Bruce Dickinson - Tears Of The Dragon - Guitar Tab

Fender Stratocaster

Roy Z's primary choice for Bruce's solo work, the Stratocaster's bright single-coils cut through dense arrangements while maintaining clarity even under heavy amp saturation. This guitar became synonymous with Bruce's solo identity, allowing articulate lead lines and defined rhythm parts that contrast sharply with Iron Maiden's heavier Gibson tradition.

Fender Telecaster

Bruce used Telecasters alongside Stratocasters during his solo career for their punchy, articulate single-coil tone that thrived when pushed through vintage Marshall heads. The Tele's bright character complemented cleaner passages and lead work where note definition was paramount.

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Adrian Smith's contribution to Bruce's earlier solo recordings, the Les Paul Standard added warmth and body to heavier, rhythm-focused material. Its humbucker pickups provided the thicker tone needed to balance the Strat's brightness in layered studio arrangements.

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's enhanced sustain and warm humbucker character appeared on later Bruce recordings where heavier tones were required. This guitar provided harmonic richness when blended with Strat tracks in the studio, creating depth without sacrificing clarity.

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800's natural power tube saturation at moderate-to-high volumes became Bruce's foundation for maintaining note clarity through thick, compressed tones. Run through Celestion-loaded cabinets, this amp delivered the warm British character essential to his solo sound while allowing finger technique and dynamics to remain audible.