Joe Bonamassa - Backstage Tour with Guitar Tech Mike Hickey

Joe Bonamassa's awesome guitar tech Mike Hickey take you on a tour of the backstage world of Joe's guitars. Joe Bonamassa has been hailed as one of the greatest guitar players in the world. And he’s probably also one of the biggest vintage guitar lovers in the world. He certainly knows how to take excellent care of them. But still, he does need some help in keeping incredible collection of playing guitars in the best shape and ready to go. Enter Mike Hickey, Joe Bonamassa’s guitar tech and wizard. In this eye-opening video, we get to watch Mike Hickey in action as takes us on a cool tour backstage where the guitars live and shows us how he gives them tender love and care. One amazing fact is that Joe actually uses his most prized vintage guitars for shows. It’s Mike’s job to keep prized guitars like Carmelita, the “Skinnerburst” and Amos the Flying V in the best of shape and ready to go when needed. In this video, he also describes his guitar safaris with Joe and takes you on a tour of Joe’s rig including pedals, pre-amps and everything. Bonamassa fans and fellow guitar geeks alike will love watching this video - Happy Sunday!
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[@Ben.Morrison.]

Mike needs his own channel! What a ledgend!

[@MINOTAURunOfficial]

Even played for the mighty VENOM. Check out "Calm Before The Storm" if you haven't already. Great record end to end. \m/

[@daleweber2579]

He played with Carcass too.

[@MINOTAURunOfficial]

yes, that's right.

[@MINOTAURunOfficial]

Yess.. That's right.

[@YoToberLoL]

Also played for Venom again in 2006. The album is titled "Metal Black". Check out "Lucifer Rising" and "Death and Dying".

[@davidsomerville7868]

I went to the same small high school as Joe and used to deliver newspapers to his Grandfather's house (next to Joe's house). I saw him play a few times while he was still in school but I gravitated towards the dark, underground, heavy metal with Venom being my personal favorite. In 2005, I roadied for the local band opening for Venom in Phoenix, AZ. That's when I met Venom's guitarist at that time... Mike Hickey! A weird 6 degrees of separation.

[@kennethh2430]

Still love old 80's Venom!!! See you in Hell!

[@FelixIsMyName]

Coolest guitar tech and he's so lucky to get to "play" with Joe's best "toys"

[@mikeymojo8299]

man what I would do to go on one of Mike & Joe's guitar safari's 🎸🎸🎸

[@Billywagner22]

You can tell Joe plays with a healthy action by how loud those guitars ring acoustically.

[@alizarincrimson123]

Very interesting. The stringing technique is genius. Thanks for that if nothing else.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

Very cool video, thank you! I saw Joe, last night, at the MGM Grand Theater @ National Harbor. It was a great show. Thanks for the behind-the-scenes info.

[@officialmikethompson]

Met Mike backstage at a show in CT last August; really nice guy. Good conversation.

[@blustardave]

I've known Mike for years now. It was the late 80's and when we first met through because my bro knows Venom. Since thenI have been his mate, and will look forward to meeting him again at the next JB gig in the toon..:)

[@roboteko]

mike hickey is former venom black metal band...coolest dude, and lucky joe got him to be technician for him on tour

[@sirvicemanone]

im a kid and i am a fan of the burst! Thank you for posting this amazing video of Joe's arsenal of fretboard slaying. Joe can beat up any of my guitars at his leisure ! Namaste

[@jackl-g6181]

3:33 lovely little Clapton lick in the background

[@rleary1]

Thank you Hickster and Joe! I've been playing Fender Strats and Telecasters for years and I'd never heard of the '2 and 1/2' machine head restringing 'trick'! Always kind of eyeballed it but fantastic tip and thank so much Mike!

[@jcthbs3891]

his is hilarious too! seems to be a real friend of Joe btw, and has feeling in his hands playing too! great video!

[@claudiacolarusso229]

For someone to even get near JB's 'strings' They have to be a good friend ! Humble man....JB

[@Gudebrothers]

Mike Effing Hickey. THE man!

[@fiducialpoint1]

Thanks Mike, save travels.

[@nocantelya2531]

You have the best job ever.

[@notjason5782]

This guitar tech used to work at the local guitar shop where I live! Cool shit

[@genva4577]

He does need his own channel

[@fraedluziferschmitt6040]

great guy !

[@insanusvir]

Great video!

[@edwinpringle7342]

Cool job, the kind I'd love to have. 😁

[@NoyzyBoyZ3]

I wish I was driving that truck!! Nothing but Tweeds!!

[@LeifMT]

I like this guy.

[@planetshake]

Great video, hey next time you come to Portugal do you want to set up my guitar? I trust you man :=) !

[@dougsteeleguitar]

October 5th I met Mike and Joe on their Australian tour in Melbourne. Mike let me come in before the gig and check out all the guitars, and Joe was cool enough to show me see his amps and pedals, He even took off the strat that he was playing to let me have a crack ( I played maybe 3 notes and quickly gave it back, ha ha). It was such a cool experience for me that I now have to blog about it. Top notch very cool guys indeed, And the show was absolutely bad ass. Mike, the next time you guys are out, I'll take time off work and we'll hang out proper!! dougfcknsteele.com/2016/10/08/i-love-mike-hickey-and-joe-bonamassa/

[@guitaristsbanquet245]

Doug Steele what were the 2 pedals he had? A Wah and something else

[@dougsteeleguitar]

Forget, bwaaaa!! probably a distortion pedal, I could be wrong..

[@dougsteeleguitar]

Rad!!

[@dougsteeleguitar]

Yeah cool. Great people, great band. I was bummed I didn't meet Anton Fig, but I didn't know he was drumming for them until after I was back outside.

[@edwinpringle7342]

@@guitaristsbanquet245 overrated special by way huge is what he plays through with the wah wah. It's a boost/od pedal that was made for him. He helped design it.

[@dencitymccartney5473]

Mike, my kinda Guy!

[@cawfeedawg]

Would love to hang out with Joe and Mike over a beer sometime.

[@toolerloot]

when replacing pickup rods...can you get the same type of rod i.e alnico 5 rods for all three pickups....and when you magnetize them should you use a diff level of magnet for each pickup set or can you use the same magnet strength for all three and still get a different sound for the bridge middle and neck

[@guitartec]

Hey Mike Hickey, You know the red Neutrik silent plugs Joe uses? Try the Amphernol silent plugs, they're better- especially the 90º plugs. While Neutrik uses a sealed reed switch, the Amphernol uses "cleanable" mechanism with a spring-loaded switch that is chamfered, so it won't get stuck like the Neutrik 90º plugs do. Gold tipped is only necessary when the plug has gold conductors too. Just a FYI from 1tech2anotha

[@DS-yg4qs]

Number of guitars and amps he uses is insane. Tasteless.

[@lulimas]

Its part of the show

[@creationinspired200]

Joe has an immense collection of very era specific guitars and if I remember correctly hes opening a museum or has already opened that museum hes not hoarding them he plays them all and others get to enjoy his toys with him so i for one am happy hes the one with them it could be trogly 😠 cant stand that channel

[@coreyross1793]

Mike used to be in Carcass I'm pretty sure?!

[@davidsomerville7868]

Yup. Plus Venom and Cronos' Solo stuff

[@coreyross1793]

Its pretty awesome to see he has faired really well in the last couple years! he seams happy as all hell!

[@cesarcaceres5271]

Por favor habilite el traductor al español, saludos desde Argentina

[@ireneruthfox]

Thanks Joe...I see the price of Tweed will be going up.

[@hawg427]

Great video. Is the EB Bonamassa Patent leather guitar strap genuine Patent leather or is it faux patent leather?

[@onehundreddegrees5792]

+hawg427 nazi vegan alert has gone off

[@slyde6784]

these guitars are Tens of thousands of $$$$$ but dont forget to save money to pull your tape in half hahaha i love it!! Save where you can lol

[@vintagepipesnightmares]

Michael Landau’s Strats don’t go out of tune with floating trem. Greg Koch plays all the Strats with floating trem. Mine doesn’t go out of tune. Just because you don’t know how to set one up does not mean that is the guitars problem.

[@onehundreddegrees5792]

does the cesar diaz technique work on a les paul?

[@HavardEkremster]

+onehundreddegrees Of course. Just dont snip the string before you've winded it on to avoid unpleasant surprises.

[@13Hangfire]

Does anyone know how to contact Mike or Joe about an amp they may be interested in? Thanks!

[@lpmaier2709]

3 min in

[@dianarobbins8036]

Guitar Safari

[@donna3465]

What song is playing when the video begins?

[@treywanvigofficial]

Ballad of John Henry by Joe Bonamassa

[@donna3465]

You're both right, but is was Ballad of John Henry I was referring to. Thanks!

[@loganhenry1425]

That's Story of a Quarryman

[@blakejohnson7148]

Looks like Mike is no slouch on the guitar his damn self!

[@utubehound69]

Come to Athens Ga I'll hook you up w/a dealer of Old Gibsons Fender….

[@thestuffmikedoes2309]

Joe plays “some of my best friends are black” blues

[@JoseManuelCarmonaRoldan]

What about amps?

[@mattfuller4307]

Two tweed twins 80 watts and two tweed bassmans 50 watts

[@howabouthetruth2157]

ALL YOU YOUNG GUITARISTS start the video on the beginning of the :29 second time stamp & hit PAUSE. Now select 0.25 slow motion speed for the video & play. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION DURING THE :30 SECOND TIME STAMP & FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE PROPER WAY TO WIND GUITAR STRINGS ON THE TUNER POST. THAT IS CALLED: "THE GIBSON WRAP". HERE'S HOW>>>> When ya pass the tag end of the new string through the hole in the tuning post, MAKE YOUR VERY FIRST WIND/WRAP PASS "OVER" THE TAG END OF THE STRING & STOP RIGHT THERE. NOW, BEND THE TAG END OF THE STRING STRAIGHT UP RIGHT WHERE IT EXITS THE HOLE OF THE TUNING POST. NOW CONTINUE WINDING THE REST OF YOUR STRING WRAPS "BELOW" THE TAG END OF THE STRING. As you tighten the string, this "over/under wrap" around that tag end creates a "pinching" effect, acting much like "a locking tuner". THIS IS THE VERY BEST METHOD FOR WINDING STRINGS ONTO YOUR TUNERS & KEEPS THE STRING STABLE AT THE TUNING POST, DRASTICALLY DECREASING CHANCES OF GOING OUT OF TUNE. HERE IS ANOTHER METHOD YOU SHOULD USE FOR TUNING YOUR GUITAR: STRETCH YOUR STRINGS AFTER THEY ARE INSTALLED, THEN TUNE "UP" TO PITCH. IF AT ANY TIME, FOR THE LIFE OF THE STRING, YOU ARE TUNED "SHARP".......NEVER.....EVER...TUNE "DOWN" TO PITCH, ALWAYS TUNE WAY DOWN "BELOW" PITCH ON PURPOSE, AND ONLY THEN, DO YOU CAREFULLY TUNE "UP" TO PITCH. THIS REMOVES ANY "STRING BINDING" IN THE NUT SLOT. In over 4 decades of playing & performing, I've seen VERY FEW younger guitarists using the above 2 methods.....AND THEY BLAME THE GUITAR FOR "GOING OUT OF TUNE". IT'S NOT "THE GUITAR"....There's an old saying: "WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW, WILL HURT YOU"....If you have a properly prepared & placed nut, especially on a Les Paul "3 on 3" type headstock, THE ABOVE 2 METHODS FOR STRINGING AND TUNING WILL KEEP YOUR GUITAR IN TUNE. TRUST ME. THESE METHODS WORK ON ANY TYPE OF HEADSTOCK & SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED. CONGRATS.........NOW YOU KNOW HOW TO STRING & TUNE LIKE US BIG BOYS DO IT. MY GIBSON LES PAUL NEVER WENT OUT OF TUNE WHILE PLAYING ENTIRE SETS. ( Of course you always check and/or re-tune BEFORE you begin the next set of songs, that is standard procedure for ALL stringed instruments. ) PS......Even if only a single string needs tuned, ALWAYS TUNE DOWN BELOW PITCH ON PURPOSE.....AND THEN TUNE "UP" TO PITCH.

[@edwinpringle7342]

Glad you got that out of your system. 😁

[@Maxv02]

He powers his pedals on batteries?! What if one of them dies

[@TheSammyreynolds]

+Maxwell Varey you change the batteries before every show...........

[@Maxv02]

+sammy reynolds I mean if they die in the middle of a show

[@TheSammyreynolds]

Maxwell Varey Batteries last more than 2 or 3 hours.

[@LIKWID]

+Teknical Xtacy Hahaha! Cracked me up lol

[@moonstone8205]

I remember Mike from a guitar forum i was on.......usacharvels.com

[@cooperativ]

All of these "guitar techs" can have their own bands or have their own branded guitar shit

[@bobolsen8067]

"Slow train"is Joes best vocals ever!Sings like a god on that song just wish he would ha gotten rid of the slide guitar.Hate that!Play with your fingers which has this wonderful tone!You have the"x factor"brother but isnt time to grow a beard so you at least look like you 30!...ha.

[@murrmac]

If Cesar Diaz is under the impression that he has a patent for a method of string winding, Cesar Diaz is seriously deluded.

[@thegee-tahguy4877]

Mike Hickey, ever see an effect or device work perfectly with a brand new alkaline 9 volt battery, but totally won't work with a brand new brand name non-alkaline 9 volt battery? Isn't voltage, voltage? Can you splain dat?

[@Matthew_Eitzman]

I would destroy those guitars if I worked on them. I would switch the first and second strings on some of those guitars making it real hard to bend notes on the first string. I wouldn’t be shopping for guitars on my time off. I would sell them and replace them with forgeries.

[@harrycallahan9143]

I'm sorry but this guy is too good of a guitarist to be sorting out other peoples guitars, he should be up there melting faces on stage where he belongs not fucking around backstage.