Rush equipment

The musical equipment used by the members of Rush have changed many times over the years. The following is a catalog of the gear they have used or are currently using.

Geddy Lee

Geddy Lee and his signature Fender Jazz Bass

Geddy Lee's main bass is a black 1972 Fender Jazz Bass he bought from a pawn shop in Kalamazoo, Michigan for $200. It was used to record the albums Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, Signals, Counterparts, Test for Echo, Vapor Trails, Feedback, Snakes and Arrows, and "Clockwork Angels". Since 1994, it has been Lee's main bass for live and studio work. Lee modified it with a Leo Quan Badass Bridge, and the original neck had to be replaced before the Snakes & Arrows Tour. In 1998, Fender began production on the Geddy Lee Signature Jazz Bass, modeled after his 1972 Jazz Bass. It is still in production, and sunburst was added as a color choice in 2009. Another prominent instrument of Lee's is a black Rickenbacker 4001, which he used for live and studio work from 1975 to 1984. In 2007 and 2008, Lee used this bass for the song "A Passage to Bangkok" on the Snakes & Arrows Tour.

Pre-1975

• Fender Precision Bass was used to record Rush's first album.

Fly by Night, Caress of Steel, & 2112 Tours

• Rickenbacker 4001

A Farewell To Kings

• Rickenbacker 4001
• Rickenbacker 4080 (Double-neck, 4001 bass & 6-string guitar with humbuckers)
• Rickenbacker 3001
• Fender Teardrop Bass (the Precision bass from above, but at this point given a makeover with the body cut into a teardrop shape, a blue "watery" paintjob, and an extra pickup added.)

Hemispheres

• Rickenbacker 4001 (2)
• Rickenbacker 4002
• Rickenbacker 4080
• Fender Teardrop Bass

Permanent Waves

• Rickenbacker 4001 (2)
• Rickenbacker 4002
• Rickenbacker 4080
• Fender Teardrop Bass
• Fender 1972 Jazz Bass

Moving Pictures Tours

• Rickenbacker 4001 (2)
• Rickenbacker 4002
• Rickenbacker 4080 (Double-neck, 4001 bass & 12-string guitar with humbuckers)
• Rickenbacker 4080 (Double-neck, 4001 bass & 6-string guitar)
• Fender 1972 Jazz Bass

Signals Tour

• Rickenbacker 4001
• Fender 1972 Jazz Bass
• Steinberger L2

Grace Under Pressure Tour

• Rickenbacker 4001 (Album only)
• Fender 1972 Jazz Bass (Album only)
• Steinberger L2

Power Windows

• British Wal Bass
• Steinberger L2
• White Steinberger XL2

Hold Your Fire

• Wal Bass
• 5-string Wal Bass

Presto, & Roll the Bones Tours

• Wal Bass
• 5-string Wal Bass

Counterparts Tour

• 1972 Fender Jazz Bass
• 1974 Fender Jazz Bass (Tobacco Sunburst in D-A-D-G Tuning)

Test For Echo Tour

• Fender Jazz Bass
• Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass (Sunburst in D-A-D-G Tuning)
• Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass (Red in D-G-C-F Tuning)

Vapor Trails Tour & R30: 30th Anniversary Tour

• Fender Jazz Bass
• Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass (Sunburst in D-A-D-G Tuning)
• Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass (Red in D-G-C-F Tuning)
• Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass
• Taylor Acoustic Guitar

Snakes & Arrows Tour

• 1972 Fender Jazz Bass
• 1974 Fender Jazz Bass (Tobacco Sunburst in D-A-D-G Tuning)
• Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass (Red in D-G-C-F Tuning)
• Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass
• Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass (Fretless)
• Fender Jaco Pastorius Jazz Bass (Fretted)
• Rickenbacker 4001

Other gear for the Snakes & Arrows Tour

• 2 Avalon U5 Tube Direct Boxes
• 2 SansAmp R.P.M. Bass preamps
• 2 Palmer PDI 05 Speaker simulators
• Trace Elliot Quatra-VR power amps
• Samson UR-5D wireless amp jack

