Guitar Center Sessions: Joe Bonamassa, Signature Gibson Les Paul

[@omfg51]

this guy became my guitar hero. i had never heard of him until i watched his performance at north sea jazz in 09. from then on, he inspired me to play guitar ALL the damn time.

[@rgrubb45013]

that is the best sounding les paul ive ever heard... very nice Joe!!! Congrats!!

[@Asiaroeschti]

My most favourite part in every Bonamassa concert is when he sends his band into break and just stays alone on the stage to jam. I could listen to him jamming all day long.

[@musicauthority7828]

I agree with Joe Bonamasa a true virtue of the Les Paul. is the full rich sound not to brite not to muddy. it's AWESOME to see how he likes his set up and his straight forward no nonsense approach. he is a truly amazing guitarist no doubt.

[@TheFrostmasta]

First time I heard Joe I thought the same thing. Very smooth and precise.

[@libbysvideos]

I was there. What a fun, informative evening it was for me to spend with my favorite musician. :)

[@GuitarSlinger2112]

It's funny he's so excited describing it. This guy's tone is amazing. Listening to him I would always swear it's a single coil but he gets such a mean bite out of a humbucker. Even with his hybrid picking.

[@hbk123]

Joe's from the same area as me, his dad is a cool dude, i chat with him everytime i visit his guitar shop which is usually once or twice a week lol

[@NintendoSinceBirth1]

the joe bonamassa studios just came out and they look great. 1300 could be a possibly buy for me

[@ROO2294]

I think i'm in love =) I would have bought one of these but i'm a lefty if any of you have a chance to meet him pls tell him that he should get gibson to make a left handed model

[@TheKassie1987]

I see him doing many of licks and styles, from Ry Cooder to David Lindley to Page, to Clapton, to Beck... and Johnson... Also bluegrass/country licks, and elements of Ray Charles... Just because he has a way of playing clean and articulated like Johnson doesn't mean he is a Johnson clone.. well maybe to simple minded people.

[@bobgure]

I couldn't catch exactly what he was saying when referring to "Nylon...'shales' or 'shals'". Could someone explain...are these the adjustable saddles on the bridge or what exactly? Thanks for any info. Great video by the way.

[@PhilEmanS]

bobgure Yes, exactly

[@dlgnlwls84]

It was nylon saddles for 1st,2nd,3rd strings.

[@NintendoSinceBirth1]

werent 55 goldtops already black on the back?

[@davidchavers1820]

Wow, he’s got the Eric Johnson tone

[@Rafterman123]

bobgure He was saying that he prefers saddles made out of nylon (similar to plastic) instead of metal saddles. They are the same in every other way to normal saddles.

[@bpl711]

When he talks about a nylon bridge on that guitar what is he talking about?

[@donthewatcher]

i love this guitar , i have the epiphone version, its like joe took a 1959 LP neck and mixed it with a 1957 LP standard dark back black parts, (1st run of this model in 1957) and it sounds amazing it has a cool push too it, and it feels soo good with size 9 ernie balls on it , play on funksters play on

[@Appololespaul]

Please can someone tell me what song he's playing at 4:56 or is he making it up because it sounds familiar

[@SuperWannabeGuitar]

2:56 guy on the right having an eargasm!

[@TruthSurge]

It's actually easier to take high end away than add it as adding will also add some high end hiss. But he's right. Good to have a more even tone across all 6 strings so you don't get bassy then suddenly thin and twangy.

[@PindamonhaMAN]

@dpurcell12 That's Had To Cry Today by Blind Faith. Took me a while to remember it hahaha. One of those moments when you know it but you don't know, you know?

[@dpurcell12]

what is that clapton song he is playing at 4:56?

[@TheJediRabbit]

Everyone says that Joe copies Eric Johnson's licks. I agree with you to a point- On his records and live performances, he plays very few Eric Johnson licks. But when he does these demonstration/interview videos and the occasional live performance, it's Eric Johnson galore. Know what I mean?

[@Manolian]

Great tone!

[@bongofury67]

You said it perfectly, Bro

[@assssaaaac]

i doubt theres 8 people in the world who dislike bonamassa.... much less people on youtube.. that cant be right

[@zvangarreth]

this has bothered me for days... what is that song starting at 4:56?

[@medaner1974]

zvangarreth "had to cry today" listen to the live at Rockpalast version!

