When news broke about the 2025 Oasis Reunion Tour, it wasn’t just fans of Britpop who rejoiced—it was also tone chasers, vintage guitar freaks, and pedalboard explorers. Noel Gallagher’s return to the stage with his old bandmates marked a full-circle moment in modern rock, and naturally, his gear took center stage. Over the decades, Noel’s rig has evolved into a museum of British tone—part heritage showcase, part modern boutique wizardry. But for this tour, he’s gone even deeper, reviving old favorites, custom-building new tools, and crafting a rig that’s both nostalgic and future-facing.

This article offers an exhaustive, nerd-level breakdown of Noel’s 2025 touring setup—from his twin-amp monsters and legendary guitars to boutique pedals and irreplaceable preamps. But we’re not just here to gawk—you're gonna find out how you can replicate it too!

At the core of Noel’s live rig sits a dual-amp beast: two Hiwatt Custom 50 heads, flanked by a pair of Marshall SV20C Studio Vintage combos. This pairing isn’t just aesthetic—it’s the ultimate blend of clean headroom and saturated chime.

Hiwatts are famously unforgiving amps. Their clean tone is pristine, loud, and brutally honest. For decades, they’ve been the secret sauce behind bands like The Who and Pink Floyd. Noel, a self-confessed tone-layering addict, uses them to deliver piano-like clarity that cuts through even the biggest stadium mixes. It’s no surprise that the Custom 50s—built like tanks and powered by EL34s—handle the backbone of his live tone.

Paired with them are the diminutive but deadly Marshall SV20C combos, based on the iconic Plexi Super Lead. They bring the hair, the grit, and the British bark. These are 20-watt amps, but don’t be fooled—they roar when cranked. Noel has long embraced a “mixed wattage” approach, famously using Fender Blues Juniors in the past to blend clean sparkle with tube breakup. This modern rig continues that ethos but with more tonal sophistication.

Noel’s 1960 Gibson ES-355 TDSV, finished in cherry red and loaded with a Bigsby vibrato, isn’t just a guitar—it’s a totem of Oasis history. Known affectionately as “Number One”, this semi-hollowbody has been with him through the best (and loudest) years. Originally acquired in the late ‘90s as a collector’s piece, Noel deemed it “too nice to play”… until one fateful show in the early 2000s, where it finally saw the stage. Since then, it’s been a fixture in Noel’s arsenal, and for this tour, it’s back in full glory.

It’s featured on classics like “Champagne Supernova,” “Fade Away,” “Supersonic,” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” With a mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, Varitone switch, and Bigsby B7, it blends vintage warmth with tonal flexibility.

2025’s biggest gear plot twist? Noel’s black Gibson Les Paul—not with humbuckers, but with P90 pickups. This Frankenstein beauty first appeared in a backstage photo by Brian Cannon, sparking endless Reddit threads and tone speculation.

Turns out, this guitar is no accident. Built specifically for Noel by the Gibson Custom Shop, it’s based on a 1960 Les Paul Standard but with his preferred SlimTaper neck, aged nickel soapbar P90s, and a distinctive natural mahogany neck with a black stinger on the back of the headstock. Even the 5-ply pickguard was a deliberate throwback to early 50s Les Pauls, a detail so subtle only historians caught it.

Noel has developed a deep love for P90s, having dealt with feedback from his hollow-body Casinos. This Les Paul delivers that gritty midrange bark but with more control and versatility for arena volumes. He used it on “Hello,” “Bring It On Down,” and “Acquiesce,” proving it’s no stunt—it’s a tone monster.

Of course, no Noel Gallagher rig would be complete without a Cherry Sunburst Les Paul Standard. He brought not one, but multiple sunbursts for this tour—each slightly different, each loaded with history. Used on “Slide Away,” “Cigarettes & Alcohol,” and “Live Forever,” these guitars trace back to his early-2000s “burst era” when Les Pauls were his go-to on stage.

The one fans are most obsessed with is part of Gibson’s Historic Collection, introduced at the 1993 NAMM Show. Noel’s is the 94th out of 120 in a very limited run—and one of only 42 with the special Historic decal. It’s possibly the most historically accurate burst ever made by Gibson at the time.

If you’re chasing Noel’s massive, smooth rock tone, these Les Pauls are ground zero!

For “Talk Tonight,” “Half the World Away,” and the stunning intro to “D’You Know What I Mean?”—Noel reached for his faithful Gibson Noel Gallagher J-150. It’s a modern recreation of the same guitar that starred in the “Little by Little” music video and became synonymous with Oasis acoustic moments.

This model, limited to 200 units, features AA maple back and sides, a premium Sitka spruce top, and a Historic Thin Finish. The version Noel uses on tour is the Blonde J-150, a subtle shift from the Vintage Sunburst original that wore the famous Adidas decal (now retired from the road).

The Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Junior marks the return of wah in Noel’s rig, notably used in “D’You Know What I Mean?” and “Bring It On Down.” Its compact size makes it pedalboard-friendly without compromising on that signature vocal sweep.

Noel’s delay lineup is a saga of its own. The Strymon Timeline is used for ambient codas, often running the “Melt Away” preset. The Boss DD-3, his self-declared favorite delay pedal ever, is set to 800ms with the D.Time knob at “half past ten”—perfect for slapback and lead echoes.