Vapor Trails Amps

• Maytag Coin-Operated Dryers (3)

R30 Amps

• Maytag Coin-Operated Dryers (2)
• Snack Machine

Snakes & Arrows Amps

• The Henhouse (3)

Citation:^[1]

Alex Lifeson

Alex Lifeson and his Garrison and Gibson guitars

Vapor Trails Tour Guitars

• PRS Singlecut CE22
• 1991 PRS CE24 (Tobacco Sunburst with Piezo, Blue, Red with Piezo and dual outputs, Black)
• Gibson SG
• Gibson J-150
• Gibson Les Paul Standard (Two); one of which a '59 Reissue Tobacco Sunburst
• Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty Custom
• 1976 Gibson ES-355
• Fender Custom Telecaster
• Ovation Adamas Classical Guitar

Vapor Trails Other Gear

• Hughes & Kettner Triamp heads (2)
• Hughes & Kettner Zentera heads (2)
• Hughes & Kettner 4x12 cabinets (6)
• Digital Music Corp. GCX Guitar Audio Switchers (2)
• Digital Music Corp. Ground Control
• Dunlop DCR-ISR Crybaby Rack Wah
• TC Electronic TC 1210 Spatial Expander
• TC Electronic G-Force (3)
• Hughes and Kettner Rotosphere
• Behringer Multigate Pro XR4400
• Behringer Virtualizer Pro DSP 2024P
• Behringer MX602 (2)
• Behringer 662
• Custom Audio Japan GVCA-2 Rev 3 (2)
• Ernie Ball Volume Pedal
• Boss TU-12H
• Korg MPK-130 MIDI Pedal Keyboard
• Shure U4D wireless receivers (2)
• Shure U-1 wireless belt-pack transmitters (11)
• Shure Antenna Distribution System
• Samson UR-5D wireless receiver (for acoustic and piezo guitars)
• Samson UT-5 belt-pack transmitter (2)
• Palmer PDI-03 speaker simulators (4)

R30 Tour

• PRS Singlecut CE22
• 1991 Black PRS CE24
• PRS Hollowbody
• Gibson SG
• Gibson 1275
• Gibson Les Paul Goldtop '57 Reissue
• Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty Custom
• 1976 Gibson ES-355
• Fender Telecaster ('52 Reissue with Badass Bridge and individual brass saddles)
• Ovation Adamas Classical
• Epiphone Masterbilt EF-500

R30 Other Gear

• Hughes & Kettner Triamp heads (2)
• Hughes & Kettner Zentera heads (2)
• Hughes & Kettner 4x12 cabinets (6)
• Digital Music Corp. GCX Guitar Audio Switchers (2)
• Digital Music Corp. Ground Control
• Dunlop DCR-ISR Crybaby Rack Wah
• TC Electronic TC 1210 Spatial Expander
• TC Electronic G-Force (3)
• Hughes and Kettner Rotosphere
• Behringer Multigate Pro XR4400
• Behringer Virtualizer Pro DSP 2024P
• Behringer MX602 (2)
• Behringer 662
• Custom Audio Japan GVCA-2 Rev 3 (2)
• Ernie Ball Volume Pedal
• Boss TU-12H
• Korg MPK-130 MIDI Pedal Keyboard
• Shure U4D wireless receivers (2)
• Shure U-1 wireless belt-pack transmitters (9)
• Shure Antenna Distribution System
• Samson UR-5D wireless receiver (for acoustic and piezo guitars)
• Samson UT-5 belt-pack transmitter (1)
• Palmer PDI-03 speaker simulators (4)

