Prince — Rig Network

Prince's most iconic instrument — the Cloud guitar was designed by Prince himself and built by Dave Rusan, later replicated by Jerry Auerswald. The asymmetric body with its cloud-shaped cutaways in white or yellow became his visual symbol. It contains standard guitar electronics but the body shape is uniquely his.

Unique to this artist in the database

The 'Madcat' — a natural-finish Hohner copy of a 1952 Telecaster with a distinctive leopard-print strap. Prince's primary guitar through the Purple Rain era. He used it for rhythm and lead, often favoring the bridge pickup for the cutting, trebly attack.

Unique to this artist in the database

Custom guitar in the shape of the unpronounceable symbol he adopted in 1993 — built by Jerry Auerswald. The symbol guitar appears throughout the TAFKAP era recordings and performances.

Unique to this artist in the database

Various Stratocasters used throughout his career — standard Strats for rehearsals and as backups. Prince's Hendrix influence is most audible through the Strat's single-coil expressiveness.

Prince's primary studio and live amp — the Mark III's gain structure provides the warm, sustaining lead tone without the flabbiness of a Plexi at high volume. The Mark III's five-band graphic EQ allows precise voicing for both his clean funk rhythm tone and screaming leads.

Used for clean rhythm guitar — the Twin's crystalline headroom provides the platform for Prince's funky, percussive rhythm guitar style. The spring reverb adds subtle dimension without obscuring the attack.

The Mu-Tron III is Prince's most important pedal — the envelope filter produces the vowel-like, automatic-wah effect on funk rhythm guitar parts. Prince uses it for expressive funk comping more than Bootsy Collins-style bass lines.

Digital delay for lead passages — Prince uses delay conservatively, set for one or two moderate repeats for dimension rather than the extended echoes of classic rock delay use.

Wah for Hendrix-style expression on leads — Prince uses it as a voice shaper on sustained notes, sweeping slowly from vowel to vowel rather than the rapid rhythmic patterns of funk wah use.