Sting musical equipment 70s-80s

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(last updated: 21/5/21)

Basses

1962 Fender Jazz

  • One of Sting’s first basses, which he bought in Newcastle in 1970 for 150 quid.
  • Sting’s primary bass while he was in Last Exit during the mid-1970s. Has also been among Sting’s arsenal throughout the Police era (1977-1984), both live and in the studio.
  • It's evident that the original bridge cover of this bass had been removed by 1978.
  • By 1987, Sting began playing the Fender Jazz bass again, 
  • Sources: https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/sting-talks-fender-p-basses-technique-and-jamming-jaco-pastorius-644627, International Musician & Recording World July 1979, Bass Player April 1992, The PoliceWiki, various

1978 Fender Precision fretless

  • Bought in November 1978 from Manny’s in New York when doing a string of concerts at CBGBs.
  • Played on Reggatta De Blanc, Ghost In The Machine and Synchronicity albums. 
  • The last appearance of this bass was in an advert featured in Music Information magazine March 1987 issue, and was recently said to be in storage. 
  • Musician December 1987 issue mentions Sting playing a Fender Precision bass - it's likely referring to the red-painted 1978 fretless, as Sting hadn't bought his notable, battered-looking 1957 P-bass yet (which he did in 1993). However, there's no documentation of the P-bass being used live on the "Nothing Like The Sun" tour, so he only could have used it in the studio on the album itself.
  • Source: International Musician & Recording World July 1979, Musician June 1983, Musician December 1987, Police Wiki, various photos

1963 Fender Precision sunburst fretted

  • Among the range of basses used by Sting to record the Ghost In The Machine album in Summer 1981 at AIR Studios, Montserrat - he can be seen playing this bass in a variety of photos from those sessions. Plus, a film of him overdubbing "Secret Journey" with the sunburst Precision bass was included in the Everyone Stares documentary, released 2006.
  • Was loaned to him by Andy Summers – a photo of this exact bass can be located on the guitar collection page of Summers' official website.
  • Live, he played the sunburst P-bass during the August 1981 Philadelphia concerts, but disappeared from his rig shortly afterwards (as it would have been returned to Andy, obviously)
  • Source: various photos, Musician December 1981, Didi Zill photos

1975 Fender Precision sunburst fretted

Hamer 8-string fretless Explorer

  • Sting received the Hamer fretless in late 1980 during the Zenyatta Mondatta tour.
  •  Visible in the “De Do Do Do De Da Da Da” video
  • Source: Mixdown mag, Policewiki

Hamer Cruise bass:

  • Sting had played two Cruise basses on the Ghost In The Machine tour in 1982: a custom red and a white, specifics unknown. However, they weren’t used as often as Sting preferred other basses over them
  • Source: Mixdown mag, Sting Police Arsenal on talk bass chat forum, various photos

Ibanez Musician MC-900DS fretless

  • Noticeably Sting’s primary bass during the Reggatta De Blanc era (1979-1980).
  • He must have acquired this bass around mid-1979. Gradually the Ibanez took over as his main bass, marking a brief switch from the Fender to the Ibanez. It was subsequently utilised during the later stages of recording for the Reggatta album in Summer 1979, and for the tour.
  • Appears in the “Can’t Stand Losing You” video (the 1979 version shot at the Lyceum, London) and notably “Message In A Bottle”.
  • Most sources – in particular the Bass Magazine November 2003 Japanese magazine issue – widely documented this bass as the Ibanez MC940DS fretless model. When in fact the bass in question looks more like the MC900DS model (fretted), or a cross between that and the MC940. Evidently, the MC900 had been modified to look like a fretless, given that the fret markings (from the original model) are still visible around the edges of the neck in virtually every single photo, and in the video for “Can’t Stand Losing You” in particular.
  • Currently owned by Fabio Trentini of Police tribute band The Ghost Machines.
  • Source: various photos, Police Wiki, Mixdown mag, Quora Quora

Ibanez Musician MC-800DS 1979 model

Ibanez Musician MC-940NS custom natural

  • Custom-made bass with natural finish and maple neck. Made to the same specification as the MC-940DS model, although the layout of the control is different and has a pearl inlay with Sting’s name included in the fingerboard end.
  • Sting must have got this bass back in February 1980. He used it live on the Reggatta de Blanc and Zenyatta Mondatta tours. It was also among the basses Sting used on the Zenyatta Mondatta album.
  •  Source: Everyone Stares documentary (2006 – bass visible in background of Wisseloord Studio footage during Zenyatta sessions), Bass Magazine November 2003 (via Google Translate), Rotterdam concert photo

