We had the great privilege of catching up with rock 'n' roll legend Slash on his most recent tour stop in Nashville in support of his latest record, Orgy of the Damned. He was kind enough to sit down with us after his soundcheck to show off some of the great pieces in his rig and talk about his gear philosophy.
"I'm an addict—I buy guitars because I love guitars," Slash told us. But as a collector, it's not all about the vintage, museum-worthy pieces. Slash sees guitars for what they fundamentally are: tools to be played and used. "I honestly believe that you can get an excellent, as good as you're ever gonna need, new guitar that doesn't cost an arm and a leg."
Still, Slash's collection features a good deal of vintage guitars that speak to him for one reason or another. Maybe it's the neck, or the way that they manage to sound just right for what you need the second you pick them up. His vintage Gibson ES-335 from Norm's in LA is a great example of that, serving as a major player throughout his latest record as it had the perfect warmth for the rawer and more down to earth approach of Orgy of the Damned.
Slash also showed off several Gibson Firebird models that he was inspired to try due to how often fellow guitar legend Johnny Winter used them. These models have also become more recent staples in his live show, opening the potential of his sound to tonal areas that weren't on the radar of rock 'n' roll players coming up in the '80s.
These are only a few of the highlights from our talk with Slash, so be sure to check out the full video above to hear the interview in full and to see more of the gear that makes up his live rig.
Slash's most recent solo record, Orgy of the Damned, is available now wherever you get your music. It features an incredible roster of features that include Brian Johnson (AC/DC), Chris Stapleton, Iggy Pop, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Demi Lovato, and Gary Clark Jr. among others. Pick it up on vinyl here.