Billy Howerdel (A Perfect Circle) Rig

Estimated build cost: ~$14,941 (based on current listings)

Hard Rock A Perfect Circle Billy Howerdel

Billy Howerdel’s tone is atmospheric, heavy, and textural — blending thick, sustaining Les Paul-style rhythms with soaring, effects-laden leads and a dynamic, layered approach that defines A Perfect Circle’s sound. He favors modified vintage-inspired guitars, modded Marshall-style amps, and a mix of rack and pedal effects for depth and control.

He has a pretty moderately priced rig compared to a lot of high level artists like him, it is a minimal setup that mixes vintage amps with the digital era to give him a very versatile rig.

~$14,941 Estimated total
12 Pieces of gear
Hard Rock Genre / style
ℹ️ Affiliate Disclosure
Billy Howerdel (A Perfect Circle) Rig
Photo by Marc Blair / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

🎛️ The Gear Live Listings

Guitars
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul Classic 2000 - Cinnamon Burst - RARE!!!
His main guitar for decades. A composite built from broken NIN-era instruments with Tom Anderson H3+ (bridge) and H1 (neck) humbuckers. Often tuned to C#.
$1,700
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Gibson ES-175
Gibson
Gibson ES-175
Gibson ES-175 Reissue - 2010
Used extensively on his solo album What Normal Was and for jazzier/cleaner tones.
$3,400
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Yamaha AES1500
Yamaha Guitar
Yamaha AES1500
Yamaha AES1500 1988 - White
$1,010
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Amplifiers & Cabinets
1978 Marshall JMP Super Lead 100w
Marshall Amplifier
1978 Marshall JMP Super Lead 100w
1978 Marshall JMP Super Lead 100w MkII Model 1959 - Fully Serviced - Hendrix/ACDC/Clapton Amp
Core amp for his thick, dynamic overdrive. You won't find the exact one he is using, as his has heavily modified preamps by David Friedman.
$2,127
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Gibson Goldtone GA-15RV
Gibson Amplifier
Gibson Goldtone GA-15RV
Gibson Goldtone GA-15RV 15W Guitar Combo Amp
Used for cleaner tones.
$899
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Marshall 1960AV 4X12
Marshall Cabinet
Marshall 1960AV 4X12
Marshall 1960AV Cab - Used
This cabinet has Celestion G12 Vintage (70-watt rated) speakers.
$699
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Pedals & Effects
Fractal Axe-Fx III
Fractal Audio AXE FX III 2018 & FC6 Foot Controller
Used for effects processing, clean tones (Fender Twin model), and complex layering. Billy has incorporated the Axe-Fx III into his rig in recent years alongside his tube amps for greater flexibility and consistency. He uses two of these in his rig routing.
$1,750
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RJM Mastermind GT/22 MIDI Foot Controller
Foot Controller
RJM Mastermind GT/22 MIDI Foot Controller
RJM Mastermind GT/22 MIDI Foot Controller 2010s - Black
Billy’s main MIDI foot controller in recent years. It provides extensive programmable switches for controlling the Axe-Fx III, amp channels, and effects loops. This replaced his older Voodoo Lab Ground Control for more complex live switching needs.
$2,250
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RJM Music Technology Amp Gizmo AG-2 MIDI Amplifier Controller Switcher
Midi Control Switcher
RJM Music Technology Amp Gizmo AG-2 MIDI Amplifier Controller Switcher
RJM Music Technology Amp Gizmo AG-2 MIDI Amplifier Controller Switcher
$736
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Digitech GSP 2101
Rack Effects
Digitech GSP 2101
Digitech GSP 2101 Studio Tube
$260
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Accessories
Expression Pedal
Mission Engineering EP-25K Expression Pedal
He uses two of these on his current board.
$94
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Bottleneck Dunlop 234 medium
Guitar Slide
Bottleneck Dunlop 234 medium
Bottleneck Dunlop 234 medium
$16
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Signal Chain

Into fractal > Switcher gizmo (Split to marshall or Gibson amp) > Back into the switcher > input split custom audio splitter > 1 send second Fractal input 2 > other to send 2 of the digitech > return mixer > power section of marshall

Estimated build total ~$14,941

💡 Budget Alternatives

You can capture Billy Howerdel’s thick, atmospheric alt-rock tone for a realistic budget. Start with a Gibson Les Paul Tribute or Epiphone with hot humbuckers (or a Tom Anderson-style if possible). Pair it with a Friedman or modded Marshall-style head (or a good modeling amp like Neural DSP Quad Cortex or Line 6 Helix). Add a solid delay, chorus, and boost pedals. A very usable Billy-inspired rig can be built for $2,000 – $5,000.

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