Joe Bonamassa tone?

[Ed.D.R]

Really loveing this guys playing and tone at the moment, and I was wondering are there any pedals out there that can get it?

Thanks

[ruger9]

I don't know about pedals. But I can provide you with a few tips, along with a rig description from someone who actually knows Joe's tone...

1) Joe is not a fan of treble. His amps are set with the treble relatively low, and he's not afraid to turn the tone pot down on his guitars either. Right along with that, he also routinely has the guitar volume knob at 7-8 for his rhythm tone, turning up to 10 for solos. When you turn down a volume pot, you start to lose treble, like taking the ultra highs out. At 7-8 it's noticeable. Makes for a smoother, thicker (altho slightly less-gainy) tone.

2) Joe plays LOUD. VERY LOUD. So loud he has to use plexiglass shields to protect HIMSELF from hearing damage. There's no pedal that will duplicate the sound of power tubes turned way up.

3) this is by the builder of Carol-Ann amps, which Joe uses:

You can't emulate the tone of two 100W amps run together at maximum output with a pedal. A gazillion pedal builders large and small have chased that rainbow forever and none have come close. Unless they can redefine the laws of physics and the biology of human hearing, it won't happen.

The Jubilee is set up with a mid gain tone with the mids somewhat scooped. It takes care of the highs and lows. THe other amps are used for mid range voicings. All amps are run close to full power output. They all react differently to the use of the guitars volume control. Joe uses his volume and tone controls on his guitars a lot for different voices. The dimension of his rig when you play it is massive and in reality isn't so high gain. It's more of a basic classic rock tone thats very dynamic and responds to varying pick attack. Guys used to higher gain rigs would find it difficult to play. It requires accuracy and is not all that compressed.
__________________
Regards, Alan.

*Disclaimer* Clearly, I own Carol-Ann Custom Amplifiers, LLC.....but ....I actually play guitar too....no really I do!!!

4) finally, I direct you to this thread, found on the Joe Bonamassa Official Forum, where you will find tons of info:

http://forum.jbonamassa.com/viewtopic.php?id=4546

[dalandan]

Joe tone in a pedal? You could try his mini-rig.

JB Les Paul - standard stock TS808 (you can buy at any guitar store) - Marshall Blluesbreaker combo

Still sounds like Joe Bonamassa. Guess what. If you plug into that, you'll sound like... you!

Joe has great tone though no matter what he uses. That's probably what we all have to go for.

[robt57]

Search You tube for

Joe Bonamassa - Amps and Pedals - Gear Overview [if you can stand hearing Joe loosing himself to Eric Johnson playing]

&

Joe Bonamassa Gear Interview part 1-3

[uriah1]

I think he always has those silver jubilees around, Van Welden dumble copies, even when he has other stuff.

But ..a poormans way....you could try a boutique stomp like Diablo...sounds
pretty drivey and fat.

[robt57]

If i was to say one, it would maybe be a Pork Loin. For one of his tones I consider my fav of his.

[Ed.D.R]

Thanks for all the resonpones guys.
I was looking into buying a tube screamer for a stack overdrive approuch to the volume he plays with.

[robt57]

A Zen or Zen clone may get you close enough ti his Dumblesque with the right speakers, brit cones I'd say...

[jdaunt]

Everybody above pretty much nailed the basics, his guitar, amps and volume are what gets him there. He also uses the Pork Loin, his signature FuzzFace (which everyone who's played one raves about) and several other pedals to color his basic tone. Saw he also has a new signature CryBaby wah out now.

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by robt57

, brit cones I'd say...

He uses high wattage EV speakers. Used to be 12Ls, but they've been replaced by something else now (by EV). I think he said he doesn't want to hear the speaker, he wants to hear the amp. So he wants speakers that are clean and can handle high volumes. As most of the rest of use chase different speaker tones, he's seemingly taken it out of the equation.

[Deep South]

I spent a year chasing the Brad Paisley tone.

I got a DRz stangray

I had a guitar built to exactly the same specs as his

I had the same pedals

and

My tone still sounded like me

not Brad.

After spending way to much cash I learned that a large part of your tone comes from your hands.

Its why our favorite players always seem to still sound like themselves no matter what gear they are using atm.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by ruger9

He uses high wattage EV speakers. Used to be 12Ls, but they've been replaced by something else now (by EV). I think he said he doesn't want to hear the speaker, he wants to hear the amp. So he wants speakers that are clean and can handle high volumes. As most of the rest of use chase different speaker tones, he's seemingly taken it out of the equation.

Granted, but lacking a real dumblesque amp/circuit, it is my opinion for us mortals emulating that end of Joe's tone, speakers colored to the Brit direction helps to that end..

[Ed.D.R]

Originally Posted by Deep South

I spent a year chasing the Brad Paisley tone.

I got a DRz stangray

I had a guitar built to exactly the same specs as his

I had the same pedals

and

My tone still sounded like me

not Brad.

After spending way to much cash I learned that a large part of your tone comes from your hands.

Its why our favorite players always seem to still sound like themselves no matter what gear they are using atm.