Ibanez Musician MC940NS white

  • Another custom-made Ibanez bass with pearl white finish, maple fretless neck and two Super P5S pickups mounted - presumably a forerunner of the MC924 Polar White (or Pearl White)
  • Sting got this bass while on tour with The Police in Japan in January 1981
  • Source: Bass Magazine November 2003 (via Google Translate), Police Confidential by Danny Quatrochi, Police live in Japan concert photo

Ibanez Musician MC980 8-string fretless

  • Likely bought by Sting in February 1980, and was subsequently used during the Reggatta De Blanc tour (in its latter stages) and the Zenyatta Mondatta tour.
  • Source: Bass Magazine November 2003 (via Google Translate), Policewiki, various photos

Steinberger L2

  • Sting notably introduced the Steinberger on the Ghost In The Machine tour in 1982, and subsequently incorporated it into his studio arsenal on the Synchronicity record. For instance, the Steinberger was dubbed on top of the Z-bass on “King Of Pain”.
  • Sting on the Steinberger L2:
  • "Yes. [The Steinberger] looks wonderful for a start and at the same time it's beautifully balanced. One of the things that worries me as a singer is if you get a really heavy bass guitar it weighs you down and you can't sing properly. A bass that's well balanced and light makes you stand up straight and sing better, it's as simple as that. I use it on stage all the time now, but I like the double bass the best."
  • However, producer Hugh Padgham disliked the Steinberger for its lack of bottom end.
  • Source: Musician June 1983, International Musician & Recording World July 1983, Hugh Padgham interview on Youtube, photos

Spector NS-2 white

  • Acquired by Sting during soundcheck before a St. Louis show on 23 July 1983, and became his main bass for the rest of the Synchronicity tour, being played at virtually every show.
  • Currently displayed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Source: International Musician & Recording World July 1985, Spector NS-2 discussion on Bass Talk forum

Z-bass

  • Features on:
    • Albums with The Police: Zenyatta Mondatta (1980), Ghost In The Machine (1981), Synchronicity (1983)
    • Solo: The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (1985),
  • A Dutch bodyless electric upright bass, made by Dutch racing driver Henk Van Zalinge. Sting affectionately nicknamed “Brian”. He first acquired one during the Zenyatta Mondatta sessions in Holland
  • Features on “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, and other subsequent hits.
  • Source: Musician June 1983, Bass Player April 1992, various

 

Keyboards, Synthesizers & sequencers

Casio Casiotone M-10 32-key mini keyboard

  • One of Sting’s main writing tools, before the Synclavier. “Spirits In The Material World” was written on this keyboard in the back of a tour truck somewhere.
  • Sting happened to have the Casio with him for the Montserrat sessions for Ghost In The Machine, but it’s unlikely to have been used on the album itself. The band (in particular Stewart) can be seen messing around with the Casio in some of the photos taken during those sessions.  
  • Stewart Copeland remembers the mallet line in “King Of Pain” had originated as chords played by Sting on the Casio, which had a “clinky sound”. But it was decided that the riff should be played on a Xylophone to make it sound more organic.
  • Source: Jeff Seitz, Jools Holland documentary (Casio visible next to Portastudio), Stewart Copeland Songfacts interview, various photos including this one

Minimoog:

  • Sting’s onstage & studio synth from 1979 to 1981 before it was replaced with the Oberheim. Although they still had the Minimoogs around during the Ghost In The Machine sessions, so has to appear on the album in some form.
  • The Minimoog could be the bassline on the song “Contact” on Reggatta, and is likely responsible for the low, moody bass synthesizer drone on "Don't Stand So Close To Me" (though live it's played on Moog Taurus pedals) as well as possibly appearing on a few other police cuts
  • In the "Spirits In The Material World" video, Sting can be noticed playing the solo on a Minimoog, when this was in fact an oriental-sounding high melody played by Andy on guitar and blended with a Prophet-5 synthesizer, according to Guitar Player September 1982 issue. Bear in mind that stuff shown in videos isn't always representative of what's on the recording itself!
  • In a TapeOp interview, Hugh Padgham mentioned there were stickers on Minimoog to mark out where the chords were – when in fact it’s a monophonic synth and you cannot play any chords. But Jeff Seitz confirmed that the stickers were merely for fun and amusement.
  • Source (except mentioned): various photos, vintage synth forum

