What guitar did chris Hayes play?

Answer 1

I have researched this information carefully, as I am building replicas of all of his instruments.

Chris Hayes used a 1956 Les Paul Goldtop on the debut album of Huey Lewis and the News. On the cover of that album, he is holding a 1978 Hamer Sunburst, which was also seen in the music video for "Some Of My Lies Are True".

He also used a 1957 Les Paul Custom "Black Beauty" which can be seen in various photographs and Music Videos, such as "Heart and Soul".

Around this time, he also owned a 1957 Gibson Les Paul TV Special and also a black Fender Stratocaster that had been fitted with a Kahler tremolo. It is possible that this instrument was used to record "Who Cares".

From around 1982, Chris was playing a red Gibson Spirit I with a Kahler Flying Tremolo, which can be seen in several live videos.

On the album Sports, Chris may have used a 1972 Fender Telecaster Deluxe when recording the song "Honky Tonk Blues". This guitar was later sold at a charity auction. It had a DiMarzio MegaDrive pickup in the bridge position.

While touring, Chris used a bright neon orange Stratocaster copy that I have not yet identified. It had either EMG or Bartolini pickups and a Kahler tremolo.

In 1987, Chris Hayes played a blue Gibson Spirit XPL prototype with a Gibson/Kahler tremolo. This guitar can be seen in the 1987 video All The Way - Live, in addition to a blue Stratocaster copy with a white burst paintjob and a single humbucker pickup in the bridge position. It also had a Kahler tremolo.

In the music video for "Perfect World" Chris was seen with a 1963 classic white Gibson Firebird.

From 1991 to 2001, Chris was usually seen playing a Fender Stratocaster, with either EMG or Bartolini single-coil pickups.

Chris Hayes has continued to play Stratocaster-type Guitars since leaving Huey Lewis and the News in 2001.