Imagine capturing the smooth and powerful tones that Steve Lukather (Luke) is known for. These are the tones that have graced countless hits with Toto and beyond. For his 2025 pedalboard, Luke’s setup is a combination of modern innovation and tried-and-true classics, perfectly put together to suit his signature style.
Let’s take a look at the Steve Lukather pedalboard for 2025 and discover the tools he uses to craft his legendary sound.
What Pedals does Steve Lukather use?
I was super excited to see this post from TheGigRig on Facebook this week, showing the work they’ve recently done on Steve Lukather’s pedalboard for 2025. And LOOK! It’s a super clear picture to analyze; we can see everything except the power and the signal chain order in the clearest detail.
So, let’s break this pedalboard down. Since I don’t know the signal chain order, I’ll categorize the pedals by type so you can easily understand what’s going on on Luke’s board.
Here’s the same picture in a slightly bigger format:
Table of Contents
Tuning and Volume Pedals
1. TC Electronic Polytune 3
Our look into the Steve Lukather pedalboard starts with his tuner – the Polytune 3. This pedal is known for its fast, accurate tuning, and you see it on a lot of high-profile pedalboards these days.
The Polytune 3 tuner has multiple modes, including polyphonic tuning for all strings at the same time, chromatic mode for individual string precision, and strobe for ultimate accuracy in studio settings. It also has a built-in guitar buffer that can help preserve tone across long cable runs.
2. Xotic XVP-25K Volume Pedal
The Xotic volume pedal is one of the best. And Luke no doubt uses it to maintain precise control over his dynamics. This pedal has a smooth taper that lets you smoothly move between swells and full-volume tones. Let’s be honest: a volume pedal is a must-have tool for any pro guitar player.
Overdrive and Distortion Pedals
3. Rodenberg SL-OD OD Deluxe
The Rodenberg SL-OD is designed to produce rich, harmonically complex overdrive. It was co-designed by Steve Lukather himself and Uli Rodenberg, and the SL-OD has two overdrive modes (low gain and high gain) and a clean boost of up to +20dB gain.
The pedal has three separate bass boost toggles, which you can use to tighten up the lower frequencies without muddying the guitar’s tone.
4. Keeley MK3 Driver
The Keeley MK3 Driver is a really versatile overdrive pedal that was designed by Robert Keeley and another guitar legend, Andy Timmons.
It can handle everything from clean boosts to harmonically rich overdrive, all tailored for clarity and dynamic control. With its Germanium diodes and dual-tone switches, I would imagine it allows Luke to alternate between smooth, compressed overdrive tones and bright, articulate attacks.
Modulation Pedals
5. Strymon Lex
The Strymon Lex is Luke’s go-to modulation pedal for lush rotary speaker emulation. It has that classic Leslie speaker sound with beautiful, swirling authenticity.
This pedal is the most complete rotary speaker emulation I’ve ever used. With its bass rotor, treble horn, and tube-driven amplifier, the Lex recreates the complex interactions of a vintage rotary system.
6. TC Electronic Stereo Chorus+
The TC Electronic Stereo Chorus+ has a lush, shimmering modulation effect with bucketloads of clarity. This version is a tribute to its 1976 predecessor. But it stays true to the original’s magic while providing three useful modes: Chorus, Flanger, and Pitch Modulation.
This pedal is perfect for adding depth and character to Steve Lukather’s pedalboard, recreating the timeless ’80s sound with modern reliability.
Delay and Reverb Pedals
7. TC Electronic 2290 P Dynamic Digital Delay
This one is a bit of a legendary delay pedal, and it’s been used on countless studio recordings. The TC Electronic 2290 P delivers pristine, dynamic repeats and lots of beautiful echoiness. Note that it looks slightly different in the picture, as Luke has a cover over his display.
This pedal was designed to recreate the original 2290, and this pedal has a large range of time-based effects, including delay, chorus, flanger, and tremolo. Its dynamic delay lets you add modulation and panning specifically to the delayed notes, leaving the original signal unaffected.
8. Dawner Prince Electronics Boonar Multi-Head Drum Echo
The Boonar drum echo was inspired by the iconic Binson Echorec, and I’m sure it provides Steve Lukather’s pedalboard with warm, tape-like echoes and multi-head delay patterns.
