Joe Bonamassa Les Paul Registry (Serial Numbers "BONAMASSA XXX") (Page 32 of 41)

Hi

not sure if this is the right thread, however, I have No 122.

Just want to know if anyone knows where to get a replacement pickguard that actually fits this model. I have tried several including Gibson Historic replacements and none of them fit.

RICjunkie wrote:

johnreardon wrote:

Hi

not sure if this is the right thread, however, I have No 122.

Just want to know if anyone knows where to get a replacement pickguard that actually fits this model. I have tried several including Gibson Historic replacements and none of them fit.

So the story goes....
When Joe was a youngster, his dad has an old beat up 1955 Gold Top in his store. A previous owner had routed out the pickup holes in the wood to fit in a pair of humbuckers to replace the original single coil P-90s. It had mismatched tone and volume knobs...  Joe had the original run of 300 based on this guitar. I'm guessing if you try a pick guard from a 1954 or 55 it may fit.

Cheers

I just tried the one off my R7 and it does fit, although it's cream.  Need to try and get a black one.

Added 196

Prototype   Joe Bonamassa         California               USA
# 001        Joe Bonamassa          California               USA
# 002        Len Bonamassa          New York               USA
# 003        Roy Weisman              Florida                   USA
# 004                                                                         Scotland
# 005        Michael Lynch              Kent                      England
# 007        butterfly (TGP user)
# 011        Woniron                      Seattle  WA           USA
# 015        Roam70
# 016        Ron Connatser            Pelham N.H.          USA
# 017                                           PA
# 018        jclark42796                 Virginia                  USA
# 019        Richard Bowers           Kansas City           USA
# 023        Gferg                           Houston, TX          USA
# 024        RICJunkie                    New York               USA
# 026        Li'l Eddie                     Seattle WA             USA
# 027        JBLP27                        NW Arkansas          USA
# 028        xcorporate                  Michigan                 USA
# 033        Guitar Store                Pigalle, Paris           France
# 036        pwat                           Connecticut             USA
# 038        Jim Moody                   Oklahoma               USA
# 039        Wolf                            Amarillo, TX             USA
# 042        Jon Byrd                      Michigan,  USA (http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/4780501-post28.html)
# 043        Pete59                        Holmes Chapel       England
# 044        Clint                            London                   England
# 050        mrwarensemble                                         Norway
# 051        RikEmmettFan             Las Vegas               USA
# 052        Joe Bonamassa           California                USA
# 054        DreadEye                    Smyrna, TN             USA
# 056        padreloco                    Phoenix  AZ            USA
# 061        MarkL                          SoCal                      USA
# 065        Matt                            Portadown              Northern Ireland
# 072        David Robinson           Newnan GA             USA
# 073        Scott916                     Wisconsin                USA
# 075        The Other Joe B          Acworth GA              USA
# 077        SwingKing64              Seattle, WA              USA
# 078        Billy Francese        New York
# 082        Stevi Rewers                                              Denmark
# 083        Eltriodelsaco                                               Spain
# 088        simonmpilgrims           Linlithgow                Scotland
# 090        Les Paul Custom                                         Switzerland
# 093        kroon                                                          Switzerland
# 094        CaryDad                     Cary, Illionois            USA
# 098        Adam                          Leeds                        England
# 099        Don Ritter                                                    USA
# 102        JBLP102                      Northern VA              USA
# 100                               Rome
# 110        GenerationsMusic       Williamsville NY          USA
# 112        GenerationsMusic       Williamsville NY          USA
# 114                                           PA                              USA
# 115        Michele  "Crazy Italy"  Florence                    Italy
# 119        ohiorick                        Valley City  OH          USA
# 122        John Reardon                                                UK
# 124        Virgil McMahon
# 125        Jackson Music              New York                   USA
# 126        Pierre Kasprzyk                                             Belguim
# 129        Devan                          Darwin                      Australia
# 131        JULIEN                         Toulouse                   France
# 140        Alex Bolte                                                     Germany   
# 145        Wolf                             Amarillo, TX               USA
# 148        Oliver Hilldor                                                 Sweden
# 152        Guitar Shop                  Verona                     Italy
# 153        DKviking                                                        Denmark
# 155        wharris                         Ridgeland MS            USA
# 157                                                                              Norway
# 161        toddf007                       Bentonville  AR         USA
# 164        Stefan Hauk                   Adelaide, SA      Australia
# 174        Tim V                            Oakley, CA               USA
# 178        Giles D                          Southport                England
# 179        Ted179                          Derry                        N Ireland
# 180        Ed Van Zijl
# 181        Andrea Coppini              Florence                   Italy
# 184        Pattyluvsjoe                   Indianola,Iowa        USA
# 196         heavyelement                 Batavia, IL            USA
# 203                                                New Jersey
# 207        Kevin Shirley                  California                  USA
# 213        Mikhail                           Austria
# 214        Mica                                                                Spain
# 217        Hiroaki                            Tokyo                       Japan
# 222        Knotins                                                           USA
# 238        Ron Connatser               Pelham N.H.              USA
# 242        Matt
# 246        Joe Mags                        New York                  USA
# 249        stevebonamassive
# 250        douzbb                         Paris, France (aged)
# 251        Ron Connatser               Pelham N.H.              USA (un-aged)
# 252        Ron Connatser               Pelham N.H.              USA (un-aged)
# 255        conorb                            Oregon                     USA (un-aged)
# 256        Daveschutt                     N Carolina                 USA
# 257                                               PA                             USA (un-aged)
# 258        MisterLee                        Missouri                    USA
# 259                                               North California         USA
# 261        Mike                                Seattle WA                USA
# 262                                                                                 New Jersey   (un-aged)   
# 263        Steve Costello                 Ontario                     Canada
# 264        Brian Bilski                       Chicago Illinois          USA (un-aged)
# 265        Michael                             Alabama                    USA
# 266        Pete59                             Holmes Chapel          England
# 267        Ron Connatser                 Pelham N.H.              USA (un-aged)
# 268        Puppetz323                                                      USA
# 269        Ryan Coleman                  New Jersey  NY         USA
# 270        Ryan Coleman                  New Jersey  NY         USA
# 272        Joe Mags                          New York                  USA (un-aged)
# 275        T mcguire                          Montana                   USA
# 277        Bonamassa Guitars           New York                  USA (Candy Apple Blue)
# 279        Joe Bonamassa                 California                  USA (Candy Apple Blue)
# 281        johnnyb                             Cheshire                   England (Candy Apple Blue)
# 284        Shea Rider (from the JBLP facebook group)
# 285        Ron Connatser (re-finished Historic Makeovers) Pelham N.H.          USA
# 290        jakey                                                                  England
# 293        jddarden                            Charleston, SC         USA
# 299        Jérôme                               Reims FRANCE
# ???         Keith Urban                                                        USA
# ???         Lewis Hamilton                                                   England
# ???         John Mayer                                                         USA

On 11/18/13, cindyron wrote:
Hi Jclark
As a fyi
My JB#251 (unaged) is on it's way to a new home in N.J. I will let the new owner state who he is.
Also I donated JB238 (aged) to a great guy and a very worthy cause. I will let him decide when to tell all.
Cheers Ron

I am very excited to post #251 is "Down Around My Place" here in New Jersey.  Although excited, I am somewhat reluctant to elaborate, but I feel I should...so Ron's (cindyron) gesture could be appreciated by others...and maybe answer those who wondered, or asked him..."Why the heck did you sell #251?!!!"
 
This transaction from Ron's stable did not originate from him posting a GT300 "for sale", but rather developed from yet another act of kindness Ron has become known for.  I'll try to be brief, but complete...(hard to do.)

I worked with my father in a family business, so for all my years, even after "growing up", I was fortunate to spend just about everyday of my life with him (except for 4 yrs of college and maybe 10 other days of my life.)  He was my best friend.  We would see eye to eye on just about everything...except when it came to music.  When KISS Alive was blasting from my bedroom in 1975 (I was at that magic target age of 11 then), our lifelong "disagreement" over what was "music" began.

On any of the many car rides we would take together (or when the home stereo was on), his music (40's, early 50's big band, and crooners) would be the selection.  I would have to wait (usually not long) for him to doze off in the car, or recliner, so I could change the station, or pop in a CD, and play it really really low.

Over the years, as my appreciation of Joe's music grew with each new release, I would try to find a "common ground" song of Joe's for both us to enjoy.  Never had much luck. (I think When She Dances was tolerated.   It's just wasn't his "taste".

That changed the final year of my dad's life. I was fortunate in that even as my father's health began to decline (due to cancer), he wasn't bed ridden much at all.  Those few times he was, I had a captured audience.  Knowing it was a tough time for both of us...it seems he "bent" a bit as I began to play some of "my" music for background "noise".

During one of his brief bed ridden down times, the Live at the Beacon DVD happen to have just came out.  Me, chomping at the bit to watch it, and to help pass the time while being with him, I would pop in the Beacon dvd on his tv.  My father would watch and listen ... and although I anticipated it,  our usual "discussion" about "what is music" never happened. 

When he first heard (saw) "Down Around My Place", he was hooked... or probably better said ... "accepting".  A big step for him...so I'll stay with "hooked". I don't know if it was John's voice, the song lyrics...or what it was he found special, but he liked that song. (For me, it has one of my favorite Joe solos, one that just sings.)  The rest of dvd got heavy rotation on his tv the next few weeks...me explaining about this song or that, this guest or that, and eventually, this guitar or that ... and when the CD came out ... in the car it played...on regular volume too!

