Joe Bonamassa Setup REVEALED | Mike Hickey Interview | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 103 | Thomann

Joe Bonamassa's guitar tech, the legendary Mike Hickey explains us how Joe likes his guitars set up, he lets us take a look behind the curtains and we obviously talk "bursts" too.
This is an in-depth interview with all the infos you need for Joes's guitar setup and some cool stories on top.
Grab your guitar, some tools, a drink and enjoy the video!
Check out the Guitar Tech Tips playlist for all the other episodes:
• Guitar Tech Tips with ...
Gear used: bit.ly/3k0ZZvk
Recorded in Presonus Studio One: bit.ly/S1Pro6
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/uadx1
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: tho.mn/sonar
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
0:53 How long have you been working with Joe?
3:26 Joe's guitars, amps and tone
7:06 Those tweed Twin Reverbs...
9:46 Is that a (Les Paul) Burst in your hands?
11:57 String change on a Les Paul
17:07 Nut sauce
18:29 Mike's special string knot
23:03 Now I finally got the knot right :) Here's how it goes.
24:40 "I don't fix amps"
25:55 Tour horror story
28:34 Tune up and stretch the strings
29:53 Let's talk straps and strap locks on vintage guitars
31:03 Joe's guitar setup | string action and pickup height
33:53 Let's talk bursts | how come Joe prefers 60's Les Pauls?
36:09 Time for a test ride with Joe's setup
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[@gtr1952]

Mike is such a nice guy!! I first met Joe on a cold winter Sunday night. He was 14 years old, and it was at a bar in Rochester NY called The Red Creek Inn. His dad was driving him and they were on the New York State Thruway tour, playing small venues close to the stops on the paid highway. We had a gig in town also but it was cancelled due to bad weather. LOL. There were only a dozen people in the 200 seat venue. They played anyway, and we got to sit with and visit with his Father the whole time! Joe wasn't much of a talker yet, and just said, hi I'm Joe and I play guitar. LOL. I don't remember the year, but I'm 70 now, so awhile ago. I'm semi-retired and have a micro-guitar shop in my house. I turn away, and/or refer more work than I do LOL. I prefer to build solid body electric guitars from very old wood I spend all summer tracking down!! I don't usually do this, thanks for reading! Peace---- gary

[@edub1170]

Cool memory Gary thanks for sharing. The guitar lifestyle is the way to go - my flat top never broke my heart!

[@stamppedals3536]

Hi Gary just Stunning information

[@budgetguitarist]

Mike Hickey is a legend. One thing I'd say after watching this whole video - if you're getting into guitar setups, get a string action gauge and USE it. Mike might be able to tell two thousands of an inch by feel, but you likely won't. Being able to set up a guitar exactly the same eliminates the "this feels different" thing. They're cheap and they're great. Great video - Mike's stories are awesome.

[@AuntAlnico4]

😂 No guitar set-up is exactly the same, no matter the consistency in builds . I've got a couple of the new Deans and the quality control of amazing and the necks are exactly the same shape and perfectly straight but the 3 I've got don't have the same action or height of strings. Despite being perfectly straight and the same shape and scale length instrument the string height and action are not even close . It's because of the nut and string slots being cut slightly higher or lower which makes the difference between scale length therfore the difference in action.

[@joshpointoh]

I'm sure you'll get comments about how "no 2 guitars will feel identical!"; but hopefully most people get your point. Knowing that you like your low E 1.75mm and your high E 1.25mm is great to know and a great starting point for every guitar you get afterwards. I definitely have some guitars where I set my action quite a bit higher, but I wouldn't know that if I didn't measure my action with a gauge

[@alexbostelle287]

We are living in a guitar leaning rennisiance, totally righteous content. Praise to all the living legends that are sharing their nuggets of wisdom, priceless!

[@chriss9274]

I really enjoyed your interview style and the flow of this. Being a Bonamassa fan, I was pretty stoked to get a little insider info. Thanks for taking the time to put this up for the rest of us!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Same here man, I didn't want to cut out all the fun parts, geeky stuff and the stories just to keep this video short. Glad you liked it! //Kris

[@shanecheries6201]

I grew up in the same town as Mike and have had the pleasure of watching him grow as a musician from the early days down at R&B music in Athol till now ... You've been an inspiration to me as a musician and you are definitely a legend...keep on doing your thing

[@CountryBoyShane]

I've gotten weird looks for YEARS stretching my strings. Glad I'm not alone! It really helps with tuning stability if you bend a ton!

[@The..Butterfly..Effect]

I love the Setup REVEALED videos - and this one is really good

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

So glad to hear that! I absolutely loved making this video. Mike is a great guy! Cheers //Kris

[@jarcidiacono1]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses Hey! I don't understand the ball end thing on the strings, where does he get the ball ends from? The strings already have a ball end but he adds something else as a spacer? Where does he get those pieces? Thanks!!!

[@andyguitar3805]

@@jarcidiacono1 I guess that he uses the balls from an used string set - that's what I would do ;-)

[@TheConverter330]

I have top wrapped for years and snip the ball(or ferrule) off the outgoing string and thread it onto the new string,simples 🙂

[@badtonestudio]

Great video! I hope Mike does his book, It’d be a great piece of burst history.

[@hugotyson308]

That's how I've strung my Les Pauls for the last few decades in regards to wrapping it around the tuners and lubricating the nut. If I use 11 gauge I top wrap over the tailpiece. They stay in tune perfectly!

[@edfederoff2679]

Love it!! Great content - and that wrap-over technique is the quickest and tightest way I've seen to wrap a post.

[@poesybeat]

Top wrapped my SG today after watching this. Instantly came to life. Nice!

[@DonTheGuitarGuy]

I have long used Mike's method, only thing I do different is for the D and G I wind up instead of down, that solves the bad string angle flaw notorious with Les Paul's and it will stay in tune even better.

[@markusaurelius777]

I saw a video of a guy who added a string tree for the D and G strings on a LP style headstock. I tried it and it works ! That winding "up" instead of "down" works as well.

[@Bluesman1965]

Mike is always a great interview! Wealth of knowledge

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Super nice dude and an amazing musician! Thanks for watching! //Kris

[@Wurmt0ngue]

Im always chasing low action against fret buzz, I love seeing how pros have their stuff set up. It helps to make me feel like its normal.

[@navigatori9797]

Fret buzz is normal as long as you don't hear it through the amp. I also play low action, all my guitars have fret buzz and I couldn't care less. You play through the amp anyways, right?

[@paullee563]

@@navigatori9797 ex

[@rattleshakti]

Wow what a great guy, and that restringing tip was pure gold. Great interview buddy cheers from the UK.

[@rushedandlost]

I have seen Joe five or six times. The last time in Cheyenne Wy, Noticed a different guitar tech on scene. There were a couple of issues that came up during the show. The "new" guy is not A Mike Hickey. I've seen Mike at the other shows I've been to. They went off without a hitch of any kind. Great interview. Thanks. Looking forward to the next Joe Bonamassa show.

[@younkinjames8571]

I had the pleasure of meeting Mike. We had several conversations while sitting on some amps at Retromusic in Keene NH. What a nice guy.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Mike is awesome! I had the same experience as you. Cool dude, lot's of experience. Thanks for watching! //Kris

[@tangentz0007]

I started this string wrap with extra ball ends years ago after watching a Joe B. video. It makes a difference in the tuning and the string tension. Now I have replaced the nut with a compensated Graphtech Tusq black nut xl. Huge lp improvement! Now I have added an aftermarket fine tuning bridge (not expensive Gibson-cheap Chinese) Installed original Sperzel tuners years ago. An original Kahler locking nut is going on this week so after years of mods my les paul studio 2008 is basically done. All the electronics are custom RS guitar Works -as is the neck pickup: Brandon wound t top. The bridge is now a Dimarzio super distortion. There are also 2 orange drop sprague caps installed for more mids. Done. 200% improvement over factory Gibson. My strings are Slinky 008s as I'm older. Any questions write me.

[@kevinguilfoyle8055]

Where did you get a pack of those ball-ends? I'm hunting high and low and can't seem to find them!

