• From: Miami, Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2012-04-14
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Jim Kelley and Trainwreck amps

Hi - I am new to the forum.  It's an honor to be here - JB is a phenomenal guitarist!  And a great singer and musician!  I saw JB live about a year ago and can't stop listening to him!!!!

I noticed that he has been using several Kelley amps for smaller gigs.  Very cool!  Also noticed a rare Trainwreck head in the Jim Marshall BBC video tribute.  Also very VERY cool!!

Is anyone else using a Kelley amp out there ...?  I have been using a one-off Jim Kelley amp (designed with 6L6s, a promotional demo according to an email from Kelley).  It was originally made as a head.  About 20 years ago I made a combo cabinet for the Kelley head, with a JBL E-110 10-inch speaker.  Anyhow - my main amp has been the Kelley combo.

JB has totally inspired me to become a better player.  And I have only rarely heard a Les Paul sound so beautiful!  Of course early Clapton, Bloomfield and some fantastic recordings of early Phil Keaggy - those three great guitarists achieved monumental Les Paul tones and absolutely great playing decades ago.  And I can't forget Page and actually a bunch of others ...  But Joe Bonamassa has, I believe, set a new standard for tone, technique, taste, fantastic lines and great chops.

Thanks for the forum and the great posts.

Joe P
Miami, Florida

2 Reply by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2012-04-14 17:57:10)

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Jim Kelley and Trainwreck amps

Love the enthusiasm. WELCOME TO THE FORUM!
Feel free to introduce youself in the Welcome area of the forum.

I've never heard of Joe using those amps.
I know he uses a Marshall Silver Jubilee, Category 5, Carol-Ann, and VanWeelden amps currently.

I like Joe's Gibson tones too. His trick is to set Vol/tone on the guitars all to "5" then set the amp to volume and taste. Rolling up on the vol. gives you more gain, and rolling up on tone gives you more bite. Most people leave all those controls at 10 and just fiddle with the amp. hmm

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Miami, Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2012-04-14
  • Posts: 4

Re: Jim Kelley and Trainwreck amps

Yes you are correct about the main amps JB is currently using.  He mentioned using several Kelleys in a post dated Fall 2011 - for a smaller gig I believe.  The Trainwreck is hard to see, but it is in the BBC Jim Marshall tribute video.  Brad Paisley and a few others love the Trainwreck amps - but they a SUPER rare - and I believe even more expensive!

Joe

  • DougH
  • DougH
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: Toronto, Canada
  • Registered: 2011-04-01
  • Posts: 1,705

Re: Jim Kelley and Trainwreck amps

I remember reading that he (JoeB) started using the Trainwreck in late Nov 2011 for the Dallas TX shows and continued to 'borrow' that amp for the time being.

---------------

(If only I had 1% of Joe's guitar talent)

5 Reply by sted (edited by sted 2012-04-15 11:46:29)

  • sted
  • sted
  • Platinum
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2011-03-20
  • Posts: 333

Re: Jim Kelley and Trainwreck amps

The Trainwreck was being used on the UK shows as well, his tone is truly phenomenal with that thing in there.

  • From: Canterbury
  • Registered: 2010-05-27
  • Posts: 310

Re: Jim Kelley and Trainwreck amps

I think he used the Kelly amp for the Rock Candy Funk Party in Jan 2012 with a Dumble ODS. I'm not sure where else he may have used it though.