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During the 1960s Blackmore played a Gibson ES-335 but switched to a Fender Stratocaster after seeing Jimi Hendrix playing one in concert. He bought a second hand model from Eric Clapton's roadie. Since then and right up until his Blackmore's Night project Blackmore has used Stratocasters almost exclusively. The middle pickup is screwed down and not used, with only the bass and treble pickup selector set. Blackmore has also occasionally used a Fender Telecaster Thinline during recording sessions.

In the 70s, Blackmore used a number of different Stratocasters. However, around the time of the Long Live Rock n' Roll album, Blackmore found one particular Strat that was his main guitar up until Blackmore's Night. Like most of Blackmore's guitars, this Strat had its fingerboard scalloped. The pickups in it have been changed quite a few times, which is discussed below. Blackmore added a strap lock to the headstock of this guitar as a conversation piece.

His amplifers were originally 200W Marshall Major stacks which were modified by Marshall with an additional output stage (generated approximately 278W) to make them sound more like Blackmore's favourite Vox AC-30 amp, cranked to full volume. Since 1994 he has used Engl valve amps. He has cited that one of his reasons was that his Marshall heads did not sound as good as the Engls at low volume.

Blackmore did use effects very often during his time with Deep Purple and Rainbow, (despite claims for the opposite). He used a Hornby Skewes Treble Booster in the early days. Around the time of the Burn sessions he experimented with an EMS Synthi Hi Fli guitar synthesizer. He would sometimes use a wah-wah pedal and a variable control treble-booster for sustain. Taurus bass pedals were used during solo parts of concerts. He also had a modified Aiwa tape machine built to supply echo and delay effects. The tape deck was also used as a pre-amp. Other effects that Blackmore used were a Schulte Compact Phasing A, a Unicord Univibe, and an Octivider. In the mid 80s he also experimented with Roland guitar synths. A Roland GR-700 was seen on stage as late as 1995-96, later replaced with the GR-50. Guitar synths are also used quite a bit in Blackmore's Night. As an example, Blackmore plays with a slide over what is probably an organ patch in the beginning of Way to Mandalay. Guitar synths are also extensively used live, as they prevent feedback problems.

His strings used during his tenures with Deep Purple and Rainbow were Picato brand (.010, .011, .014, .026, .036, .042) Blackmore has experimented with many different pickups in his strats. In the early Rainbow era they were still stock Fenders, later Dawk installed Overwound Fender (dipped). He has also used Schechters, Velvet Hammer "Red Rhodes", DiMarzio "HS-2", OBL "Black Label", Bill Lawrence L-450, XL-250 (bridge), L-250 (neck) and since the late 80s he has used Lace Sensor (Golds), which are noiseless. Blackmore's gear was modified by John "Dawk" Stillwell of Dawk Sound Limited [7] Dawk modified his Marshall Majors as well as his Fender Stratocasters. Dawk designed the Master Tone Circuit that was installed in all the guitarist's guitars. Dawk worked for Elf with Ronnie James Dio when Elf toured with Deep Purple.