Ace Frehley — Rig Network
6 gear items · 27 artist connections · Ace Frehley profile
Guitars
The 'Budokan' Les Paul — a 1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom that Frehley used through the KISS peak years. The three-pickup Les Paul Custom with ebony fretboard and gold hardware. High-output pickups provide the direct, uncompromising signal that drives the Marshalls hard.
Unique to this artist in the database
Signature Les Paul built by Epiphone and later Gibson — replicas of the original Budokan Les Paul with Ace's specification for pickups, hardware, and finish including the three-pickup configuration.
Unique to this artist in the database
Additional Les Pauls used across the KISS touring cycle — Frehley cycled through multiple Les Paul Standards and Customs to manage the demands of the theatrical KISS live show.
Amplifiers
Multiple Marshall Super Lead stacks — Frehley runs several simultaneously for the physical volume level needed in the KISS arena context. The Plexi at full volume produces the warm, slightly bloomy saturation that characterises his lead tone. No master volume: the output stage runs at full power.
Used during the reunion era — the JCM800's higher preamp gain provides similar saturation to the Plexi at lower absolute volume, more practical for modern production.
Pedals & Effects
The Schaffer-Vega wireless transmitter used by Frehley (and Angus Young, among others) is regarded as a tone enhancement rather than just a practical tool — its circuit subtly boosts and compresses the signal in a way that many guitarists find preferable to a cable connection. It adds a slight harmonic warmth to the Les Paul signal.
Unique to this artist in the database
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