Joe Bonamassa plays Rory Gallagher's 1959 Esquire

[@51bdc]

I met Rory a few times when he was walking past our school in capwell Cork .He would be walking to Douglas where he lived and lots of us walked with Rory to Douglas talking about his life and music. He was a fantastic ordinary guy and had time for everybody. I was at his concerts in Cork everytime he played there and i will be at the Joe Bonnamassa concert in the marquee in Cork in july 2025 hopefully see lots of Rory Gallagher and Joe Bonnamassa fans there.

[@RetiredinKorea8587]

very cool you met and talked to Rory, just on the street. I didnt know he lived in Cork, after he was popular/famous musician? I figured London? Awesome story.

[@colinbennington4157]

I had the privilege to see Rory at the Reading Festival in the UK in the early 80’s. He played on the Friday night. Came on stage at 10pm. He was still playing at 4am in the morning. Legend. Sadly missed

[@grahamspencer3946]

Yes. I saw him at Reading Festival in 70s. Just brilliant. Also at Sheffield City Hall.

[@Mickey69745]

I enjoyed every interview I've ever seen Joe in. He is such a nice personable guy.

[@RichardHagedorn-ur6qr]

I'm 71 and have heard all the greatest guitarists from Hendrix and Clapton to Eddie Van Halen and Rory is the very best I have ever heard and Joe is almost as good, they both put on incredible performances at the Rockpalast in Germany. Rory's 1979 performance of Tattooed Lady there was absolutely breathtaking and Joe's performance there of Takin' the Hit is almost as good in my book.

[@1955billc]

Rory used to play often in Youngstown, Ohio at a small club called (variously) The Tomorrow Club and The Youngstown Agora. I rarely missed a show when Rory came to town. My sister's boyfriend tended bar there, so drinks on the house! My brother Jimmy and my cousin Nick rocked many nights to this phenomenal talent. RIP, Rory. You are missed!

[@groak7395]

Ive never clicked on a video so fast

[@Bluesrock1815]

I see Rory Gallagher I click

[@godspeed163]

🙋🏽‍♂️

[@paullevine1813]

You like most of us are secretly digging through our shallow pockets for the money to buy such a gem & the strap but the majority of us will only find lint at the bottom of our jeans & that won't get us Rory's guitar. Wish it would!!! If it were mine, I'd take off the strings keep them & restring it & play the hell out of it as Rory would certainly have wanted. Unless it needed some minor repairs from sitting i would not touch or change a thing on it.

[@John-k6f9k]

your sister has big floppy meat curtains

[@jstrat121]

I got to see Rory open for Rush on their “Signals” tour…….he was the first live performance I ever witnessed……..I still haven’t recovered,lol.

[@GrahamsYouTube]

Joes love of guitar and equipment is amazing, his knoweldge is so indepth, and he gets the mojo and plays his guitars, he is like the elder guardian of all things guitar

[@satyanpatel6403]

I know Joe gets a lot of hate, but I like him. Without him we would never get to see these beauties again, and get to hear them, and Joe's take on them and the mini documentaries behind them. It's like a PBS documentary for guitars with Joe. If it wasn't for Joe, we would never get to know the detailed history and it would be in some rich guy's house wall never to be seen or heard again. I for one, can't afford anything expensive and I play my guitars, so I appreciate this.

[@KennyEvansUK]

Joe paid his dues and that's all you need to know.

[@henrydauseb2844]

Why does he get a lot of hate?

[@Transterra55]

Saw Rory here in Memphis in August of ‘79….What an incredible presence.

[@johnn7776]

I bought that Live in Europe album in the mid 70s and several times since in different formats. The vinyl copy is still in the garage somewhere. And I saw Rory Gallagher play twice in Belfast and once in Leeds, also in the late 70s, early 80s. He was adored by the young people on both sides of the political divide because he came to Belfast every year to play, around New Years usually, when no one else would take the risk.

[@bakkels]

He's a legend. The Irish Tour 74 album is just insanely good. A Million Miles Away never fails to deliver the goosebumps. As does Tattoo'd Lady, Walk on hot coals etc. Phenomenal.

[@MilosBrajkovic-rc3ik]

One of the best Live albums ever! Never fogotten!

[@fernandocesar2389]

I still have my LP from 1972!

[@benmarshallproduction]

My god Joe can make a guitar sound glorious 🙌

[@Star-w2b]

Rory would have been proud of you when you played Sloe Gin with his Strat so beautifully. I did cry an ocean. Well done Joe❤

[@paulofreire7520]

Early 70’s, Portugal, no youtube or internet. I was like 14, 15… I had never heard of Rory. A friend from high school, whose father was irish, had the Live in Europe album and my jaw hit the floor. Alongside the Beano album, it brought me into the blues. Huge fan of Rory and huge fan of Joe, too. 🙏🏻

[@bluesdjben]

Love the slide sound on this guitar.

[@ChrisAyres-do4fz]

Glad Joes buyjng all these legends guitars 🎸 as he will make sure they are preserved for future generations to see 👍

[@davidhackett1694]

Saw him in '77 - he had a super cool black Tele with 2 Strat pickups mounted on the pickguard. In the '78 GP interview (cover story!) he said it was a "Telecaster a la Strat."

[@RoryGallagherOfficial]

That's this guitar but Rory took the third pickup out in the 1980s

[@MrLeFilipfloppyvelarde]

What an incredible sound, sounds big and haunting, it was made to olay blues

[@ShadysMyCat]

Great to hear Joe talk and play guitars. Be interesting to see Rory's other guitars too.

[@deanallen927]

That was around the time he was being marketed well by his label and putting out a lot of records. I was buying everything he did as soon as it hit the stores. '78 to '82 was a great time for Rory fans.

[@flea1972]

You can look at Rory's guitars (and gear) on his website. ✌️🤟🤘

[@thesjkexperience]

My oldest is named Rory. He loves the name and enjoys his namesake’s music.

[@edge2sword186]

Rory could play so many instruments fantastic . A huge variety and the energy he showed was second to none . As far as Joe perfect pitch flawless delivery and he could do most peoples music better than the originals .

[@leehambleton9919]

Rory played souped up ford on that guitar some blistering slide playing on that guitar Rory is the GOAT

[@57563]

Good to see Joe. Rory would have loved this.

[@tor5457]

Saw Rory in '71 right after his first solo album came out. He was on the second stage at a festival in Germany. He wore jeans and a t-shirt. I was about twenty feet away. Man, did I love him. To this day. All started with those two Taste albums, the second of which he actually played sax on.

[@michaelsicowitz362]

I saw Rory in Milw July, 1969, Midwest Rock Fest, 3 weeks before that other one, always forget that name, NY somewhere. But anyhow Taste opened this thing, 'who the hell is that guitar player? Great 3 piece and great mixing PA, rare for the time. Their set opened with Blister on the Moon, just awesome, believe their LP wasn't even out yet. I can't remember what guitar he played. Weird cause I remember everything else, I was blessed to b there, 14 yrs old. Zeppelin ended that night, Blind Faith and Johnny Winter - how about that? ...many others

[@danielleomahony2953]

We loved rory 🇮🇪☘️😎💚

[@chrispinto8954]

Joe killer player cool dude

[@1101964]

I hope joe buys one of his guitars. They definitely need to be played.

[@paulrudiger2552]

Rory is a saint

[@spitfireaace]

Joe really appreciates these guitars, not for what they may be worth in dollar terms, but what they are worth in cultural terms.

[@dookieday1]

Rory never sold out ,and did it his way.....

[@heinztania9393]

Rory era feroz, arrasador e apaixonante! Minha droga!

[@johnwright5308]

Love joe .Love what he says about instruments should be used and not just hung on the wall . I'm a big rory gallagher fan for many years ❤

[@bobnicolai5667]

Saw it , and it made me pick up my tele from under the dust together with some old Rory vinyl (Top Priority) ... great week-end ahead 🎸 thx Joe !

[@reed_stamov]

I like your channel it is so high quality

[@TheRightONe-et3gh]

I only saw Rory twice even though I was a hardcore fan. Once in 75 and then in 91. Maybe I missed that but Joe doen't say if he ever saw or met Rory.

[@ericzarbaugh9679]

Rory is smiling and Joe makes me smile.

[@zaprodaju1661]

This is the best sounding tele I've ever heard.

[@gerh33]

Not too long before he died Rory was on ‘The Late Late Show’ here in Ireland (I’m talking about the original version, not the crap it has become since Pat Kenny and the lads since him🙄) Rory played some tunes and did a short interview about his playing, etc. There’s a line in there that I’ve never forgotten and it relates to the Market-Capitalist way of ‘owning stuff cos I can’ approach to musical instruments… Rory says “… just hit the bloody thing…” He loved and lived for guitar and music and we loved (and love) him for that - so if yer going to buy this or any other instrument PLAY IT, don’t stick it in a vault. You owe it to (in this case) Rory to do that. 🇮🇪🇸🇩👍

[@declanhowley4679]

one master who respects another master...❤ from ireland..

[@robertpirsig5011]

Wow this is so so cool.

