30-watt. So I’m using that in conjunction with a Satellite headI run both of those consecutively generally through four Marshall 25-watt speakers. I run a combination of the 65 and the Satellite generally the whole time when we’re doing Pearl Jam shows live.

Premier Guitar Interview: Mike McCready on Mad Season Reissue and New Pearl Jam

In a 2013 interview with Premier Guitar, Mike mentioned that at that time he was using a 65 Amps amp in combination with a Satellite amp for dirty tones, and a Savage head made by Andy Wolf for clean tones.

Based on the photos and videos, the exact model that Mike is using is a 22W Empire head with a 2×10 cabinet. He started using the amp around 2012 and continued using it all the way until Pearl Jam’s 2022 tour when switched to a Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb instead.

I’m using 65amps right now—I think it’s a 30-watt. Peter Stroud makes them and I love the amps a lot. So I’m using that in conjunction with a Satellite head—Satellite is a local [Seattle] company—and I think it’s a 32- or 35-watt. I run both of those consecutively generally through four Marshall 25-watt speakers. I run a combination of the 65 and the Satellite generally the whole time when we’re doing Pearl Jam shows live.

Premier Guitar Interview: Mike McCready on Mad Season Reissue and New Pearl Jam

Mike used a Union Jack HG 50w amp as part of his live rig from around 2013 to 2022. The amp directly replaced a Satellite Atom head that he was using prior. In 2022, after Union Jack rebranded to “Rola”, Mike started using one of their new heads instead.

Mike started using this amp around 2021/22 instead of his old Union Jack HG amp. The amp was custom-built by Derek Springer, the same person who built the Union Jack amp that Mike used prior to this. Apparently, Derek at some point lost the trademark to the “Union Jack” name, so he rebranded to “Rola”.

Mike started using this amp during the Pearl Jam 2022 tour, paired with a Tonemaster Twin Reverb, and a Rola Lead Custom. Based on the placement of the amp, it seems like this amp directly replaced the 65 Amps Empire amp that Mike was using prior to this.

This amp is actually a modeling amp, meaning it uses a modern digital processor to produce a sound modeled after the legendary Deluxe Reverb tube amp. It has two channels, clean and vibrato, the second of which allows you to play with reverb on.

Mike started using this amp around 2022, and it was seen sitting on stage behind him usually below a Tone Master Deluxe Reverb. Based on how Mike arranged his amps in the past, these two seemed to have directly replaced the 65 Amps Empire and the Savage Blitz 50 amp that Mike was using prior to this.

The Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb is basically a modern version of the legendary Twin Reverb amp, but instead of tubes, the amp uses a modern digital processor to model that desired vintage sound.

Mike bought this effect unit from Andy Wolf, Rolling Stones guitar tech, around the time Pearl Jam’s album “Ten” came out. In an interview with Premier Guitar in 2013 he mentioned that he still has the unit, and that was considered adding it to his signal chain at that point.

I think I might also use this Billy Zoom Reverb and Tremolo unit that I bought from [Andy Wolf] when X was out. He makes these things and they are amazing and I would highly recommend them to anyone.

Interview: Mike McCready on Mad Season Reissue and New Pearl Jam

The Ibanez TS-9 has been one of Mike’s main pedals ever since the 90s. One of the main reasons why Mike started using one is the fact that Stevie Ray Vaughan, one of his key influences, also used one.

I’ve got the tried-and-true original Ibanez Tube Screamer because Stevie Ray Vaughan used one and I’ve been using it ever since. I love the fuzz from it.

Interview: Mike McCready on Mad Season Reissue and New Pearl Jam

This was Mike’s main wah pedal during the 90s. Although there are no direct quotes from Mike, it’s very like that he used this wah on the Ten albums, on songs such as “Even flow” and “Alive”.

Mike, of course, used the 90s 535 model, which has since gone through a couple of different versions, and currently sells as the “535Q”.

Mike used this pedal in the early years of Pearl Jam, and with Mad Season on their 1995 album Above. It seems like he stopped using it around 1996/96, and resorted to using Dunlop Univibe instead.

The Line 6 DL-4 Delay has been one of the longest-standing pedal effects on Mike’s pedalboard, and he has been using it since the early 90s. It’s likely his main delay pedal, but he occasionally used different models, like the Boss DM-2.

This is another pedal that has been present on Mike’s pedalboard for a very long time, indicating that Mike has used it extensively. Unfortunately, there’s apparently zero interview out there where Mike specified why he likes this pedal, and on which songs he used, so we’re left with very little information.

Line MM4 has 16 different modulation effects, based on what Line 6 discovered to be the most popular modulation effect at the time when this pedal was created. It’s basically an all-in-one pedal that recreates some of the iconic pedals like the Univibe or the Phase 90.

TheBoss DM-3 was used by Mike McCready around the “Yield” era, so circa 1998. It’s unknown why exactly he used only during that time, and why he preferred it over the Line 6 DL-4 delay which he was using around that same time.

Possibly he used the pedal on “Lowlight”.

Mike started using the Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere pedal to recreate the Leslie speaker effect sometime around the early 2000s. Based on the few photos that show the pedal on his pedalboard, he used the Mk2 model of the Rotosphere.

This has been Mike’s main choice of wah pedal in recent years. This particular wah pedal has a built-in Built-in MXR MC-401 Boost/LineDriver Effect, and internal Q and gain controls, making it a bit more versatile than a standard wah pedal.

This pedal was seen briefly on Mike’s pedalboard around 2012, replacing Mike’s Ibanez TS-9. The pedal was captured on a photo posted on Mike McCready’s tumble page that same year.

The EHX POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator can be seen pretty regularly on Mike’s pedalboard since around 2012. According to an interview he did with Premier Guitar, Mike really likes this pedal and the fact that it makes the guitar sound less like a guitar.

The thing I’ve been really excited about lately that I saw the guys in Soundgarden using at their rehearsal is the POG2—the Poly Octave Generator. I’ve been doing a little bit of scoring and I worked on an episode of Shameless and did this movie Fat Kid Rules the World and ended up using the POG on a few things because it makes the guitar not sound like a guitar. It makes it sound like a weird calliope or an organ—kind of makes some cool sounds.

Interview: Mike McCready on Mad Season Reissue and New Pearl Jam

The Xotic Effects AC Boost pedal was seen on Mike’s pedalboard circa 2012.

These have been Mike’s main choice of guitar strings ever since the 90s, and Mike is listed as one of the endorsed artists on the GHS website. He’s known for using the .010-.046 set, but it’s possible that he’s using different gauges on some of his guitars.

These are the strings that Mike McCready used on his acoustic guitars in the 90s. It’s unknown whether he has since changed his preferred set or not, but it’s likely that he’s using something similar, at least in terms of gauges.

The low E string on the M150 set measures 0.054″, the A string measures 0.042″, the D string measures 0.032″, the G string measures 0.025″, the B string measures 0.016″, and the high E string measures 0.012″.

In the 90s, Mike was mostly using the Dunlop Tortex .88mm green guitar picks. Sometime after Pearl Jam became hugely popular, Mike seemed to have struck a deal with Dunlop, and they made him his own custom picks basically for each tour. Early on they were just the same green Tortex .88mm picks with Mike’s own print on them, but later on, he started using different variations with different colors and possibly different thicknesses.