Oberheim OB-Xa

  • Sting’s main synthesizer during the latter Police years, used both live and in the studio from 1981 to 1984.
  • “Invisible Sun” had been written as a chord sequence on the Oberheim; Sting would play the song on the OB-Xa synthesizer onstage while Danny Quatrochi did the bass parts offstage
  • Source: Musician June 1983, Musician December 1981, The PoliceWiki, photos

Oberheim OB-8

  • Sting mentioned owning the then-new OB-8 in a brief interview for International Musician and Recording World published in July 1983. Possibly a backup to the OB-Xa on the Synchronicity tour.

Sequential Circuits Prophet-10

  • Sting can be seen playing this synth in various photos from the Ghost In The Machine sessions, although it’s unclear if it appears on any of the songs on the finished record. Jeff Seitz doesn’t remember it being used on any songs.
  • Source: photos, Jeff Seitz

Oberheim DSX sequencer

  • Sting was the first member of The Police to get into using sequencers. The DSX was first used on the Synchronicity album, making up the OB-Xa ostinato pattern on “Synchronicity I” and the rhythmic marimba-like parts on “Walking In Your Footsteps”.
  • In Spring 1983, Sting put together some sequences for the then-forthcoming Synchronicity tour in Los Angeles using the DSX sequencer and the OB-Xa synthesizer – both would accompany Sting onstage on the tour. On tour, the DSX was clocked to Stewart’s DMX drum machine for “Synchronicity I”, “Walking In Your Footsteps”, “King Of Pain” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger”. Effectively a complete Oberheim system was formed.
  • Sting describes his amusing relationship with the DSX: 
  • “[Walking In Your Footsteps] was the first thing I ever did on the sequencer. I was learning to work it and just played a couple of riffs which fit together contrapuntally, then played them through a couple of different sounds. It's wonderfully mechanical and rhythmic. Then I used the same sequence with the drum sound over it based on a classic rock'n'roll riff (laughs). I'm pushing the DSX to its limits. The other day I used up its memory entirely, about sixty-four bars of stuff. and it just said. "Stop! I have no more memory" I tried to stick some more in and it got really angry! It started to buzz and lights began to flash, and I had to turn it off (laughs). I had this bizarre relationship with this machine. I pushed it too far. but now I believe I'm on good terms with it. It's a little like HAL in 2001. Weird, but such a pleasure.”
  • Source: Musician June 1983, One Two Testing May 1984, Jeff Seitz, The Police Wiki

NED Synclavier

  • Sting’s main writing tool in the mid-1980s. Used to write a lot of the songs on Dream of The Blue Turtles, also appearing on the record.
  • By 1987, the Synclavier Digital Workstation was central to pre-production only.
  • Source: International Musician & Recording World July 1985, Synclavier interview, Musician December 1987

Yamaha DX7

Drum machines

Oberheim DMX:

  • Jeff Seitz remembers that Sting had a DMX and used it to program a beat for “Every Breath You Take”, although only the kick drum was kept on the final record and Stewart had played all the other drums. It was the only song on the record to be sequenced with the DMX, probably because Stewart initially screwed up several initial takes of the track by playing fills Sting didn't like etc.
  • Sting can be heard referring to the drum machine as "Dennis" in the count-in to Every Breath You Take on the multitrack, so it wasn't just the Roland CR78 that was given that nickname: perhaps "Dennis" was a general moniker given by Sting to the drum machines he owned, though it's unclear if that had been the case for the LinnDrum (featured below)

LinnDrum

  • Used by Sting for composing material alongside the Synclavier in the mid-80s. He can be seen programming the rhythm for “We Work The Black Seam” using the LinnDrum in the Bring On The Night movie.
  • Sources: International Musician & Recording World July 1985

Roland CR-78

  • Among Sting’s writing & demoing equipment in the early 80s for Zenyatta Mondatta and Ghost In The Machine, nicknamed “Dennis”.
  • The Bossa Nova preset was used on the demo for “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, later replaced by Stewart’s drums.
  • Source: Jools Holland interview with Sting, Didi Zill photos of Sting in Ireland (1980), demos