This pedal accurately recreates the lush, multi-dimensional sound of the original magnetic drum echo unit with a few modern improvements.
For example, it has adjustable playback head combinations, variable delay times, and a “Drum Age” control that can get you anything from crisp, vibrant echoes to vintage-style, modulated tones.
9. Hardwire DL-8 Delay/Looper
The Hardwire DL-8 Delay and Looper is a sought-after powerhouse. It brings Steve Lukather’s pedalboard a delay range from, I think, 15 milliseconds to 8 seconds.
With eight delay modes, including a looper, this pedal lets Steve Lukather craft everything from rhythmic echoes to ambient soundscapes. It’s ideal for layering parts seamlessly during performances or experimenting with creative delay effects.
10. Keeley Halo Delay
I’m starting to see this pedal everywhere! And for good reason. This Halo delay pedal was co-designed by Robert Keeley and Andy Timmons, and it has the most beautiful ambient echoes and rhythmic dual delay lines that I’ve ever heard.
With up to 1500ms of delay time and five unique delay rhythms, including Andy Timmon’s signature “Halo” sound, this pedal is a versatile part of Steve Lukather’s pedalboard for creating everything from atmospheric solos to intricate rhythmic patterns.
11. Strymon BlueSky
Known for its pristine reverb tones, the BlueSky offers a huge range of reverb sounds, from a subtle ambiance to cavernous, ethereal atmospheres.
This pedal has three versatile reverb types—plate, room, and spring—and it has a stunning realism while allowing you to explore beyond traditional reverb sounds. One of my favorite things on this pedal is the Shimmer sound. A true studio-ready reverb pedal, the BlueSky must be a vital tool for Steve Lukather’s tone.
12. TC Electronic Flashback Delay
The TC Electronic Flashback Delay combines modern delay features with the legacy of TC’s legendary 2290 Delay.
It has 11 versatile delay types, including tape, analog, and the dedicated 2290 setting. This pedal brings all kinds of delay sounds to the Steve Lukather pedalboard, everything from warm vintage echoes to clear digital repeats.
Plus, you just have to try the MASH function on these pedals.
Utility Pedals
13. Xotic Effects SP Compressor
The Xotic Effects SP Compressor is a wonderful compressor pedal that would nicely smooth out Luke’s dynamics while preserving the expressiveness of his playing.
It has a three-way intensity switch and a blend knob that lets you take control of the compression effect.
Its compact size and superb tone quality make it an essential choice for maintaining a consistent tone, whether clean or overdriven, and the internal dip switches offer more customization if you need to match it with different guitars and pickups.
14. Xotic XW-1 Wah Pedal
Luke’s choice for a wah pedal, the XW-1, is a fantastic and unsurprising choice. This wah was four external knobs to adjust Bias, Wah Q, Treble, and Bass. It has a large range of wah tones, from vintage transparency to a pronounced, modern wah sound.
This wah pedal is a great fit for Steve Lukather’s pedalboard as it is perfect for expressive solos and funky, crunchy rhythm parts.
15. Boss FS-5L Latching Switch
There’s not much to say about this, really. But this latching footswitch will let Luke control parts of his amp or pedalboard. It just gives him a bit of extra flexibility during live performances.
16. 2 x Gigrig QuarterMaster QMX-2
These high-quality loop switchers help Steve Lukather streamline his pedalboard setup by isolating specific pedals when not in use. This makes sure he keeps a clean signal path and minimizes noise.
The QuarterMaster QMX series offers a simple yet effective solution for maintaining tone clarity on more complex pedalboards.
Feeling Inspired by Steve Lukather’s Pedalboard?
Steve Lukather’s pedalboard reflects years of experience, precision, and a deep understanding of how tools shape tone.
What stands out is the accessible nature of his pedalboard. Crafted with thought but not excessive complexity. It’s a reminder to me that tone isn’t about chasing endless gear. It’s about using tools that work for your style.
What can we learn from his setup?
Perhaps it’s that finding your sound is a process of exploration. Trying different combinations of pedals, refining over time, and always staying open to new ideas.
So whether you’re putting together your first pedalboard or just updating your professional rig, Steve Lukather’s pedalboard approach offers a guideline that’s practical, inspiring, and within reach for many of us.
