The Heartbreakers may go down in history as having the best stash of vintage guitars, amps, keyboards, and all the rest. Watching a Tom Petty concert is like watching a parade of museum pieces. But as much as we love a good batch of gear porn, it's all how you use it—and the two Heartbreakers that stopped by the Reverb offices know just how to do that.
Ron Blair and Scott Thurston might not have the household name that Mr. Petty has, but these two, along with Benmont, Mike, Steve, lay the bedrock for the Heartbreakers brand of rock and roll that has become so engrained in the American experience.
Whether it's one of Ron's Fender basses or Scott's double-cut Coronet, both players agree that there's something about a vintage instrument that helps them find inspiration and space. Scott mentions that, "If you play a new guitar in this band, you get the stink-eye," and with so many vintage instruments on stage, it certainly makes sense that newer guitars might not blend as well.
We don't give that same stink-eye to non-vintage players, of course, but our eyes were wide when we saw the stockpile of instruments on stage. Putting together collections of gear for our favorite artists is something we love doing, and the Gear of the Heartbreakers is quite a task. We update regularly, so keep an eye out for new additions.
The Gear of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers