• Registered: 2011-03-22
  • Posts: 2

Topic: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

I saw Joe Bonamassa with Black Country Communion for their first show last night in San Diego, and man was I blown away. Joe played mainly what I'm pretty sure is his 59 les paul, but he also played his dark blue jb signature les paul, his highly flamed top orange burst les paul, and a highly figured tobacco sunburst les paul, along with his flying v, an explorer, and a double neck ernie ball with 12-string on top, and another ernie ball with two humbuckers. Before the show when I was looking at his gear I noticed he was running three black tolexed marshall heads, instead of the silver jubilee with the van weeblen, category 5. and Carol-Ann. I was taking to his friend Rocket before the show and he said the main head was a black jubilee? and i also saw a jcm2000? It also appeared he had a lot of changes to his pedalboard. The most significant was the addition of a trek 2 leslie sim on his board. His pedalboard and rig, aside from his guitars, seemed very different from what i've seen before.
Any thoughts?
Help from Joe would also be very appreciated?
Thanks,
Sean

  • Registered: 2011-05-28
  • Posts: 28

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

I believe he used the same amp setup for the North Sea gig back in '09. I have a feeling one is a DSL Marshall although not 100%. Good to hear that he's using the '59 for BBC too!

Dan.

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Line 6 PODxt
  • Registered: 2011-03-22
  • Posts: 2

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Yeah you are right, the other two heads are DSL100's. And the tobacco sunburst les paul is actually a 1999 Gary Rossington Les Paul signature. It definitely was his 1959 Les Paul as well, so awesome.
Check it out you can see it in this Premier Guitar video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMyVy7Kq … ded#at=509

4 Reply by Spider (edited by Spider 2011-06-10 15:00:10)

  • From: Was NY now FL/GA line
  • Registered: 2007-12-16
  • Posts: 2,857

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

The two DSL100's were likely run wet/dry. The other amp is Joe's "Black 88", a Marshall 2555 Jubilee.

5 Reply by wharris (edited by wharris 2011-06-10 17:54:54)

  • From: Ridgeland, MS
  • Registered: 2009-08-12
  • Posts: 1,248

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

I believe that darkburst is a Historic Makeover refinish (the Rossingtons don't have dark finishes). I also think that what you are calling the blue LP was actually another guitar that K. LaFluer refinished for him in all black.

Spider, your Jubilee sounded great.

  • From: Was NY now FL/GA line
  • Registered: 2007-12-16
  • Posts: 2,857

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

wharris wrote:

I believe that darkburst is a Historic Makeover refinish (the Rossingtons don't have dark finishes). I also think that what you are calling the blue LP was actually another guitar that K. LaFluer refinished for him in all black.

Spider, your Jubilee sounded great.

I think Joe uses one of the candy apple blue JBLP's for BCC.

And thanks but it's Joe's amp now.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Spider that must have been a real pleasure to hear that Black 88' knowing Joe never would have found one if not for you.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Fairfax County
  • Registered: 2009-07-21
  • Posts: 20

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Saw BCC last evening in DC. The link below shows part of the amp setup.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k307/ … G_6814.jpg (sorry for the crappy pic...fogger + flash = washout)

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k307/ … G_6857.jpg

The right and center heads were JCM 2000s. I couldn't make out the markings on the left Marshall head. Notice that only the center cab is miked. I'm guessing the center and right heads feed that center cab (2 -- 2x12s vertically in that cab). Perhaps the left head and cab was for the theremin? Also, you can just make out that the plexiglass shield covers only the center cab. I think the right cab is a backup and a place to put the third head.

A very different setup from his other touring rig.

That said it totally kicked a**. I've been lusting after a JCM800 but if a JCM2000 is good enough for Joe I suppose I should at least give one a try before I default to the 800.

Cheers,
Jim

Gibson + Marshall = big_smile
  • From: New York
  • Registered: 2011-02-13
  • Posts: 444

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Joe's Black LP is one of his two Signature Bonamassa Bursts that was refinished in black. I was hanging out with him before the the NJ show and he was telling me about it.

Gibson Custom Joe Bonamassa Ltd Signature Les Paul VOS # 31
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2010-05-20
  • Posts: 165

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Never mind all this gear talk, the first thing I noticed were the 3 JB bobble-heads on top of the amps smile

What The Fuzz ?!
  • Registered: 2011-06-06
  • Posts: 5

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Jimmy wrote:

I was hanging out with him before the the NJ show and he was telling me about it.