[@keokiheller4351]

Great vid as usual! Kris seems like a super kool & humble dude and wow that “test ride” at the end shows his buttery playing style! Nice!🤙🏽

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thank you so much Keoki, that's very kind of you! I'm just a big guitar junkie and I really enjoy these talks. Mike is an awesome dude, it is an honour having him on the channel. Cheers //Kris

[@peterschmidt9942]

Damn those twins must be loud AF. My first every amp I bought was a twin reverb in the early 90's and worked you had to crank the bejesus out of it to get the most minimal amount of distortion. Plus it was pretty heavy too. I ended up trading it for something much smaller that distorted more to my liking and still have that amp. Although part of me wishes I had kept it and sold it now for the price increase LOL. I used to do that fishermans knot thing as advised by Gibson for years. But changed a few years ago to this method as well. The only thing I do different sometimes (depending on the guitar) is I bent up the unwound strings (G B E) and lock it under the top wind as there's no possible way its going to slip - ever. There's just not enough meat hanging out like the wound strings to lock it in place. I'm a little surprised how high the treble strings are. Still interesting to see how other like to setup their guitars. But each to their own and whatever works. If we all did things the same it would be a pretty boring world.

[@mjbbell]

Yeah when I saw Joe in Edinburgh at the hmv picture house, to this day it been the best sounding gig I’ve been too

[@paulofreire7520]

Great interview. Mike is a legend on his own. Look forward for his book. 👍🏻

[@TomTurbo-wh6op]

NIce, that the 40+ years old knowledge of the Rockinger Guitars "DAS MANUAL" still works and even for such a seasoned pro like Mike.. Only thing I miss, is someone talking about tayloring your humbuckers by using the polescrews whilst sinking the pickup to around 5-6mm under the strings.

[@Dang...]

Excellent interview! Very well done. Thanks so much!!!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks for watching! I loved making it, Mike is awesome! //Kris

[@electrolytics]

Always great content on this channel. Thank you.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks so much for watching! Cheers //Kris

[@rickylee4979]

Be great to see a strat version of this as well!!

[@brucemaier3943]

Really enjoyed your show! I have seen JB LIVE 3x and once I sat in front of him - I mean, about ten feet away at some special event years ago. Followed his channel and about his set up and rig and all. However, I learned more from your interview with Mike Hickey about Joe's set up that from anything else. By the way, you're a great guitarist yourself! I'm now a fan!

[@Lew.Jeffreys]

Mike the firebird incident was at the Sec Armadillo in Scotland, I was there front row haha, was hilarious 😆

[@BillAltman]

thats how we string em in Asheville NC! thats all you need

[@yankeesrule64]

Thanks for another great video. My string height has gotten higher over the years. It’s easier to bend and I feel tapping and pull offs are easier with it higher. Better tone too. IMO

[@paulcowart3174]

There is a tone secret on Teles from Gatten and Buchanan They want the down bow a bit Works for me Love it

[@jimqartworks]

best guitar tech tips I have watched so far! THANKS so MUCH!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks for watching Jim! //Kris

[@loupascarelli]

WOW ! YOU 2 GUYS ARE AMAZING .. WHICH I COULD GET SOMEONE TO WORK ON MY GUITARS .. THANKS FOR THE VIDEOS ..

[@starchild6347]

Great video. I’d love to see the set up of Kenny Wayne Shepherd 🎸🔥

[@StephenGarcia-p6x]

Awesome video and interview!!