[@crazyworldbigsound]

The first bit did sound a lot like Eric Johnson. He blows through penatonics the same EJ does. Plus the sounds was similar.

[@PiersEllisonofficial]

It's called Had to Cry Today.

[@TheSilverShamrock]

anyone know the name of that song he plays at 4:57?

[@nihan87]

Spot on about the Mids.

[@Pierreovernight]

That sound!

[@frankie28web]

back then we had rock stars and guitar heroes, now we have nerds like bonamassa...

[@brewjake]

whats a top wrap????

[@guitartec]

What fret wire is on this puppy, anyone know?

[@12kirkhinrich12]

I really like his airy overdriven sound :bd . Thank God for those Burstbuckers!

[@EdVidz]

Do the world the favor Joe: breed. We need more like you, guitars will evolve on their own. Have kids before it's too late.

[@gingersteve]

Joe will personally smite the next person who says he sounds like Eric Johnson.

[@Appololespaul]

thank you :)

[@ghostzapper2006]

God im so glad he talks about the importance of tone/volume, i cant stand all the horrible guitar tones out there these days, Joe you rock.

[@Cyberbob182]

Nylon what ? I'm french and I didn't get what he meant here...

[@ingeborgbello]

A very nice man

[@Dodgibishi]

@fantasyh Yeah. There is some similarities in the sound at that point.

[@The19763]

"SHJINGGY!!" LMFAOOL!!!!!!!! Joe is an unconscious comedian man, he cracks me up...

[@fourty5mag]

Now that's pretty bad that Joe's Official site has been taken off due to copy-rite infringement!!!

[@fravatel]

very interesting and honest.

[@waltervenicio]

so similar to EJ...

[@edwardnock2579]

You don't really start out with a blank canvas. The canvas is shaped exactly like a Les Paul guitar.

[@wunshiin]

@jasonbittencourt fingers???

[@oilpit]

@Oilman36 2 and 3 actually

[@fgolebiewski77]

Great

[@marchelele]

joe in the guitar shop :))

[@TheSonsofHorusx]

Whenever i go to guitar center, i hear the exact opposite of what i just heard lol

[@stratmanocaster]

w/ the exception of his cramped sounding vibrato, it sounds exactly like EJ cycling through Clapton licks. The string skipping and the violin-ish tone are definitely shadows of EJ.

[@TPrtn]

JESUS CHRIST said: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Seek JESUS CHRIST, seek Salvation, turn to Him !

[@jboughtin7522]

RE: the Eric Johnson comparisons. We get it already, there are some similaritiies between Joe and Eric in places on runs, after all they are both drawing from a combination of blues and minor pentatonic scales as well as different modes, as are many other rock/blues oriented guitar players. Get over it already and try and think of something original to say. I just had to get that off my chest. I'm okay now. Have a nice day!

[@pollywd32]

Am I the only one that feels bad for Joe when he says he doesn't plan on breeding? Fuck, that hit me right in the feels.

[@Bluestouse86]

@Espoacdc had to cry today

[@omfg51]

Just turn on the transcribe audio beta and watch the whole video. Funniest thing ever.

[@zacharysmith3913]

I love Gibson guitar s

[@Taygoo15]

What is a Top Rat

[@chikenmanwithchiken]

@cfrancisco74 he does. but that's because eric johnson's tone is rad as fuck

[@BluesMan88]

@kaymo211 i lost count on how many times i watched this vid man!

[@sodazman]

@GNRFAN243 That's why it's called Blues Rock. :)

[@georgebrookesguitar377]

6:03 "It doesn't get plingy you know it doesn't kind of get you know really kind of..... shingy" Yes Joe i know precisely what you mean lol

[@lowedt]

hes a guitar professor

[@bobgure]

Oops. Another listen: Of course. Nylon saddles. Got it. Now I need the Les Paul. Preferably a '59 reissue in ice tea faded burst.

[@rvdw725]

Joe is amazing. you can definitely hear that Eric Johnson inspired him. great. p.s. his knee look a bit strange on 3:22 ...

[@Y00p]

Does anyone else think that when he talks he sounds like he's going to cry before the end of the sentence...? Sill, amazing guy. I love his playing, and tone.

[@TadRapidly]

Joe B in the house and, like, 8 people show up?

[@eatth1s]

I agree

[@GNRFAN243]

i really like his playing. it like old blues and classic rock combined.

[@jasonbittencourt]

It's not high gain, but the sustain is great, how come!??

