Just Saw Joe Bonamassa...Yikes!

[guitback]

His amp set up was one Dumble, one Two-Rock, one Marshall, and one Marshall clone of some sort. One of the roadies said he was only going through two amps with the other two as back-ups. I don't know if that was true but his tone was absolutely monstrous. His Les Pauls sounded like... well, Les Pauls. In other words, unlike many people who perform at that dB level, you could clearly hear the difference in guitars. The Pauls were really fat -as in lots of midrange that he didn't try to dial out. The strat was very stringy (stupid adjectives, I guess we have no other way to communicate) and "twangy." I saw him in a small theater and I didn't require ear plugs: he used plexiglass shields in front of some kind of huge 4-12 cabs. That was nice because his band f^&*in' smoked as well. After seeing the scope and breadth of his playing (blues...to...everything else in one performance), I feel like quitting guitar! One thing I have to say; his tone was not all that unlike Eric Johnson's tone (a tone I never cared for all that much). However, it was like watching someone with Eric Johnson's control and virtuosity with much more gut, earthiness, and sense of humor.

 

[Swampash]

I'm sure that Joe just hasn't discovered digital amps yet.

Actually, if you go through the youtubes of Joe, you'll see that at one point he was using a Line 6 Vetta for some part of his sound......

So, maybe *someone* else just hasn't discovered digital amps yet.

 

[wichita]

The amp you thought was a Dumble is a Carol Ann, and the Marshall style amp is a Catagory 5.
The cabs were made by Alessandro.

 

[electronpirate]

Which song would someone consider the 'signature' tone of Joe B?

EP

 

[big mike]

The amp you thought was a Dumble is a Carol Ann, and the Marshall style amp is a Catagory 5.
The cabs were made by Alessandro.

Actually he said th 4x12s were Mojo when I talked to him in Sonora.

<shrug>

Was great meeting you at the Amp show lance.
Once of these days I"ll have to make an Antone's show, and buy you dinner in TX.

 

[Joe Mlog]

The amp you thought was a Dumble is a Carol Ann, and the Marshall style amp is a Catagory 5.
The cabs were made by Alessandro.

Or possibly a Two-Rock EL34 prototype we left with Joe a few weeks back. He's been rotating the 2 TR amps and the Carol Ann.

 

[rickc007]

Which song would someone consider the 'signature' tone of Joe B?

EP

Touch question, used to be one of the ones off of Blues Deluxe
Strat through vintage Fenders

Now it's Gibsons thru others

Lots of tones have come out of his rigs

A Copy of Blues Deluxe....mixed with "You and Me" or "Slow Gin"
well cover a bunch

 

[Plague Dog]

He usually uses a Silver Jubilee, a Plexi. a Two Rock and a Carol Anne, I believe is his current rig. I recall a Category 5 somewhere in the rig too.

 

[big mike]

He usually uses a Silver Jubilee, a Plexi. a Two Rock and a Carol Anne, I believe is his current rig. I recall a Category 5 somewhere in the rig too.

The catagory 5 replaced the plexi, and the Carol Ann apparently switches out with another two rock.

Got to BS gear with him in Sonora, really a nice cat. A lot of his views on gear would send us cork sniffers into a fetal position under the bed sucking our thumbs. LOLOL


Hey Joe, got to hang with Mike Roberto in Santa Cruz at Moe's Alley.
Slap him when you see him for getting there an hour late.

 

[buzzdog]

I remember seeing a cool video on youtube where he walks through his rig and demo's the different sounds he gets. He made everything sound amazing.

 

[2x6L6]

I saw him in Denver in mid-September, and crap that was a killer show and his tone was absolutely the best, fattest, juiciest, glassiest, badassest guitar tone I've ever heard. There was not one time where I thought - "now, that's a marginal tone I would never use." Glad to know what those four amps are - what I saw from my perch was the Two Rock, Marshall Silver Jubilee, Carol Ann (ya sure it ain't a Dumble? He used to be a Dumble guy), and I thought the fourth was a DST... no? (Edit - there's a picture of his Category 5 amps on their web site) As usual, the plexiglass sonic shield sat in front of his cabs, so the volume level was just perfect - loud as hell but not fatiguing at all.