Guitars

Mid-1970s Black Fender Stratocaster

  • Bought by Sting from Manny’s in New York back in 1978. Most Police songs, like “Message In A Bottle”, were written on this guitar, which was donated by Sting to the Smithsonian in 2017.
  • Source: Smithsonian, International Musician & Recording World July 1985

1961 Fender Telecaster

  • Used on the Dream Of The Blue Turtles tour in 1985
  • Source: International Musician & Recording World July 1985, Down Beat December 1985

1961 Gibson ES-335

  • Listed among equipment in International Musician & Recording World March 1986 Beatroute
Gibson Chet Atkins
  • Utitised on The Dream Of The Blue Turtles album for a few solo lines, followed by "Nothing Like The Sun"
  • Source: International Musician & Recording World July 1985, Musician December 1987
Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody II Acquableux electric
  • One of Sting's guitars on the Nothing Like The Sun album. Later donated for the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy on 10 July 1987.
  • Source: Musician December 1987, Equipboard, PoliceWiki

Amps & Cabinets

Ampeg:

  • During the Outlandos D’Amour tour, Sting put his bass through a 180-watt Ampeg Twin bass amp with two cabinets.
  • For the United States leg of the Outlandos tour, Sting’s amplification included an Ampeg SVT setup (supposedly hired) onstage, consisting of an Ampeg SVT head and two Ampeg SVT-810E 8x10 bass cabinets.
  • Three sets of the Ampeg SVT head and cabinet setup would be used for amplification on the Regatta De Blanc tour.
  • Source: International Musician & Recording World July 1979, The PoliceWiki, photos including this one from the Regatta de Blanc tour and this one from the Outlandos tour 

Crown:

  • Sting mainly used the following Crown amplifiers live with The Police from 1980 to 1984 with Gauss Horn cabinets:
    • PSA-2: low to mid-range
    • D-75: High
    • DC300A: mid to high-range
  • By 1985, he switched to a Crown Micro-Tech 1000 amplifier for the Dream of the Blue Turtles tour
  • Source: International Musician & Recording World July 1985, Modern Recording & Music May 1982, PoliceWiki

Marshall:

  • By early 1979, Sting's amplification setup consisted of a Marshall bass amp and cabinets for concerts in England at least.
  • Source: The PoliceWiki
Mesa/Boogie:
  • In the International Musician & Recording World March 1986 issue, Sting is listed as using a Mesa/Boogie amp and 4x12 cabinets on the TDOTBT tour. That same setup was utilised for the Nothing Like The Sun album.
  • Source (except where mentioned): Musician December 1987
Tom Scholz Rockman:
  • Among Sting's amplification setup for the Nothing Like The Sun album & tour
  • Site: Musician December 1987, The PoliceWiki

Effects

Boss Chorus CE-2

  • Introduced during the Ghost In The Machine tour in 1981-82. And was subsequently used to thicken Sting’s bass parts on the Synchronicity album.
  • Source: Ghost In The Machine tour program, Sound On Sound article on EBYT

MXR Phase 90:

  • Among Sting’s effects used on tour during The Police years, from the Reggatta De Blanc to Synchronicity tours.

Moog Taurus I pedals:

  • Sting began using a pair of Moog Taurus pedals live onstage in April 1979. Remained in Sting’s live arsenal throughout the rest of his Police career – they even appear in photos from the Police Reunion tour 2007-2008.
  • Studio-wise, Moog Taurus pedals are visible in photos from the Zenyatta Mondatta sessions, so could have appeared on the album in some form (although there were also Minimoogs).
  • Source: Policewiki, photos

Miscellaneous

Sony CF-900S portable tape recorder:

  • A tape recorder (with a built in preset drum machine) which Sting used to help demo and realise his ideas, as demonstrated in the Police In Montserrat documentary with Message In A Bottle.

TEAC 144 Portastudio

  • Sting demonstrated how he laid down his demos to present to the band using this very machine in the Police In Montserrat documentary, with Message In A Bottle as an example. But he may not have used the Portastudio until around the time of Zenyatta Mondatta album, as Portastudios were introduced in 1979.
  • According to Andy Summers, Sting (like him) would typically demo his songs on a Portastudio first before recording them properly at a professional studio, at least.
  • Sources: Police In Montserrat documentary, Musician June 1983

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