[@Stlie1]

Joe, please play more slide!

[@lukecassidy6300]

Awesome, thanks Joe 👌🏼

[@davidallen346]

That is one sweet sounding telecaster

[@RyanM81]

Joe sending a warning shot for when Rory's strat goes on sale, later in the year! 😂

[@flea1972]

I believe this is the 'Beat Club Sessions' Esquire. ✌️🤟🤘

[@SD_UK]

Love it. Cheers!

[@smiler693]

love this

[@ZalMoxis]

Joe has the touch..... he's like an old fashioned factory curator for these old guitars....

[@stevesteve1965.]

Thank you.👍

[@Mickey69745]

I saw Rory open for rush in 82. For some reason, he was way way louder than they were.

[@PedalBattle]

That sounds great

[@muiravenue7182]

There is no one better than Bonnamassa to do that Tribute he is amazing and a nice guy - but I think he will pull out all stops - there is time and I might Go there.

[@jeremythornton433]

Awesome!

[@supermashriq]

It'd be nice if Joe acquired some of Rory's collection. He's not precious about taking valuable guitars on the road, and that'd be preferable to them disappearing from public life.

[@jeremythornton433]

i agree. nothing bugs me more than when a "famous" guitar ends up in a collection and never gets played. It's a musical instrument FFS! It needs to be played.

[@paullevine1813]

Be nice to this guitar in his collection so at least it would get played & showered with respect for just how great Rory was as a player & a person. Rory would have wanted someone to play his guitars & not buy them to hang on a wall. Got to fell very sad for his brother to watch his brothers' guitars go to someone else but if they have to go let it be a player like joe. I was a lucky young lad getting to see Rory in the 70s several times & he was pure music & one KILLER BAND all through the 70s & yea past them as well. Joe's dad had the 1972 live LP way before Irish Tour 74 & my copy was US print, so it just said Rory Gallagher Live & not in Europe which i guess was the UK release. Both were Rory's finest not just because he was so good, but it was all on home soil & those fans knew he was there for them. Brave as hell during those terrible days in Ireland but he knew those folks loved him & they sure did as do we. Miss him dearly. 🎸🔥

[@elflakeador09]

The Donal fella always hit me as being a bit on the hungry side.

[@kalesmythe]

Im not one to obsess over vintage gear but this sounds unreal

[@gazb2069]

Cant think of a better guardian for Rorys old gear.

[@stratman9449]

when i saw Rory in 72 and again in mid/late 80s he played a white Telecaster for his slide songs....

[@davelock3166]

In 76 I traded in my Ibanez Ricky copy bass for a 63 Fender Jazz. As joe says, guitars were not collected back in the day.

[@BurninSven1]

I saw him play (and dancing behind the mic in his gym shoes) when he played the Tivoli Concert hall when I lived in Copenhagen in the late 70 ies (I think it was, I blame the weed lol).

[@Bane_d_Bronson]

Throaty tone there,so good!

[@TheDudeMinds89]

If you close your eyes and just listen to his voice, he sounds like Dewey Cox talking guitar

[@williamrobinson7435]

Great to see this, in Mr Bonamassa's hands. Would you say that the Fender Esquire is the equivalent of the Gibson Les Paul Jnr? Thanks for taking the time to do these thumbnail thingoes Sir, they are appreciated! 🎶🌟👍

[@joemcgraw5529]

Nice Guitar and sounds amazing ,Is that the original finish ? it sure looks nice congrats Joe shes very clean

[@tsj7545]

It was refinned

[@ronbell3781]

yeah, I know.

[@regandunn4850]

I had one of them serial number 603 that eas lost in travel by a airlines company

[@joe.b944]

Can all the haters just piss off. If you don’t like it watch something else

[@jimbanda]

💪💪👏👏

[@knoxyish]

rory gallagher could have played a washboard into a tub of water an made it sound good .the fender esquire was an is a cheap guitar that was how fender designed them for really simple the magic comes from the players like Rory and he was special.

[@johnsmith-ug5tp]

Brother.

[@baystreetblues]

In 1972 I bought a natural finish Tele brand new with a hard case for $183.

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Ash Teles are no more!

[@bluesrocker91]

Rory's guitars, especially his Strat, should stay in Ireland.

[@ItsJustRyan89]

Why?

[@bluesrocker91]

@@ItsJustRyan89 Because Rory was an Irish cultural icon, and his main Stratocaster, being almost as iconic as the man himself is essentially a cultural artefact, as well as being a tangible connection to one of the country's most venerated sons.