But there’s more: the Empress EchoSystem, often set to reverse delay, and the Strymon El Capistan, his modern replacement for the vintage Roland Space Echo.

1. Strymon Timeline

Still going strong despite its age, the Timeline remains one of Noel’s most powerful tools for ambient textures. He famously uses the “Melt Away” preset for spacious intros and outros—especially during “Little by Little.” Previously a core part of his High Flying Birds rig, it’s now back on the Oasis board, replacing his old tremolo tricks from the ‘90s.

2. Boss DD-3

A mainstay since the early days, Noel once called the DD-3 “the greatest delay pedal of all time.” It’s set to around 800ms, with Delay Time at roughly 10:30, and both Mix and Feedback around noon—this setting delivers that familiar Oasis slapback heard on “Live Forever” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.”

3. Strymon El Capistan

Noel’s nod to his old Roland Space Echo, this tape echo emulator brings back that swirling, vintage texture from early Oasis recordings. It’s believed to be used on “Supersonic”—bringing that analog echo warble to life, minus the unreliability of the original.

4. Empress EchoSystem

A more recent addition, likely running in “reverse delay” mode. While it’s unclear which songs feature it live, the pedal’s complex architecture suggests Noel uses it for experimental, atmospheric layering rather than rhythmic delay.

Noel’s Keeley Compressor Plus is always on, subtly tightening his tone without choking dynamics. The Kingsley Page Tube Boost adds punch and tube warmth, while the now-unobtainable BSM Treble Booster delivers Noel’s signature “mid push” that slices through mixes.

1. Keeley Compressor Plus

Noel’s choice for subtle tone control. He dials the blend knob low (around 9 o’clock) to keep the compression transparent while leaving his dynamics intact. The rest of the knobs hover around 1 o’clock, with the switch in “humbucker” mode. Most likely, it’s left on all the time to tame peaks and even out rhythms across the set.

2. Kingsley Page Tube Boost

A boutique tube boost using a real 12AX7—this pedal adds weight and clarity without sounding overdriven. Noel has said it’s one of his all-time favorite pedals. It might be always on, or used for just a touch more push from the amps when needed.

3. BSM Treble Booster

This rare German-built booster—no longer in production—brings midrange punch and clarity to Noel’s rig. It’s based on a late-‘60s Orange unit and helps him cut through the band mix, especially on rhythm-heavy tracks. Previously, he used a Boss GE-7 EQ to serve the same role.

The holy grail of Noel’s dirt? The Pete Cornish SS-2, a legendary hand-wired overdrive only used for solos. He triggers it with the “SOLO” switch. Combined with his SIB Echodrive preamp, his sound becomes both powerful and harmonically rich.

1. Pete Cornish SS-2

Noel’s go-to overdrive for solo parts. Activated via the “SOLO” footswitch on his board, this pedal doesn’t just add gain—it adds focus. The SS-2 belongs to Paul Stacey, Noel’s longtime producer and guitarist, and its hand-wired build makes it a true tone artifact. When he hits this, you know it’s time for “Slide Away” or “D’You Know What I Mean?” to hit a new emotional peak.

2. SIB Echodrive (Modded)

Technically a delay unit, Noel uses it purely as a tube-driven preamp. With a built-in 12AX7 tube, the Echodrive shapes the very front of his sound—adding warmth and natural compression. It’s likely always on, and its rarity (and price tag) has made it the stuff of pedalboard legend.

The most mysterious pedals are his three Zvex Lo-fi Loop Junkys—used for sampling voice clips and ambient loops. They’re each labeled: “DYK,” “CS,” and “R&R/B” for "D’You Know What I Mean?," "Champagne Supernova," and "Rock ‘n’ Roll Star." One even plays a voice sample of his daughter Anaïs: “That’s rock and roll, baby.”

And don’t forget the Boss RV-3, set to Mode 6 for reverb + delay, adding shimmer and space to his cleans!

1. Boss RV-3

A 90s classic that combines reverb and delay in a single pedal. Noel’s RV-3 is set to Mode 6, giving him a lush hall reverb with a touch of echo. This effect has been with him since the late Oasis years, replaced briefly by the RV-5, but has now returned—like the band itself.

2. Zvex Lo-fi Loop Junky (x3)

These quirky lo-fi samplers are tied to specific songs:

• • “DYK” for “D’You Know What I Mean?” intro sounds

  • “CS” for the ambient outro loop in “Champagne Supernova”

  • “R&R/B” for “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” — where it plays a voice recording of Noel’s daughter Anaïs saying “That’s rock and roll, baby.”
    
    

Each unit adds analog hiss, compression, and distortion to the loops, bringing strange, nostalgic textures to the Oasis live experience. They’re not just pedals—they’re memory machines

Noel Gallagher’s 2025 tour rig is a reflection of everything he’s ever been: a student of tone, a vintage guitar romantic, and an ever-evolving sonic craftsman. Each choice—from the painstakingly aged Les Paul to the ambient Lofi loops—is deliberate, rooted in history yet refined for today’s performance needs.

At Music Bliss, we’re not just retailers—we’re tone matchmakers. We carry authentic, warrantied versions of many of the tools Noel uses on tour, plus carefully curated alternatives for every budget.

Your sound doesn’t have to be a dream.

Step into Music Bliss, explore the rig, and build your own “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” tone!