How did you pull that one off? I'm jealous!
I'm going to see BCC next month when they are touring the UK... can't wait! Hopefully my JBLP Studio will have arrived and I could possibly get the pickguard signed!

  • From: Fairfax County
  • Registered: 2009-07-21
  • Posts: 20

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

YorkieDav wrote:

Never mind all this gear talk, the first thing I noticed were the 3 JB bobble-heads on top of the amps smile


And as soon as the music started the heads began to bob. It was very cool. cool

Gibson + Marshall = big_smile
  • From: Gizycko, Poland
  • Registered: 2010-04-03
  • Posts: 116

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

How about the pedalboard guys? Any pics? It seems to be a bit different from the one that Joe used with BCC before..

  • From: New York
  • Registered: 2011-02-13
  • Posts: 444

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Guitarzero2hero wrote:
Jimmy wrote:

I was hanging out with him before the the NJ show and he was telling me about it.

How did you pull that one off? I'm jealous!
I'm going to see BCC next month when they are touring the UK... can't wait! Hopefully my JBLP Studio will have arrived and I could possibly get the pickguard signed!

Street Team Members get priority smile

BTW, I thought the bobble heads on the Marshalls were awesome! big_smile

Gibson Custom Joe Bonamassa Ltd Signature Les Paul VOS # 31
  • RickB
  • RickB
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  • From: San Diego
  • Registered: 2009-10-30
  • Posts: 12,198

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

DamZet wrote:

How about the pedalboard guys? Any pics? It seems to be a bit different from the one that Joe used with BCC before..

Check the photos in the show report section. There is a close up of it.

Free download from Vienna! http://mbsy.co/bNLR
Lots of unique videos of Joe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwd5vL8fXTw
Buy Joe's merchandise here. http://www.jbonamassa.com/affiliates/id … hp?id=1381

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  • Registered: 2011-06-10
  • Posts: 21

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

Nihon Jim wrote:

Saw BCC last evening in DC. The link below shows part of the amp setup.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k307/ … G_6814.jpg (sorry for the crappy pic...fogger + flash = washout)

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k307/ … G_6857.jpg

The right and center heads were JCM 2000s. I couldn't make out the markings on the left Marshall head. Notice that only the center cab is miked. I'm guessing the center and right heads feed that center cab (2 -- 2x12s vertically in that cab). Perhaps the left head and cab was for the theremin? Also, you can just make out that the plexiglass shield covers only the center cab. I think the right cab is a backup and a place to put the third head.

A very different setup from his other touring rig.

That said it totally kicked a**. I've been lusting after a JCM800 but if a JCM2000 is good enough for Joe I suppose I should at least give one a try before I default to the 800.

Cheers,
Jim

Hey Jim!  You were standing just behind me, and to my left a couple of people.  As I was reading this thread, I was going to post about seeing to two JCM2000 heads as well.  I couldn't make out what the third one was, but if others say it was a Jubilee, I can't contradict it.

  • Registered: 2011-06-10
  • Posts: 21

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

valleysofneptune wrote:

I saw Joe Bonamassa with Black Country Communion for their first show last night in San Diego, and man was I blown away. Joe played mainly what I'm pretty sure is his 59 les paul, but he also played his dark blue jb signature les paul, his highly flamed top orange burst les paul, and a highly figured tobacco sunburst les paul, along with his flying v, an explorer, and a double neck ernie ball with 12-string on top, and another ernie ball with two humbuckers. Before the show when I was looking at his gear I noticed he was running three black tolexed marshall heads, instead of the silver jubilee with the van weeblen, category 5. and Carol-Ann. I was taking to his friend Rocket before the show and he said the main head was a black jubilee? and i also saw a jcm2000? It also appeared he had a lot of changes to his pedalboard. The most significant was the addition of a trek 2 leslie sim on his board. His pedalboard and rig, aside from his guitars, seemed very different from what i've seen before.
Any thoughts?
Help from Joe would also be very appreciated?
Thanks,
Sean

I believe the other Ernie Ball Music Man was a special Steve Morse signature.  The headstock was inverted, but the printing on the headstock was right-side up.  It had the clear oval shaped pickguard, and it had the same pickup configuration as a Steve Morse signature.

  • Registered: 2011-06-10
  • Posts: 21

Re: Joe's gear with Black Country Communion

I was talking with a friend about Joe's rig for the BCC tour.  Like a lot of you, I was surprised that he didn't have his usual solo tour rig.  But my friend made a good point - BCC are a Classic Hard Rock band, and Joe may have been trying to capture the vintage sound of the early-mid 1970's.