[@David-vu7zy]

Like Joe said, “they’re tools” and need to be played. Not sitting a museum. I’m Irish and would love to see it travel the world making beautiful music again.

[@ItsJustRyan89]

@@bluesrocker91 the Irish seem to have such strange standards.

[@bluesrocker91]

@David-vu7zy Joe would say that, because he wants them for his private hoard.

[@frankschrodinger1424]

what tuning is that, anyone?

[@bongnp]

looks like giant frets. whoh!

[@shaunfogarty5744]

My Grandpappy's 1951 no name just Fender decal Esquire has the original factory strings! Crusty old big fat things.

[@moose6676]

Had the pleasure of seeing Rory Gallagher 3 times in the 70s was just a lad. He was just amazing. Wondering how much Joe paid for the Telecaster 🙈 👍🏻 Thanks for the video 👍🏻

[@dukeford8893]

With all the video around showing Rory playing this ax do we really need to see Joe B. with it?

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

But it's too bad you can't hook up with Donal Gallahger and see if you can get ahold of the strat too

[@Riverdeepnwide]

I was going to name a son Rory. We had all girls. 😊

[@JohnJarvis-d8n]

‘You know!’

[@GerryBlue]

Almost made me quit watching 😅

[@Ottophil]

@@GerryBluewhy? Everyone has things they say alot you know

[@GerryBlue]

@@Ottophil Yes, *I know* 😂

[@iagobroxado]

I was thinking the same, you know?

[@davidwoods358]

In hindsight, I would never have converted it. It went from being a one pickup 59 Esquire top loader to just another Telecaster, Indistinguishable from any other Tele. Just my opinion, which means little to nothing .. or even less than.

[@jonholland6067]

Exactly, Rory liked it

[@KossoffFan]

From what I recall, it was modded before Rory got it. So he didn't mind messing with it. The earliest form I've seen it in, it had the neck pickup and a black pickguard. Rory didn't like the pickguard because it had some psychedelic decor on it. So he found a white one to put on it and just went from there.

[@Sika1956]

I just saw this guitar a few minutes ago here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/anjIeqyXrs5gfpo

[@hw2508]

I hope this guitars will be played. It is a shame to hide them in collections and don't let them sing.

[@terencehealy5110]

Jo how was that telly tuned because your playing slide so I'm guessing not standard tuning

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

How can a '59 look like it's just off the rack?

[@UmbertoRonco]

i've the suspect he didn't liked it too much.....he has a lot of esquires so....

[@paulstaffordcook8799]

That’s the impression I got too…..

[@iagobroxado]

Thinking the same, like he was struggling to find something to say. Seems he didn't like the birdge pickup and the action was suited for slide only.

[@KossoffFan]

Well he did say it had Rory's strings on it. So those strings are at least 30 years old.

[@UmbertoRonco]

@@KossoffFan but Is not true because they wrote a reminder wich says those are not Rory's strings.

[@KossoffFan]

@@UmbertoRonco That doesn't mean Joe didn't know that. Garbage strings can be garbage strings, whether they're a year old or 30 years old.

[@scaredypicker]

It’s true that guitars are built to be played. Leave em hanging on a wall, on a stand or in a case and they slowly fall into disrepair

[@elflakeador09]

How they are even selling these guitars in the first place in sad.

[@steveferry4922]

Taste

[@stewarttomkinson3356]

When I seen his guitar was for sale, I had a feeling Joe Bonamassa was gonna end up with it

[@Panic42000]

You know!! Dang he says “you know” a million times.

[@BlueBeeMCMLXI]

That comparison to Auto Worker lost me. No auto guy will ever write metaphysical poetry with the Blues, Joe.

[@jamesmalthaner72]

Tele esquires brother right [all guitars have nuts]

[@DeborahHenry-c2v]

Will you marry me Joseph?

[@johnwall1]

Captain Obvious

[@hesch-tag]

Yes but enough about you.

[@mazukakai]

The Quentin Tarantino of guitar

[@christopherohara68]

In the picture of Rory his Esquire has three pickups but not in Joe's hands. Another mod.

[@bongcrosby5598]

I'm sure he's a nice guy but I don't get why Bonamassa gets so much attention...he's good but I always feel underwhelmed when I listen to him play.

[@thenoobassassin]

lol obviously don’t listen enough or have seen the guy live

[@stewarttomkinson3356]

Which one you gonna buy Joe you know you are he’s got enough of them. You’re gonna buy one and you’ll use it way to go.

[@alleycat27]

Title says "playing" not talking. Change the title to "talking"

[@Ottophil]

He plays it, what do you call the notes?

[@dougdavis8986]

Good one Beavis.