• mitch
  • mitch
  • Gold Member
  • Offline
  • From: Swindon, UK
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 92

Topic: Joe's reversed humbucker & Fuzz Face???

Hi all,

I suppose you'd have to be a JB tone fanatic/obsessive to notice a few subtle changes in Joe's UK touring rig- wonder if any one else noticed?   One of his Les Paul's had the neck humbucker reversed a la Peter Green; I wonder if it's out of phase too like Pete's original?  I modded my Les Paul some time back, as I really love that 'flutey' tone you get with both pups on...  and I also spied an addition to his pedalboard- a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face- I have used one of these for years, and of course so did Hendrix & a certain Mr Eric Johnson,  I wonder if Joe is trying to move even further away from the Tubescreamer/SRV thing?  Does anyone know if it's an old one or a re-issue?

Sorry to bore ya'll with tech talk- but if you suffer with incurable tone tweaking (obsessive compulsive behaviour more like!) these things fascinate!  It's all academic anyway- Joe sounded utterly fantastic at the Cheese & Grain, and my good friend Marty (who's a Rush/Alex Lifeson obsessive) shook his head in disbelief- 'Such a pure sound' he said to me after the gig...

'nuff said!

Mitch

This don't look like no express way to me...
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Joe's reversed humbucker & Fuzz Face???

Ok... The reverse Humbucker in the 59 Les Paul was done with the intention of creating that "Out of Phase" sound.  But I didnt know that to achieve this you have to go into the coil and mess with that.. Frankley I like the look of it like that and have been too sick/lazy to put it back.  Plus my guitar tech Dave says its easy to spot in a low light situation.. on the set list guitar sheet its listed as GM for Gary Moore.  As far as the Fuzz Face goes it was buit for Eric Johnson and given to me by Jorge at Dunlop.  Its really great and like my original grey one that I lost a long time ago.  The Fuzz face runs only through the cat 5.  They have a very good expression sound and work well for creating very angry guitar sounds..  I just purchased two color sound pedals that I m going to try later today in Manchester. I have done this beacause the other night in London Steve Hackett told me thats what he used on the first Genisis albums including Seconds out Live.  That was a thrill to sit and talk to Steve and Chris Squire from Yes.  I was in like a little kid again.  I have been getting into Fuzz's again because Im bored(which Dave says is when Im at my most dangerous state) and want to try to expand the tonal variations of the rig.   With Les Pauls its hard to get radically different sounds with the same rig.  The Les Paul is the Les Paul..  It really takes on a life of its own..
Joe Bonamassa

  • From: Glasgow,Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-09-26
  • Posts: 460

Re: Joe's reversed humbucker & Fuzz Face???

mitch wrote:

Hi all,

I suppose you'd have to be a JB tone fanatic/obsessive to notice a few subtle changes in Joe's UK touring rig- wonder if any one else noticed?   One of his Les Paul's had the neck humbucker reversed a la Peter Green; I wonder if it's out of phase too like Pete's original?  I modded my Les Paul some time back, as I really love that 'flutey' tone you get with both pups on...  and I also spied an addition to his pedalboard- a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face- I have used one of these for years, and of course so did Hendrix & a certain Mr Eric Johnson,  I wonder if Joe is trying to move even further away from the Tubescreamer/SRV thing?  Does anyone know if it's an old one or a re-issue?

Sorry to bore ya'll with tech talk- but if you suffer with incurable tone tweaking (obsessive compulsive behaviour more like!) these things fascinate!  It's all academic anyway- Joe sounded utterly fantastic at the Cheese & Grain, and my good friend Marty (who's a Rush/Alex Lifeson obsessive) shook his head in disbelief- 'Such a pure sound' he said to me after the gig...

'nuff said!

Mitch

Hi Mitch

I thought we were all JB tone fanatics on this forum?

You have whetted my appetite for this coming Thursday when JB plays the Arches in Glasgow, I cannae wait! And it's nice to know Joe still finds the time to reply to posts on the forum even during another hectic touring schedule.

Peace and Jam

millhouse

"Stars fall like tears from your eyes"
  • mitch
  • mitch
  • Gold Member
  • Offline
  • From: Swindon, UK
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 92

Re: Joe's reversed humbucker & Fuzz Face???

Joe-

thanks so much for replying in person- well that clears up that mystery with the Fuzz Face etc! 

I'm really sure you already know this Joe- but to reverse the phase of the neck pu a la Peter Green is fairly easy- you need to remove the pup cover and (gently) unscrew the bobbins just enough to be able to slide the bar magnet out from between the lower screws and wood spacers. Turn it over (reverse polarity) and pop it back in... hey presto, that 'Need Your Love So Bad' tone is there - well it would be for me if I had the touch & technique to go with it- but hey, I have fun tryin'!  (Obviously you wouldn't do this to an original PAF!!!)  Peter Green allegedly did this by accident when cleaning his LP, the rest as they say is history...

Seriously- I highly recommend it- a whole world of 'vocal' tones are there- and you can alter the phase depth simply but finding the 'sweet spot' backing off the neck pup volume & tone etc...

Any idea when the Gold Top 'Bonamassa' double-signature LP will be available Joe?  I'm aready saving my pennies!

Cheers! Mitch.

This don't look like no express way to me...
  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Joe's reversed humbucker & Fuzz Face???

out of phase is a pretty easy mod on a LesPaul if you have the schematic. With a push/pull pots on the tone controls, a Gibson tech can wire your LP up like Jimmy Page where the p/p volume pots "tap" the coil from humbucker to single coil, and the tone p/p does in phase and out of phase...

- 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