Snakes & Arrows Tour

• Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty (Tuned down one whole step for "Circumstances" and "2112")
• Gibson Les Paul Axcess Prototype (Black with Floyd Rose Tremolo); nicknamed "Big Al"; tuned to drop D for "Between the Wheels"
• Gibson Les Paul Axcess (Iced Tea with Floyd Rose Tremolo); nicknamed "Lil Al"
• Gibson 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue
• 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard Reissue (Sunburst with Piezo and dual outputs added); nicknamed "Cheri"
• Gibson 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue (Tobacco Sunburst with Piezo and dual outputs added)
• Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion (With Piezo and dual outputs added; once had a Kahler tremolo, but this was removed and the hole covered by a plate)
• 1976 Gibson ES-355 (for encore)
• Gibson Alex Lifeson Signature ES-355 prototype (for "The Trees")
• 1991 Black PRS CE24 used on the June 13, 2007 show for "Mission"
• Garrison GGC-50-CE (2)
• Garrison G25-12-E (3)
• Garrison OM-20 Octave Mandolin
• Martin D12-28 (3)
• Ovation Adamas Classical

Other Gear For The Snakes & Arrows Tour

• Hughes & Kettner Switchblade 100 Guitar Amp Head
• Hughes & Kettner Alex Lifeson Signature Edition TriAmp MKII
• Hughes & Kettner Tube Tools Tube Rotosphere MKII
• Fishman Aura Concert Acoustic Guitar Imaging Pedal
• Dunlop Crybaby Rack Wah
• 1 Furman Power Conditioner PL-8
• 1 Furman PL Plus Power Conditioner
• 2 Behringer Ultralink mx-662 6 Channel Spliter/Mixer
• 4 Audio Technica AEW5200 Guitar Wireless
• 1 Audio Technica AEW-DA6600 Antenna Distribution System
• 1 Whirlwind A/B Box
• 1 Custom Audio Japan AC0912 System Power Supply
• 2 Custom Audio Japan GVCA-2 Rev.3 Midi Programmable Volume Control
• 1 TC 1210 Spatial Expander+Stereo Chorus/Flanger
• 1 Behringer XR4400 Multigate Pro
• 2 Digital Music Corp. GCX Guitar Audio Switcher
• 3 Behringer MX602 Professional Splitter/Mixer
• 4 TC Electronic G-Force
• 1 Loft Modular Device
• 3 Palmer PDI 03 Speaker Simulator
• 1 Ernie Ball 25K OHM Volume Pedal
• 1 Axess Electronics FX1 Midi Footcontroller
• 3 Ω Brace Acoustic Guitar Holder
• 1 Ultracase Guitar Vault
• 1 Ultracase 8 Space Guitar Stand

Time Machine Tour

• Gibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty (backup; tuned down one whole step for "2112")
• Gibson Les Paul Axcess Prototype (Black with Floyd Rose Tremolo); nicknamed "Big Al"; tuned to drop D for "Stick it Out"
• Gibson Les Paul Axcess (Iced Tea with Floyd Rose Tremolo); nicknamed "Lil Al"; tuned down one whole step for "2112"
• Gibson Signature Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess; serial number AL001 - Viceroy Brown
• Gibson Signature Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess; serial number AL003 - Royal Crimson Red
• 1958 Sunburst Gibson Les Paul Reissue (with Piezo and dual outputs added) ; nicknamed "Cheri" (used for "The Camera Eye" and "Witch Hunt")
• 1976 Gibson ES-355
• 1952 Reissue Fender Telecaster (with Badass bridge, sanded neck, volume/tone knobs moved towards the bridge, and individual brass saddles; used for "Vital Signs")
• 1991 Black PRS CE24 (for "Leave That Thing Alone")
• PRS Tobacco Sunburst NF3 with Evans E-1 Eliminator Single-Coil Pickup in bridge position (used for "Time Stand Still")
• Garrison OM-20 Octave Mandolin
• Martin D12-28 (3)