In Sept '12, Rik Emmett Fan decided to part with #251 via ebay.  Like many on the JB Forum, I had had my eye on a GT 300, but expected this one would go, understandably, high ... and told myself not to follow it.  I do remember printing out the ebay picture of it, and during one of my check ins with dad, I told him "I'm gonna bid on this "Joe guitar"!". Although the opening bid price was "the market", I didn't expect dad to understand that, and waited for his response of "are you crazy ?!!" I almost wanted that...just to get a rise out of him, as I liked to do, (and in a small way, provide me with an "unbiased" opinion on a big purchase..so I keep my head.)  Instead, he replied with "I'll go half on it with you." Wow I thought, (but deep down I figured it was a kidding gesture on his part, but if not...wow, what was he saying?)

Through the week, I gave him updates as the bids would come. He would smile and say "did you bid?" I told him I wanted to wait to see where it may go price wise, there's time to jump in.  Long story long...the day before the final auction day, dad needed to go into the hospital.  Although I occasionally checked in on the bids when back at work, (I didn't have a smartphone then), and I could have jumped onto a computer somewhere near the auction closing time, my mind, or heart, wasn't focused on #251 that day (and one voice in me would quietly wisper..my wallet too!! )  and I decided not to jump in.  I was happy, like many of us on the Forum, when Ron was the winning bidder.  His care and appreciation of the 300's is beyond reproach, and now #252 could once again be joined again with it's assembly line partner.  Ron's purchase of #251 was meant to be.

My dad and I had many more great days / hours together at home after his release from the hospital.  I would break out other Joe CD's and the RAH dvd (He liked Lonesome Road Blues. (Joe played his Sig GT. ))  Once, out of the blue, he asked "did you get that "51" guitar yet?"  I told him no, not that one, but they'll be others someday, so I'm holding you to your offer.   A month later, my father passed, at home.

I'll try to wrap this up for you all. A few months after dad's passing, I had emailed Ron to get his thoughts on a GT300 that was being offered for sale I was interested in.  After a few exchanges, I had mentioned if he ever decided to part with #251, please drop me a line (and I relayed my story to him.)  With Ron not knowing me, I expected I would be added into his long list of "people who want to buy a 300", my name placed understandably after family, friends and other Forum members.

A few months later, I received an email from Ron asking if I was still interested in #251.  We emailed back and forth during the next few months, and believe me, I could tell selling was a difficult decision for Ron. In an email early this November,  Ron informed that he would sell #251 to me if I was still interested.  (I sent him payment on the 8th, dad's first anniversary of his passing.)

My family wasn't a vacation family, and dad didn't hunt, fish or follow sports much, so my great memories of him are just the everyday common ones I spend with him.  Although I am not a musician, (I played drums for years (not well), and have tried to teach myself guitar off and on through the years), I have loved listening to music just about everyday since first hearing "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" by The Hollies when I was 8. (Who remembers the K-Tel compilation albums?).  This was the one joy of mine that I could never really share with my father.  Although the last year with my father was emotionally difficult, the last piece of the puzzle of how we connected came into place...music...and specifically Joe's music.  What that meant to me, during that time with him, and even now, is unexplainable (at least coherently. )

It's a piece of wood, with stings and electronics, a musical instrument...in the right hands, like Joe's...capable of great music..and that is what they're made for.  However, for many of us, even for the terrible players like me, guitars can mean a great deal more.  I was first drawn to the Les Paul while staring at that KISS Alive album cover at age 11 and seeing Ace's black 3 pickup LP. Maybe a guitar, and in my case, the LP, is the symbol marking the countless memories I had of listening to music, or watching my favorite performers make music with one.  That is certainly true for me with Joe. (But I do love his Strat work too!!)

The real players, those who make guitars do what they are intended to do, may hate me to say this, but #251 (even when I did not own it) became a symbol for me.  It marked the sharing and connecting of the music, and artist, I have thoroughly enjoyed through the years, with my dad, a man I connected with in so many other ways, at a time when I wanted, needed, and enjoyed that last connection with him.

#251 is also now a symbol of a man who, although I have only "met" via the Forum and emails, has shown his caring spirit to many people, now including myself.

Although my life would have gone along as it should have with out #251, cherishing that music memory I was able to have with my father, I am very, very happy to have been given the opportunity to now own #251, a physical documentation of that memory. That it came from Ron's stable was a bonus.  I would probably have not had the another opportunity at #251 otherwise, and I "met" a great man in the process, and will be forever grateful to him.)   

He (along with Rik) have taken great care of it....as now will I.

PS: Ron, even my novice fingers can now tell what a proper set up feels like.  Can I send you my Studio LP for a tweek?

PSS: jclark could you please add for #251...RoadcaseBoy  New Jersey   Thank you.