[@rosshorne4769]

Thanks for doing this Mike and Thomann , bravo

[@lone-wolf-1]

That’s a very good stringing technique! Have one single concern: by wrapping the first above the string you induce a torsion on the string! The torsion is locked in the string because if the top wrapping. If classic strung, you could go back to get the torsion out. Torsioned strings will not sound as good as straight ones! Nobody will hear the difference, but due the laws of fizics it‘s an obvious fact. But I do it different: 1. I cut the strings to have as many winds on the post as possible, and past the waist of it. My theory: why just 2-2,5 winds? Because 1,5 winding does slip. So, only the last 1,5 winds are prone to slippeage. So it doesn‘t matter if you have 5 or 20 wounds on the post, just the last 1,5 wrap could slip. Next thing: the angle to the saddle gets slightly steeper and the last wound will press against those above, causing more friction. With this method I have close to zero slippeage! 2. I put a hook like kink on the end of the strings facing against the tuning rotation. So no spike poking out. Then I start to wind, holding high tension. Every full turn I’m pushing the string with a dull butterknife upwards. So the wounds are pressed tightly together with max. friction. 3. if the windings pass the „waist“ of the tuning post, the string pull will push all the windings upwards, towards the wounds above. Causing even more friction. 4. The last string winds are past the often very sharp edges of the hole. So less breakage too. I can divebomb, if the nut is perfect, the return in tune will be also to 98-99%. 😊 We could argue about tone: I think a string leaving a tuning post at the bottom provides a tighter tone and maybe a bit more sustain. A string at the top of the post will cut a bit of sustain due the elastic give of the post. Here are my measurements: Distance between tuner posts is about 24 mm. So I cut the strings with an excess of: E: 50mm (2 posts)= 2,5 wraps A: 60mm (2,5 posts)= 3,5 wraps D: 75mm (3 posts)= 4,5 wr. G: 96mm (4 posts)= 5,5 wr. B: 108mm (4,5 posts)= 6,5 wr. e: 120mm (5 posts)= 7,5 wr. Only downside of my method: pretty time consuming, 4-5 Minutes per string. 🤷🏻‍♂️ But I don‘t care, because I change strings every 5-6 years on my six guitars. 😝

[@Ottophil]

Dude. at first i thought you were crazy by the end. I screenshot it. Gonna try this myself, you’re my kind of myth buster

[@lone-wolf-1]

@@Ottophil Glad to read this. Yeah, try it. There is no downside to my method, and after 2-3 guitars you will get faster, and need just 2 minutes per string. Happy playing!🤘🏻

[@piemmetubo]

Thank you sooo much for this video! I learned a lot! 🤩

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks a lot for watching! //Kris

[@stevejewett3650]

I was afraid for a moment because they called it the special string knot I thought it might be the dreaded luthier's knot, but all turned out well and correct. *Whew*!

[@budgetguitarist]

Awesome! Joe is a fantastic player.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

He really is! Thanks for watching! //Kris

[@gilmanoel]

Hi! I couldn't quite understand the height of the pickups. What measurement using 64th or 32th? Thanks!

[@michaelpal7641]

Best vid seen in a long time on top wrapping-I get it-My question is-If you have a Les Paul that's set-up conventional-and you go to top wrap-What are you doing to the tail piece? And what are you doing to the Bridge? Are you screwing down the tail piece first and then re-setting the saddles back/or forward? I would think you would have to re-set your intonation because you changed your break angle? Purchasing a Les Paul in the near future and would like to try this method. Thanks for your answer in advance. Happy New Year!

[@reflectormate4814]

Do the this stringing for more than 20 years, never had stay in tune problems

[@alexking4463]

Loved it !! With all due respect i think that was counter clockwise

[@JohnPakalenka]

Really enjoyed this! Happy to see you don't put sailor knots on the string!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks a lot! Yeah, no need for crazy knots. Cheers //Kris

[@claytonphelps9911]

Good to see Mike, awesome video, made my day

[@GerryBlue]

Watch this at 1.25, perfect, great tips and insights, thanks

[@kineasx]

I use the same knot to string my guitars too, however I learnt it from Justin guitar about 15 years ago.

[@Graham_xxx]

Justin is a top man!

[@kineasx]

@@Graham_xxx Yeh, back then, there was only a handful of guys on the internet making guitar content. In this video though, it's shown as being "Mike's special string knot" which lead me to believe I was going to see something new, I suppose I could add my name to that title whenever I show someone else it!

[@paulhuddleston1558]

wow learnt so much restringing always a chore , cant wait to try Mikes and Joes way , brill .