R40 Tour

• Gibson Siganature Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess in Black, with added white pickguard; nicknamed "Blackie"; (Used on: Clockwork Angels, Roll The Bones, Distant Early Warning, Red Barchetta, YYZ, and Spirit Of The Radio)
• Gibson Siganature Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess R40 Edition; (Used on: Animate)
• Gibson Siganature Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess R40 Edition with Tune-O-Matic bridge and no piezo; (Used on: The Anarchist)
• Gibson Les Paul Axcess (Iced Tea with Floyd Rose Tremolo); nicknamed "Lil Al"; (Tuned to drop-D for Between The Wheels)
• 1958 Sunburst Gibson Les Paul Reissue (with Piezo and dual outputs added); nicknamed "Cheri"; (Used on: The Camera Eye, Closer To The Heart, Natural Science)
• 1976 Gibson ES-355 (Used on: Cygnus X-1)
• Gibson Les Paul Standard (Tobacco Sunburst); nicknamed "Stan"; (Tuned DGCFAD for Hemispheres and 2112)
• Gibson Memphis ES-Les Paul (White); nicknamed "Princess"; (Used on: Tom Sawyer)
• Gibson Memphis ES-Les Paul (Sunburst); (Used on: Subdivisions, Losing It)
• 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard; nicknamed "Luke"; (Used on: Far Cry, Jacob's Ladder)
• 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (Borrowed from Geddy Lee); nicknamed "Dirk"; (Used on: The Main Monkey Business)
• Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster with Zexcoil pickup in bridge position and reversed output jack; (Used on: One Little Victory)
• Fender Custom Shop Telecaster (Pink Paisley finish); (Used on: Lakeside Park, Anthem)
• Gibson R9 Les Paul with highly figured top (Tuned to open E); nicknamed "Honey"; (Used on: Headlong Flight)
• PRS Custom Shop 12-string; (Used on: How It Is)
• Rickenbacker semi-hollow; (Used on: The Wreckers)
• 1968 Gibson ES-335 in Tobacco Sunburst (Alex's first "proper" guitar); nicknamed "Gerri"; (Used on: What You're Doing, Working Man)
• Gibson Signature Alex Lifeson EDS-1275 Doubleneck prototype; nicknamed "Heavy Bastard"; (Used on: Xanadu); the original EDS-1275 was donated to a museum in Toronto
• PRS Alex Lifeson Signature acoustic; (Used on: Natural Science)
• Martin D12-28; (Used on: Closer To The Heart until Alex switched to using his signature PRS)

Citation:^[1]

Neil Peart

Neil Peart and his custom DW drums

Drums

With Rush, Peart has played Slingerland, Tama, Ludwig, and Drum Workshop drums, in that order.^[2]

(All drums listed are from Drum Workshop unless noted otherwise)

• 23" bass drum
• 8", 10", 12", 13" 2x15", 16", and 18" toms
• a 13" piccolo and a 14" VLT snare drum

Citation: ^[1]

Cymbals

Historically Peart has played Zildjian A-series cymbals along with Wuhan china cymbals. In the early 2000s, Peart moved away from Zildjian and Wuhan and began exclusively using Paragon, a line created for him by Sabian.^[2][3] In concert, Peart uses an elaborate 360-degree drum kit measuring 9' X 9', with a large acoustic set in front and electronic drums to the rear.

Sabian

• 13" Paragon Hats
• Signature Paragon Hats 14"
• Paragon Splash 08"
• Paragon Splash 10"
• Paragon Splash 10"
• Paragon Crash 16"
• Paragon Crash 16"
• Paragon Crash 18"
• Signature Paragon Crash 20"
• Paragon Ride 22"
• Paragon Chinese 19"
• Paragon Chinese 20"
• Paragon Diamondback Chinese 20"

Electronics

• Roland V-Drums
• Roland V-Cymbals
• Roland TD-20 Drum Module
• Roland XV 5080 samplers
• Glyph hard drives
• MalletKAT
• KAT trigger pedals
• Dauz trigger pad
• Remo and Drum Workshop drumheads

Microphones

• Audio-Technica and Shure
• Snare(s) top: Audio-Technica ATM25HE
• Snare bottom: Audio-Technica AE5100
• 8, 10, and 12" rack toms: Shure Beta 98D/S
• 13" rack and floor toms: Audio-Technica AE3000

Notes

1. 1 2 3 RUSH - Official Website
2. 1 2 Rush Archives Neil Peart's Equipment Accessed January 18, 2008
3. ↑ Neil Peart Signature Series Cymbals Paragon Accessed February 10, 2008