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Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart - Guitar Tab

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Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart - Guitar Tab

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Key F# minor
Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart guitar tab video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
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Dr. Feelgood album cover
Dr. Feelgood
1989 4:43
Listen on Spotify
Motley Crue Glam Metal 1989 F# minor
Capo Advisor 0 F# minor · Original key

Kickstart My Heart

"Kickstart My Heart" is a heavy metal track by Mötley Crüe, released as the second single from their 1989 album Dr. Feelgood. The song reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1990. It is a staple for electric guitar players seeking to practice high-energy riffing, palm-muted power chords, and the kind of driving, arena-ready rhythm playing that defined late-1980s hard rock.

  • The song was released in 1989 as the second single from the Dr. Feelgood album.
  • The main riff relies heavily on palm-muted power chords, making it a practical exercise for right-hand technique.
  • "Kickstart My Heart" peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving it strong mainstream crossover reach for a heavy metal track.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Mick Mars used custom Fender Stratocasters with humbucker pickups for specific recordings, providing tonal variety beyond his signature Les Paul thickness. The Strat's brighter character offered alternative textures while maintaining the aggressive humbucker-driven attack essential to Motley Crue's sound.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Mars' primary weapon throughout Motley Crue's career, the Les Paul Standard delivered the thick, sustained rhythm tones and warm PAF-style humbucker attack that define the band's heavy metal foundation. Its stock Gibson electronics and natural resonance let the cranked Marshall amp create the signature crunch without additional processing.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Mars' most iconic guitar choice, the black and white Les Paul Customs from the late 70s and 80s provided the dense, aggressive tones that powered Motley Crue's biggest hits. The custom model's weight and construction contributed to the sustained, sludgy rhythm guitar sound that became the band's sonic trademark.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The core of Mick Mars' legendary tone, his heavily modified JCM800 heads with scooped mids and cranked preamp gain created Motley Crue's characteristic thick, saturated crunch. Driven hard with a Les Paul's humbuckers, this combination produced the warm yet aggressive distortion that defined 80s hair metal.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

Mars adopted the Soldano SLO-100 in later years for its smoother, more refined high-gain character compared to the Marshall's rawer saturation. The Soldano's tighter response and cleaner articulation suited Motley Crue's evolution while maintaining the band's heavy, sustain-driven aesthetic.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Featured prominently on 'Kickstart My Heart' intro and various solos, Mars' Dunlop Cry Baby wah pedal added dynamic expression to his otherwise amp-driven tone. The wah's sweeping character became an iconic texture in Motley Crue's arsenal of lead guitar effects.

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