I was intrigued with his Les Paul tone - as described above it was mostly just a big, fat 'Paul tone, but there were a couple times where it was very Eric Johnson-esque and Stratty. Surprising, through a 'Paul. Probably had a lot to do with his touch at that point(s). Not sure what amps he was using at any given time, but the tone through his Gigliotti Tele was really amazing - so incredibly glassy and sparkly. His control and use of that Gigliotti tone was amazing, doing kind of an East Indian-ish thing.

Throughout, you could tell his sound was pretty minimally processed - good guitars through cranked amps - SO NICE!!!

His acoustic tone was wicked, and his acoustic chops were monstrous.

I felt like I learned a lot about tone at this show - well, maybe didn't learn squat, but sure heard tone that, IMO, is as good as it gets.

 

[Shakermaker]

His amp set up was one Dumble, one Two-Rock, one Marshall, and one Marshall clone of some sort. One of the roadies said he was only going through two amps with the other two as back-ups. I don't know if that was true but his tone was absolutely monstrous. His Les Pauls sounded like... well, Les Pauls. In other words, unlike many people who perform at that dB level, you could clearly hear the difference in guitars. The Pauls were really fat -as in lots of midrange that he didn't try to dial out. The strat was very stringy (stupid adjectives, I guess we have no other way to communicate) and "twangy." I saw him in a small theater and I didn't require ear plugs: he used plexiglass shields in front of some kind of huge 4-12 cabs. That was nice because his band f^&*in' smoked as well. After seeing the scope and breadth of his playing (blues...to...everything else in one performance), I feel like quitting guitar! One thing I have to say; his tone was not all that unlike Eric Johnson's tone (a tone I never cared for all that much). However, it was like watching someone with Eric Johnson's control and virtuosity with much more gut, earthiness, and sense of humor.

You didn't, per chance, see him at the Paradiso in Amsterdam did you? I missed out on tickets and so dearly wanted to go! Scott McKeon in the support act too... Damn!

 

[2555SL]

The first time I heard about this guy was here at TGP. In fact, the only place I`ve seen him talked about. My good friend is a fantastic player, and thinks Bonamassa is the cat`s meow. However, I think his playing is very average, and his voice... marginal. Does he sell any records?

Anyway, I will say this... JUBILEE!

2555SL

 

[wichita]

Or possibly a Two-Rock EL34 prototype we left with Joe a few weeks back. He's been rotating the 2 TR amps and the Carol Ann.

That's possible, sorry Joe no offense. When they thought it looked like a Dumble I didn't think of your cosmetics as JB had Alan do that amp with Vox grill and the works.

My bad...

L

 

[wichita]

Actually he said th 4x12s were Mojo when I talked to him in Sonora.

<shrug>

Was great meeting you at the Amp show lance.
Once of these days I"ll have to make an Antone's show, and buy you dinner in TX.

Mike if you make it down we will go out for Tex Mex for sure...
Wonderful to finally meet you as well!

 

[Joe Mlog]

That's possible, sorry Joe no offense. When they thought it looked like a Dumble I didn't think of your cosmetics as JB had Alan do that amp with Vox grill and the works.

My bad...

L

Hey Lance, no offense taken. I was glad to have a chance to hear the Carol Ann, nice amp. Joe took the time to go through his rig with us, and the amp we left with him is a high powered 4 EL34 thing in our standard black/black thing. If the amp spotters saw vox grille, it was definitely not ours. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[Joe Mlog]

The catagory 5 replaced the plexi, and the Carol Ann apparently switches out with another two rock.

Got to BS gear with him in Sonora, really a nice cat. A lot of his views on gear would send us cork sniffers into a fetal position under the bed sucking our thumbs. LOLOL


Hey Joe, got to hang with Mike Roberto in Santa Cruz at Moe's Alley.
Slap him when you see him for getting there an hour late.

Slap him? Loving life to much to consider that- slap him yourself!

 

[Mike]

Slap him? Loving life to much to consider that- slap him yourself!

No worries, sometimes a good slap just turns me on. It's when they think they can get in a second one when....

Mike

 

[mprvise]

If the amp spotters saw vox grille, it was definitely not ours. Sorry for the confusion!

Vox grill for sure at the show about a week ago - sitting on top of what looked like a CR sig.

 

[Sean French]

Vox grill for sure at the show about a week ago - sitting on top of what looked like a CR sig.

If the top left amp is what you saw and heard it's a Van Weelden Twinkleland.Joe was using this before he got the Carol Ann.Not sure if the CA has a Vox grill or not.