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8-String Mystery: Will Sleep Token’s IV Get A Signature Guitar In 2025?

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The question of a Sleep Token signature guitar has become one of the most persistent and intriguing mysteries in the modern metal community, rivaled only by the band's masked identities. As of late December 2025, there is no officially announced, commercially available "Sleep Token signature model" for guitarist IV. However, an in-depth look at the custom instruments and specific gear used by the enigmatic guitarist reveals a blueprint for what a signature model would look like—a high-performance, extended-range beast built for extreme low tunings and sonic versatility.

The band's rise to global prominence in 2024 and 2025, fueled by their unique blend of progressive metal, pop, and ambient textures, has made their gear setup a subject of intense scrutiny. The specifications of IV’s current instruments, particularly the custom builds, offer a definitive peek into the precise, complex engineering required to achieve the earth-shaking low-end and pristine clarity of the Sleep Token sound. This is the definitive breakdown of the features that would define a potential signature model.

The Blueprint: Essential Specs of a Sleep Token IV Signature Guitar

The true "signature" of Sleep Token’s guitar tone lies in the highly customized instruments IV uses on stage. These guitars must handle tunings that dip far lower than standard, demanding specialized construction and hardware. The following entities and specifications are non-negotiable elements for any guitar bearing the IV moniker.

1. The Extended-Range Foundation: 8-String and Baritone Scale

IV's primary instruments are extended-range guitars, which are crucial for navigating the band's complex sonic landscape. The most prominent example is a custom Aristides 080SR 8-string model.

  • 8-String Configuration: The 8-string format is essential to accommodate the ultra-low tunings, such as the infamous double drop E tuning (EAEADGBE) used for many of their heaviest tracks.
  • Multi-Scale Fretboard: The use of a multi-scale (or fanned fret) neck is a necessity for maintaining proper tension and intonation across such a wide range of notes, especially on the low E and A strings. This design ensures that the high strings feel comfortable while the low strings remain tight and articulate.
  • Baritone Length: Rumors and custom builds suggest a potential 30-inch baritone scale length for a new model, which would further enhance string tension for the lowest notes, preventing the sound from becoming muddy or flabby.

2. Unwavering Stability: The Evertune Bridge System

Perhaps the single most critical piece of hardware for IV’s live rig is the Evertune bridge. This system is a game-changer for bands using extreme alternate tunings and heavy string gauges, making it a must-have feature for a signature model.

  • Perfect Intonation: The Evertune system mechanically compensates for changes in temperature, humidity, and playing force, ensuring the guitar remains perfectly in tune across the entire fretboard, a non-negotiable for a band with Sleep Token's precision.
  • Fixed Bridge Design: While IV has used a Jackson model with a tremolo (the Jackson MJ Series Signature Misha Mansoor So-Cal 2PT), the core of the heavy tone is rooted in fixed-bridge stability, which the Evertune provides.

3. The Engine: High-Output, Articulate Pickups

Achieving the characteristic clarity and punch of Sleep Token's tone—even in the deepest frequencies—requires specialized pickups. IV’s gear has consistently featured specific high-performance models known for their tight low-end response.

  • Lundgren Pickups: The custom Aristides 080SR is confirmed to feature Lundgren pickups. Lundgren is a boutique brand famous for producing high-output pickups with exceptional clarity, even under high gain and low tunings.
  • Bare Knuckle Ragnarok: IV has also utilized a Bare Knuckle Ragnarok pickup in the bridge position of other guitars, a testament to the need for a powerful, articulate humbucker that can cut through the mix. The combination of these two brands highlights the pursuit of a powerful, modern metal tone with note separation.
  • Humbucker Configuration: A typical HH (Humbucker-Humbucker) configuration would be expected, potentially with coil-splitting options for accessing the cleaner, more ambient tones prevalent in the band's music.

The Aesthetic & Build: Materials and Finish

Beyond the technical specs, the visual identity of a Sleep Token signature guitar would be just as crucial, reflecting the band's mysterious, ritualistic aesthetic.

4. Advanced Construction: Arium and Richlite

IV's choice of Aristides Instruments is not accidental. Aristides guitars are built using Arium, a proprietary synthetic material that ensures tonal consistency and resonance.

  • Arium Body: A signature model would likely feature a body constructed from a similar advanced composite material, offering superior stability and sustain compared to traditional wood.
  • Richlite Fretboard: The custom Aristides features a Richlite fretboard. Richlite is an environmentally friendly, dense material known for its smooth feel and consistent performance, often used as an alternative to ebony.
  • Blacked-Out Hardware: To maintain the band's shadowy visual theme, all hardware (tuners, bridge, knobs) would be finished in matte black.

5. The Low-End Partner: III's Signature Bass

While the focus is on the guitar, it is worth noting that bassist III also uses a highly customized instrument: an Aristides S/B4 Red Shattered Satin bass. This 4-string bass is likely tuned to handle the extremely low registers alongside the 8-string guitar, further solidifying Aristides as a key partner in Sleep Token's sonic arsenal and hinting at a potential dual signature release.

Beyond the Guitar: The Full Sleep Token Rig

A signature guitar is only one part of the equation. To truly replicate the Sleep Token sound, the player must also consider the full signal chain, which is equally specific and modern.

  • Heavy Gauge Strings: The low tunings necessitate incredibly thick strings, with IV using gauges as heavy as 10-84. This is essential for maintaining the clarity and attack needed for their heavy riffs.
  • Custom Picks: IV uses specific 0.73 custom Tortex picks, demonstrating the attention to detail even in the smallest parts of the rig.
  • Digital Amp Modeling: The live rig is heavily reliant on modern digital technology. While the exact models are closely guarded, the use of high-quality amp modelers and profilers (like those from Kemper or Neural DSP) is highly probable to ensure a consistent, studio-quality tone on the road.
  • Effects Pedals: The band's ambient and clean tones rely on a sophisticated array of modulation, delay, and reverb pedals (delay pedals, reverb pedals, chorus effects) to create their signature ethereal soundscapes.

In summary, while the official "Sleep Token signature guitar" remains unconfirmed, the evidence points toward a highly specialized, 8-string, multi-scale instrument from a boutique manufacturer like Aristides, featuring an Evertune bridge and high-output pickups like Lundgren or Bare Knuckle. This hypothetical model would not just be a guitar; it would be a precision instrument engineered for the extreme sonic demands of modern progressive metal, embodying the mystery and power of the masked entity known as IV.

8-String Mystery: Will Sleep Token’s IV Get a Signature Guitar in 2025?
sleep token signature guitar
sleep token signature guitar

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