Bruce Springsteen Gear

[springsteen529]

Does anyone know what kind of pickups Bruce uses on his signature Tele? I'm trying to recreate his sound.

 

[BudLite]

I didn't know he played the guitar....I thought he just sang....

 

[Bikedude]

Why?

 

[12guitdown]

 

[re-animator]

the bridge pickup would just be a standard esquire pickup i assume.

 

[Waxhead]

Bruce has developed into a really great guitar player the last 10 yrs IMHO.
It's hard to tell what his rhythm tones are like on his Tele cause there's like 4 guitar players on his live recordings with the E-Street band but on his solo's he's got a very distinctive squealing tone - kinda like nails scraping on glass. Obviously quite deliberate.

Any one know what amps/pedals he uses ??

 

[Eagle1]

Joe Bardens have been in there at some time.

 

[re-animator]

Bruce has developed into a really great guitar player the last 10 yrs IMHO.
It's hard to tell what his rhythm tones are like on his Tele cause there's like 4 guitar players on his live recordings with the E-Street band but on his solo's he's got a very distinctive squealing tone - kinda like nails scraping on glass. Obviously quite deliberate.

Any one know what amps/pedals he uses ??

Obviously a collection of BOSS pedals.

 

[jammybastard]

I was told by his guitar tech, Kevin Buell, on the tour for "Devils and Dust" that the original pickup in his Broadcaster was long gone and that for many years it sported the prototype for the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickup.
No idea what's in there now, or what he's using, but my guess is that he still likes a fat, high gain bridge pickup.

 

[ReddRanger]

Mesa Boogie amps. Marshall cabs.

IIRC, The original Esquire has custom wound hot output pickups by Phil Petillo. Other Telecasters he has on tour have the Bardens.

Check out the Telecaster Discussion Forum. They have some good Bruce threads over there with good info and other guys who have made tribute Springsteen Esquires.

 

[GuitarsFromMars]

Joe Bardens have been in there at some time.

He was using them as recently as the Super Bowl.

 

[peanutavalon]

I was at the show last night in philly..He used a mesa lonestar into 2 jcm800 4x12's. His main tele had barden pickups. It sounded great!!

 

[ReddRanger]

I was at the show last night in philly..He used a mesa lonestar into 2 jcm800 4x12's. His main tele had barden pickups. It sounded great!!

Cool that you went to the show!

The Mesa Lonestar is actually there for his harmonica/bullet mic (ususally visable sitting on top of the amp in live photos).

His Mesa Mk head(s) are hidden (perhaps back stage with his tech).

 

[sanhozay]

Bruce played his best in the late 70's & early 80's. Great player. Few can claim as many memorable licks & solos as Bruce. His playing has sorta eroded, or at least his desire to solo, but the cat can play. Back in the day that Bassman & Fender tone was AWESOME sounding!

 

[sanhozay]

I think Dr. Petillo has wound pickups for Bruce and also done a lot of after-market mods/work on his mainstay broadcaster.

 

[diego]

Lots of information on this guitar from a google, for example:

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/284514

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/legendary-guitar-bruce-514/

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecast...142-springsteen-guitar-wirering-question.html

 

[DrumBob]

I think Dr. Petillo has wound pickups for Bruce and also done a lot of after-market mods/work on his mainstay broadcaster.

Absolutely right! Phil does most of my work as well, and we have discussed Bruce's equipment quite a bit. Phil sold Bruce that old Esquire he used for years for $180, and has done multiple fret jobs on, rebuilt it over and over, and has done a ton of electronic work on it.

That very Esquire is now on display in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. It's in its own small case. I was there several weeks ago and just stared at it close-up for probably ten minutes, soaking in all the mojo. Certain parts on that guitar are glued together and it's naturally relic'd to say the least. It looks like it's held together with spit and bailing wire, as they used to say.

I'm surprised Bruce allowed them to take it and put it on display.

 

[sanhozay]

That's very cool, DB! I love that tele! Pretty much watching Bruce jumping around, leading his band and playing with a frantic energy, as if he edged on the night of apocalypse, is the main reason I wanted to learn how to play guitar. The rivers that flow out of Springsteen's music and leads to other bodies of work is quite substantial. He's his on thing now but back in the day his deference towards motown, r&b, rock, folk, soul music was a fusion unlike anything ever blended together and it was a very powerful and emotional musical experience for me, and so many others!

 

[sanhozay]

And his simple solo on Badlands is what so many who play guitar fail to do - write a solo that serves and lifts the song and then pass the torch to another in the band. Bruce could have kept on going but he slays with some very cool bridge pickup squealing and gritty guitar work, played with real passion, and then lets Clarence wrap it up with that soulful saxophone playing. Bruce really goes to Church on that tune and plays it like a Preacher redeeming the parish, or at the very least, himself.

 

[sanhozay]

dig this clip, '78

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGMPNGCrn5A