Steve Howe — £1,000 · Pro-Level Tone
The £1,000 · Pro-Level build for Steve Howe's powerful and driving sound opens with Ibanez AF75 Artcore — the tonal foundation that defines the character. Into Vox AC15C1, the rig comes to ~£1,048 and delivers the essential elements. Steve Howe of Yes is the most versatile player in progressive rock — moving between jazz archtop, acoustic steel-string, Spanish classical and electric guitar within a single concert, with mastery in each style.
Build Steve Howe's £1,000 · Pro-Level Rig
2 pieces · Total ~£1,048
What guitar does Steve Howe use?
Steve Howe is primarily associated with semi hollow style guitars. At a £1,000 budget, Ibanez AF75 Artcore delivers the essential tonal character.
What to Buy
£1,000 · Pro-Level — Complete Gear List
Why This Rig Works
How Steve Howe's gear choices create the signature tone
Ibanez AF75 Artcore
The Ibanez AF75 Artcore provides the tonal foundation for the entire rig — its character shapes everything that follows.
Vox AC15C1
The Vox AC15C1 converts the guitar signal into audible sound and adds its own tonal character — EQ shaping, natural gain, and the overall feel of the final tone.
The Combined Tone
Gibson ES-175 for jazz/fusion sections, Fender Telecaster for rock sections, acoustic guitar for classical/folk parts. The electric tone is a slightly pushed ES-175 through a clean amp — warm and chimey. Howe is a classical guitar-trained player and the classical discipline shows in his right-hand precision.
Tone Tips
Getting the Sound Right
- Multiple guitar types are essential — Howe uses different instruments for different musical roles. You cannot replicate Yes guitar parts on a single instrument
- The ES-175 provides the jazz archtop tone — neck pickup, clean amp, thumb-plucking technique for the warmer jazz sections
- Telecaster for rock crunch sections — bridge pickup into a slightly pushed amp for the rock/country-influenced passages
- Classical right-hand technique influences the picking — the fingers are close to the strings, rest stroke on single notes for the same percussive attack
- Chord voicings are jazz-influenced — Howe uses extended chord shapes (7ths, 9ths, 13ths) in rock contexts, adding harmonic sophistication
- Study "Roundabout," "Mood for a Day" and "Clap" — these represent acoustic and electric in equal measure
- The rhythmic approach is orchestral — guitar parts fit within an arrangement, not on top of it. Study how guitar interacts with Jon Anderson's voice and Rick Wakeman's keyboards
- Country steel-string technique (hybrid picking) appears in some Howe passages — the country influence from his work with Asia shows
Avoid These Pitfalls
Common Mistakes When Chasing This Tone
- Using the same amp EQ as for a solid-body guitar — semi-hollow guitars have natural warmth that makes amp bass and treble settings behave differently. Start flat and adjust from there.
- Using the amp's volume at less than 4 — boutique clean amps are designed to be played at certain output levels. At very low volumes the tone is compressed and flat compared to full-level operation.
- Using a coloured overdrive as a boost where a transparent boost is needed — a TS-style OD adds midrange colour. A Klon-style or clean boost is more neutral and suitable for clean boost applications.
- Too many repeats at high mix — more than 3 repeats makes the delay effect accumulate and overwhelm the dry guitar signal. Keep it to 2-3 repeats at a subtle mix level.
- Using too much reverb on clean passages — prog clean tone should be open and detailed. Long reverb tails wash out the note clarity that makes complex chord voicings readable.
- Ignoring the room or PA system — prog guitar changes tone dramatically in different acoustic environments. Dialling in EQ in isolation gives a different result than through a full PA.
Budget Alternatives
Same Tone, Different Budget
FAQ
Steve Howe Tone — Common Questions
Steve Howe is primarily associated with semi hollow style guitars. At a £1,000 budget, Ibanez AF75 Artcore delivers the essential tonal character.
Steve Howe's amp is boutique clean voiced — clean with headroom, pushed by an overdrive pedal. At the £1,000 level, Vox AC15C1 is the closest match.
The £1,000 tier adds noticeably better build quality and tonal nuance over the £500 rig. This build totals £898 with Ibanez AF75 Artcore, Vox AC15C1. This is the tier where the tone becomes genuinely convincing for gigging and recording.
Steve Howe's tone is defined by prog-rock, jazzy, country-tinged. The combination of semi hollow guitar and boutique clean amp creates a sound that is immediately recognisable.
Steve Howe's gain approach is clean-boosted — a clean amp pushed by an overdrive pedal. The pedal adds colour; the amp adds body. At £1,000, this is replicated through Vox AC15C1.
Steve Howe — £1,000 · Pro-Level Complete Rig
~£1,048Guitar
Ibanez AF75 Artcore
Amp
Vox AC15C1
Tone Match
Closest Real-World Tone Match
If you like Steve Howe's tone, these players use a similar approach — same gear philosophy, comparable sound characteristics.
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