Tom Morello has a number of iconic electric guitars to his name, perhaps most notably his ‘Soul Power’ Fender Stratocaster, which was his go-to guitar for the entirety of his Audioslave days and beyond.
A stock, off-the-wall Guitar Center purchase, the Soul Power Strat became synonymous with Morello, who still uses the instantly recognizable axe to this day. Such is its popularity, it was revived in 2020 as a like-for-like replica by Fender.
Another iconic instrument in his collection is the ‘Arm the Homeless’ model – another custom build, which has undergone a huge array of mods and upgrades across its three-decade existence.
Unlike the Soul Power model, the Arm the Homeless guitar hasn’t been reissued as a signature guitar – but, as Morello teases in an upcoming interview with Guitar World, that could change at some point in the future.
“I've never done endorsements,” Morello replies when asked about a re-run of his Arm the Homeless guitar. “The only time I've done one is when it's really my thing, like the Soul Power one.
“They promised me they would make it exactly like the guitar – and they did. It's crazy just how identical it is to that guitar that played on all the Audioslave records.”
As for working on a re-run of the Arm the Homeless model, Morello adds, “I'm open to [it]… I don't have a vast collection of notable guitars, but I'm open to that idea.”
As mentioned, the challenge of recreating the Arm the Homeless would be an entirely different prospect in comparison to the Soul Power. After all, Morello has changed just about every spec across the guitar’s life, swapping out hardware, drafting in new electronics, and equipping it with various necks along the way.
Currently, it has a Floyd Rose-loaded alder body with EMG pickups, as well as a graphite knock-off Kramer-style neck and a three-way toggle that serves as a de facto kill switch.
Of course, it’s got a bunch of custom artwork, including four smiling hippos, and the “Arm the Homeless” scrawl that gives the guitar its name. Currently, it’s his main guitar for everything he plays in standard tuning.
However, because of its variously assembled components, it might take a bit of additional retooling in order to produce a like-for-like replica a lá the Soul Power model. And as Morello explains, ensuring the authenticity of any potential Arm of the Homeless signature is paramount in any potential project.
“I did a distortion pedal [MXR Power 50], and that sounds exactly like the sound of my amp,” he concludes.
“The thing I don't like about endorsements is that when I saw them as a kid, every record, my favorite players would be selling a new guitar that was not the brand of the guitar that they played on the albums that I liked. It always sort of felt… it just didn't feel right to me.
“So, when it's my song, when it's my book, when it's my movie, when it's my pedal, when it's my guitar, I'm happy to endorse it to the moon – but that's all. Everybody's got to make up their own mind about what's for sale and what's not.
“But for me, convincing people to buy a product that's not the one they like on your work always felt a little funny to me.”
Keep an eye out on GuitarWorld.com for the full interview with Tom Morello, which will be dropping in the coming weeks.