Valid point but guitar greats are not going to sound great playing a 1/2 size guitar and a 3 watt so gear does have some roll.
But totally agree with you alot of the tone comes from the hands themselves.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by blackstars26

totally agree with you alot of the tone comes from the hands themselves.

My question is why has Joe's hands been putting out Eric J's tone so much whenever I hear him these days? Right down to the delay and the riffs/phrases is what I am hearing. I remember 5-6 years ago, and when I heard him pre Les Paul in Nashville playing bolt s ons in several forms and he had his own hands.

Seems each time I bring this up no one agrees or disagrees, or just don't comment one way or the other....

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by robt57

My question is why has Joe's hands been putting out Eric J's tone so much whenever I hear him these days? Right down to the delay and the riffs/phrases is what I am hearing. I remember 5-6 years ago, and when I heard him pre Les Paul in Nashville playing bolt s ons in several forms and he had his own hands.

Seems each time I bring this up no one agrees or disagrees, or just don't comment one way or the other....

Totally. HEAVILY influence by Johnson, altho I think I heard it alot more in his playing several years ago than I do now. I mean HEAVY- like if I heard it without knowing who it was I would have said "is that Eric Johnson? When he did start playing blues rock?"

[robt57]

Originally Posted by ruger9

Totally. HEAVILY influence by Johnson, altho I think I heard it alot more in his playing several years ago than I do now. I mean HEAVY- like if I heard it without knowing who it was I would have said "is that Eric Johnson? When he did start playing blues rock?"

Not been following Joe these last 2-3 years, so by your comment perhaps this is subsiding. His eary days I did not hear that EJ influence like I started to 3 years approx ago. Something I would expect from my playing, not Joe B. Who I have I'v met and talked with FWIW, not since I have come to this opinion. ;)

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by robt57

Not been following Joe these last 2-3 years, so by your comment perhaps this is subsiding. His eary days I did not hear that EJ influence like I started to 3 years approx ago. Something I would expect from my playing, not Joe B. Who I have I'v met and talked with FWIW, not since I have come to this opinion. ;)

yeah, Joe has been patterning himself as a "new day english blues rock guitarist" these days, especially with his band Black Country Communion... who sound an awful lot like Led Zeppelin thanks to their producer, Kevin Shirley who won't let the Zep thing go over the last 3-4 Joe albums... also, Joe has been doing an awful lot of Clapton praise these last couple of years...

His newest solo record, "Dust Bowl" is his best solo record since "Had To Cry Today" in my opinion, (still much prefer "blues deluxe"), and I don't care for any of the BCC stuff.

[dalandan]

saw him in concert while I was on a business trip to Singapore and he played through Marshall DSLs. He had amazing tone through his original 59 burst.

[dmarcus30]

Originally Posted by ruger9

I don't know about pedals. But I can provide you with a few tips, along with a rig description from someone who actually knows Joe's tone...

1) Joe is not a fan of treble. His amps are set with the treble relatively low, and he's not afraid to turn the tone pot down on his guitars either. Right along with that, he also routinely has the guitar volume knob at 7-8 for his rhythm tone, turning up to 10 for solos. When you turn down a volume pot, you start to lose treble, like taking the ultra highs out. At 7-8 it's noticeable. Makes for a smoother, thicker (altho slightly less-gainy) tone.

2) Joe plays LOUD. VERY LOUD. So loud he has to use plexiglass shields to protect HIMSELF from hearing damage. There's no pedal that will duplicate the sound of power tubes turned way up.

3) this is by the builder of Carol-Ann amps, which Joe uses:

You can't emulate the tone of two 100W amps run together at maximum output with a pedal. A gazillion pedal builders large and small have chased that rainbow forever and none have come close. Unless they can redefine the laws of physics and the biology of human hearing, it won't happen.

The Jubilee is set up with a mid gain tone with the mids somewhat scooped. It takes care of the highs and lows. THe other amps are used for mid range voicings. All amps are run close to full power output. They all react differently to the use of the guitars volume control. Joe uses his volume and tone controls on his guitars a lot for different voices. The dimension of his rig when you play it is massive and in reality isn't so high gain. It's more of a basic classic rock tone thats very dynamic and responds to varying pick attack. Guys used to higher gain rigs would find it difficult to play. It requires accuracy and is not all that compressed.
__________________
Regards, Alan.

*Disclaimer* Clearly, I own Carol-Ann Custom Amplifiers, LLC.....but ....I actually play guitar too....no really I do!!!

4) finally, I direct you to this thread, found on the Joe Bonamassa Official Forum, where you will find tons of info:

http://forum.jbonamassa.com/viewtopic.php?id=4546

Good stuff. Watching his Albert Hall DVD reveals he is on the bridge PU pretty much all night, too. He's influenced by 60s Brit giants like Clapton, Green, Kossoff which means a Les Paul and a hundred watt amp (or three). Love his tone!

[Tom Cook]

This is old and I think he has changed alot of stuuf since , but he shares alot of cool info here ;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC0MR...eature=related
I've seen him live and he can do alot of different people's sounds , Great preformance !