[@joelkeaton]

lol listen to that guys laugh when he says "nylon saddles."

[@Sweeper5]

@MUDSHARK111 LOL! I remember those days too bro. There were no decent midline guitars...if you couldn't afford a Gibson or a Fender, then you had to get something from the garbage heap...Hondo, Norma, Teisco, Danelectro...I've had most all of those junkpiles myself as well as some really crappy knock-offs from Sears and Montg Wards. Now that old junk seems to be collectible...why I don't know. I have really nice guitars now, and would never yearn for a Danelectro. Go figure, huh? :-)

[@gingersteve]

@jimamundo Only when Slash plays it.

[@jhypes3]

@fantasyh He's got the speed and tone, but he has a lot more feel for it to me. Eric Johnson plays amazing, but he tends to get very predictable.

[@rockard94]

wraparound strings on tailpiece!!

[@BrentHarmon]

Top wrap

[@spacewithace1997]

he makes the vai faces

[@bluefen]

@Simes Without wanting to be part of a petty exchange or denigrating a high class musician like Joe.. a) I don't rate him as a 'great' guitarist and b) he is promoting a 'signature' guitar sound that is a direct emulation of someone else. He's not the only guitarist to copy Clapton's 60's overdriven Marshall stack/Gibson with the treble-wound- back tone....but a minor reference to the origin of his tone seems a little inadequate...anyway..take it easy :)

[@marcooshio8697]

old generation hero eric johnson and new generation hero joe bonamassa..dress like a same ,act like a same ,play like a same...both american guitarist is always best in the world............

[@dirtjumpbandit]

@Oilman36 Burstbucker 2 and 3

[@Monsterdrumma]

The first solo sounds like Eric Johnson.

[@mistad00m]

Eric Clapton and Eric Johnson had a baby

[@lucidcreamin]

for some reason idk why he reminds me of jason segel

[@cfrancisco74]

He has a sorta Eric Johnson tone (atleast here). From a Les Paul no less!

[@graveljaw]

And toward the end, his comment is way off. Its actually far easier to cut high end than it is to add it. If it aint in the guitar, you're not going to add anything... where's this nonsense coming from? I'm guessing he's nervous? Anyhow, before I get bashed, I checked out his other clips. Some great stuff.

[@armanaz]

He sounded like johnson but joes's tone is better and intresting..it got more bite!!

[@SixStringHarmonies]

These people. Leave Joe alone. Dare anyone say he is not "good" then you're either deaf, lying, stupid, or just trying to antagonize his fans. This is 2012. No one is "inventing" new guitar tones anymore that don't involve synth or pitch pedals. You can do single-coils/humbuckers->Marshall/Fender/Vox/Mesa/Ampeg (or their boutique clones) and that's the whole damn ballgame. Anyone runs into a dirty Marshall w/ chorus & tape delay, and you too will sound like EJ. There's no avoiding it.

[@CalenCoffman]

Cleaner with more midrange, got it.

[@nonya5475]

Seriously Joe B. if you ever read this please seriously consider disciplining yourself to take "Uh" and You know out of your vocabulary. Peace out. Love to watch you in concert but love Black Country Communion more!

[@continentalgentleman6778]

Hes a guitarist, not Einstein dude, let him talk like he wants ;)

[@shredsixsixsix9218]

Okay ,Now I'm Laughing . It's sounds great! Is he promoting the Eric Johnson signature model? He's a great player and has his own style . I 'm just surprised at the way he demos a guitar . I guess that is a sound he figures everyone can relate to . EJ was one of the first TRUE Stereo guitar players ,that is what he is getting across here

[@CrazyEiche]

@GNRFAN243 + eric johnson ;D

[@TheMullerFan]

TURN THAT DELAY OFF

[@ghn05]

sonds like eric johnson

[@BOTiTTE]

no clue

[@UNGETABLE7]

Very Very Eric Johnson...

[@socialvideofrog]

I like Joe...However, I can't believe Eric Johnson hasn't sued him for plagiarism.

[@ROO2294]

lol someone must have said something at 5.24 he does not look happy

[@waltermirren7957]

As Zappa might (hopefully) say, "Shut up and play your guitar". You know, the guitars Gibson hands you for free? I just can't stand listening to this guy talk.

[@ewanjackson9710]

Don't watch interviews with him then.

[@BrotherBoresIsBest]

I'm the opposite. I love to hear him speak.