[@limpindug]

A great interview guys thanks, for Joe being such a guitar geek I was a wee bit dismayed to lean his set up was to the nearest hammer blow 😂 I would have bet cash money it would have been lightband tight. 👍🥃Respect to you fellas.

[@houstonsheltonbees814]

This is awesome man thanks 👍

[@joelmanudo]

Amazing interview!!

[@christopherguzzi1316]

Great advice on stringing a Les Paul. I will definitely try this way. Also, interesting to note the action on the high e is higher than the low e.

[@frantisca]

Yeah you want a tad more margin to grab the string and bend the hell out of it !

[@markusaurelius777]

@@frantisca Some like the action on the high E lower than the low E.

[@Gudebrothers]

I'd give this a thumbs up, but I'd hate to ruin that!!! '86 Les Paul Custom, top wrapping for years now and it was due to a Joe or Mike gear vid. Used to break a lot of strings. Top wrap has meant zero problems until next string change. I play daily and HATE changing strings.

[@stanislavmigra]

Who is excited about JB Fender 48 Dual amp? I am :D Mike is AWESOME guitar player himself and treat to listen to. Lots of my guitar setup tricks I snipped from his videos.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Oh me too Stan, can't wait to see and play one. Hopefully I will have the chance to check it out. 😎 Cheers //Kris

[@paultrombetta]

Totally agree with Tony's tech. Light stretch cool.

[@gs7788]

fantastic! What Relief?

[@TheButchersApprentice]

Awesome, thanks for putting this up

[@Glicksman1]

I also top wrap my LP Burst, but not my SG because the top-wrapped break angle behind the bridge on an SG is too shallow due to the closeness of the tailpiece to the bridge. I raise my SG's tailpiece bar a little to ease the break angle. The position of he tailpiece bar as it affects beak angle may change the feel of the strings to a small degree, a shallower break angle definitely improving the string' s harmonic quality.. But lowering or raising it does not does not, in my experience, change the sustain either way. Over many, many years I have found that lighter strings produce more harmonic quantity, not to mention how much better the guitar feels with them and how much better I can play when I'm not fighting a heavy string set. The old Stevie Ray "heavy strings make for bigger/better tone" thing is a de-bunked myth that regrettably handicapped so many players.. I use a flatwound .008 - 039 set that I make up from Thomastik Infeld strings on everything. They stay fresh-sounding for a very long time and work best for me.

[@paulthomasmiller1842]

Excellent information. Thanks for sharing.

[@cliffrex3252]

Mike, you're a legend ! Great insights !!

[@lesbois53]

I have never had any of these problems on any of my Gibbos. I have always just put 10 gauge strings on as normal, and just played. I have been pro and semi pro for over 50 years. I cannot be doing with all this complicated stuff. Top wrapping? I tried it on an SG. I lost sustain and also it took all the gold plating off the tailpiece. As long as I stretch the strings before a gig, everything is ok. Will try this string winding method though. Thanks.

[@babagadoush1]

This was great. Damn those strings are thick!!!!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Yeah, true. But you know what? I got used to them within a few days. Now I love them on E standard and I can finally tune down to E flat standard without any string wobbles. That's so cool! //Kris

[@BlindTom61]

Big thanks.

[@Murphy_R9]

In a recent rig run down I watched Joe did say overall he prefers the sound of the 60's burst. He brought up they have the short tenon and said he likes the tomato soup color. Tone wise he said they bark more?

[@bongnp]

to keep the wrappings from sticking out the back of the bridge, I've had to put two ball ends on.

[@00xanawolf00]

Loved this.

[@kmichaelp4508]

I would love to see a complete stage! Make it happen pal😊

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Do you mean a live rig video? Count me in! Joe? Are you listening? 😉 Cheers //Kris

[@kmichaelp4508]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses , Kris, ya. I know there has been many throughout the years but it’s time to update. Tell Bill howdy 😊

[@pascal_7441]

Nice tips!! Impressive.

[@kol1188]

Awesomes Videos. You guys need to do some of the modern guitarist. Jason Richardson, Tim Henson, Abasi, Nick Johnston, just to give some names.

[@martinshelton4725]

Finally!!!!!!

