Rig Rundown: Joe Bonamassa [2022]

After moving back to New York City, Joe Bonamassa spent some lockdown time in Germano Studios in Manhattan’s NoHo neighborhood, tightly winding the music for his latest album, Time Clocks. His longtime producer Joe Shirley had to work with the powerhouse guitarist remotely, from his home in Australia. Yet the result is as seamlessly Bonamassa as ever, with riveting guitar work that has echoes ranging from Africa to Led Zeppelin. “My ADD transcends into my musical life,” the other JB told longtime Premier Guitar contributor Joe Charupakorn in our December feature. “It’s a very different record for me. It’s not a blues record, for sure. I just try to make records that don’t bore me all the way through—we’ve got this groove covered, we’ve got that groove covered, let’s put a sorbet in, something out of left field.”

They don’t serve sorbet at Nashville’s hallowed Ryman Auditorium music hall—although I’m putting that in their suggestion box. But Bonamassa did dish out plenty of guitar flambé at his August 2 headliner there. And melded the music of Time Clocks with a selection of some of his favorite classic and original blues. PG’s JB—that’s me—connected with Joe onstage before the show, where I also did a Rig Rundown with that other guy with my initials in 2018.

This time, there were some new members of Bonamassa’s ever-growing-and-shrinking collection of gear—which he spoke about at length earlier this year with Cory Wong on the rhythm guitar kingpin’s Wong Notes podcast for PG—pressed into service, including some recent-arrival Les Pauls, of course, and perhaps the most covetable collection of historic badass amps ever played on the Ryman stage. But rareness, novelty, or familiarity isn’t what determines which toys come out to play. Bonamassa starts by building a rough set list, and then chooses the right instrument and amps for each song. So, watch, look, and listen!

00:00 - D'Addario XPND Pedalboard
00:15 - Joe Bonamassa Guitar Solo Intro
01:28 - Joe Bonamassa Intro
01:56 - 1968 Fender Telecaster Thinline w/ B-Bender
05:01 - 1951 Fender “Nocaster”
07:32 - "The Best" 1955 Fender Stratocaster
08:49 - 1965 Fender Stratocaster
10:46 - 1955 Fender "Bonnie" Stratocaster
13:12 - 1976 Gibson Firebird Bicentennial
15:17 - Gibson Custom Shop "Amos" Flying V Replica
16:24 - 1964 Gibson ES-355
18:04 - 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard
19:19 - 1958 Gibson Les Paul Standard
20:37 - 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard "Royal Albert"
23:17 - 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard
24:26 - 1955 Fender Stratocaster
28:26 - Joe Bonamassa's Amps (Fenders, Dumbles, Marshalls)
40:08 - Joe Bonamassa's Pedalboard

#rigrundown #joebonamassa #guitar

[FretsNirvana]

Thanks Joe for showing my 1960 Les Paul "Blessing" off in this rig rundown. very kind of you ...and you are putting it through its paces! Adding more value to it so that when we eventually donate the proceeds from the sale of it to Homes For Our Troops ...it will be adding even more blessings in life. You are a true "pay it forward" guy....keep on rocking.

[jipes]

Each time I hear Joe Bonamassa over the years he seems to be the most passionate and funny guy which possess an incredible talent and a ferocious determination !

[tofromks]

Joe is one of those rare artists who are still just good dudes. He has every excuse to not be accessible yet he’s candid and willing to share his knowledge and talent with those of us who are simply in awe of his talent.

[VonBluesman]

That was awesome. Total respect to Joe Bonamassa who not only is a great musician and person, he raises thousands of dollars for musicians, homeless people, provides instruments for school kids, and employees a lot of people. Thank you Joe.

[luizdejesus]

JB rig rundowns are just the best (period)...

[johncrace]

Joe seems like the nicest guy. He is like a kid at Christmas.He loves the guitars, amps and performing.I wish him much happiness pursuing his love for music.

[theharvardyard]

One of the few "cork sniffers" who ACTUALLY makes the best use of all his expensive gear. No pretense, he really uses that stuff for all it's worth and sounds fantastic as a result! Always a treat to see.

[monkeybooby]

This is why Joe is great. Look at some other rig rundowns (all are great for sure) but artists often have their techs talk. Then, you get Joe at the height of his career and enjoying talking about and playing his gear. He even lets John hold the Strat. Just s great guy.

[sigreg]

Bonamassa is a wonderfully fun and funny, and so very talented, musician. I’m really glad to see these videos because they show us that he’s down to earth, just enjoying his time.

Those Twins sound stunning!

[RJRonquillo]

Thoughts and prayers to PG's single SM57 doing it's best to pick up the entire Amp Shanty sound lol.

[thinkingjack]

John’s enthusiasm and Joe’s passion and comedy really really work off each other

[dennisp]

Bohlinger - man, he can be SO enthusiastic. It is fun to watch how excited he gets. He's also a good moderator. Doesn't usually step on the person he's interviewing.

[jimwatson]

I think there's a market for Joe to do guitar oriented stand up comedy in the middle of his shows. If you've never seen him live, you're missing out. He's truly a devastating player.

[AndyCooper]

Nothing better than listening to Joe walk us through his gear 😍🎸

[Tim_Duran]

I love how Joe knows everything about his guitars and that the story behind them is as important as the sound and how it plays.

[PoiticayNcorrect]

Premier Guitar: "Hey Joe. Can you give us your rig rundown?"
Joe Bonamassa: "You got a month to spare?"

[TheTribute]

He’s so genuine, so humble, and so hilarious. Awesome to listen to someone just be real about how much they love guitars and gear. Just bought my first Gibson Les Paul R8 Dirty lemon burst 2018 after 14 years of staring at them in magazines and YouTube. Got it with a Mesa boogie 22 caliber studio combo plus and it’s a dreamer egg. Sounds almost like Joe on stage. Love it

[foesfly]

Joe’s modesty is so admirable. Someone listening from outside this blues-rock music generation, would never believe what an absolute monster he is, any time a guitar is in his hands. A brother of excellent character 😎🎩♠️💙

[ericgould]

Joe is such a regular guy just geeking out over guitar gear, love it

[John_Doe]

Rig rundown with Joe is always awsome. Such a cool and down to earth guy. Not to mentions his mental library of guitar knowledge 😁