Marty Friedman — Rig Network

Friedman's primary guitar through the Megadeth years — a through-neck superstrat with EMG active humbuckers. The Fernandes provides a tight, compressed active pickup character that maintains note definition at the high gain levels required for Megadeth-era thrash.

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Used in the Cacophony and early Megadeth era — the Kelly's V-adjacent body and Floyd Rose tremolo defined the shred aesthetic. A natural pairing with the JCM800 for the high-gain neoclassical vocabulary of the late 1980s.

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Friedman's Japanese market signature instruments for his solo and J-pop work. Multiple variants with active and passive pickup configurations depending on the musical context.

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Friedman's primary live amp throughout the Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction touring. The JCM800 at high gain through a 4x12 cabinet produces the compressed, singing lead tone on his most celebrated Megadeth solos.

Used from the Countdown era onward for additional low-end body — the Dual Rectifier's scooped midrange and tight low-end combined with the JCM800's midrange presence. Often run simultaneously for the Megadeth arena-touring sound.

Friedman's primary delay for sustaining lead phrases — a subtle delay (single repeat, moderate time) that extends phrase sustain without creating obvious rhythmic echoes. The DD-3 is used transparently: it supports the lead lines rather than drawing attention to the delay effect itself.

In the effects loop for midrange shaping — Friedman uses the graphic EQ to add low-mid warmth and compensate for the slight scooping of the Mesa Dual Rectifier. The GE-7 allows precise midrange recovery that is not possible with the amp's front-panel EQ alone.

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