[@duanewelsh5611]

Great video! Always wished I could meet Mike and pick his brain. This is next best thing.

[@padgreen]

Cool interview.

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks a lot Patrick! //Kris

[@johnlloyd9613]

Great show!!

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks John! //Kris

[@you0nlylivetwice]

I would love to see one of these videos with Slash's tech

[@markpfeffer4693]

Question about the ball ends - he's adding an extra ball end (say from an old set of strings)? Great video and series btw. Thank you

[@JamesVandevanter]

Just when ya think you know everything about string change....thank you this fits with how I was taught,but better.

[@thegolfnut812]

Really enjoyed the video and appreciate you and Mike taking the time. I did the overwind on my LP and like it better. I completely rewired my LP and put in all new pots. This weekend I'm installing my new Ron Ellis LRP's. I like the way he recommends stringing and not dragging the string over the nut. I've always stretched my strings as that keeps the strings in tune otherwise playing the guitar goes out of tune. I replaced my tuners with a set of locking Kluson tuners to stop the G string slip. Anyway, good stuff, I wish I could get Mike to be my set up guy ;-)

[@frankdiaz1005]

hey mike thanks for the info

[@Aaron.k19]

That was a fantastic video, Thankyou

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Thanks for watching! 🙏 //Kris

[@Acidus_13]

That's some amazing knowledge! I would also like to know how he sets up the Strat for Joe as well?! (Sorry if that is no proper english 😂)

[@LewJensEmaMar]

Would love to see this kind of video with James Hetfield’s guitar tech

[@billtotolo]

Wonder if he matches the pickup pole radius with the neck radius? Didn’t seem too concerned about it.

[@MarceloDurham]

You guitar on this video are those the mojotone pickups?

[@monmac1165]

Hello guys.....is it possible to make a rare request for Hank Marvin's guitar tech, Lionel Ward? I think he also services Eric Clapton....A lot of old foggies like me are very interested in his setups of Hank's different guitars....thanks in advance.

[@jmabs5096]

17:40 "metal to metal contact doesn't need lubrication " Any engine in the world "ARE YOU CRAZY! WE NEED OIL " Not to sure about that, metal to metal contact needs lubrication, although I never heard of anyone putting lube on the actual bridge, that makes sense though so the strings to bind

[@Itai_H]

Joe Bonamassa is a god

[@tomfoolery2082]

U measured the action , was tht at the12th fret ? Thks .

[@sumitchandraagarwal]

When measuring the string height is he measuring it with the strings on the nut or the strings held at the first fret to take the nut height out of the result?

[@xti2020]

Another great one

[@traceyjakubski3650]

Theres pictures of clapton in the bluesbreaker days with topwrapping ...it seems they all did this at one point !

[@markinthemix6055]

Great video

[@luker9512]

Finding out the higher (G B e) string action is slightly higher than the low strings for bending makes so much sense and made me feel my whole life up to this point has been a lie 🤣🤣🤣

[@babagadoush1]

Make the book!!!!!

[@Herrimanheffy]

Please produce a setup clio for a Les Paul - Bass - THX!

[@jeremyjames8678]

So many people claim to have come up with the ball-end idea lol, it was done long before the 90's

[@shooterx9690]

Billy Gibbons uses super light gauge strings. .007’s - he’s not too wrapping because of heavy strings.

[@spudwashington3880]

I know I run my action high on my gibsons , I prefer for note clarity

[@attherateofarobase]

At 33:26 is Mike actually saying that Joe adjusts his action on stage or adjusting pickup height?

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Yes, that's what Mike told. It's surely not a regular thing, but apparently it happened a few times already. //Kris

[@attherateofarobase]

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses Cool thanks Kris. I guess there's a limit to how much he can do that as it would put it slightly out of tune

[@mbaraka92]

I was like NOOOOO when I saw you cutting the D string too short / too early at 24:18 :D

[@madblue1668]

How’s the neck relief? I believe they have the neck pretty damn straight w minimum relief…

[@ThomannsGuitarsBasses]

Yep, pretty straight but not completely. Joe is not a "loose truss rod type player" as far as I know. //Kris