Joe Bonamassa Gear Guide
Joe Bonamassa’s vintage Gibson guitars, rotating amplifier collection and documented signature pedalboard.
A period-by-period quick reference to guitars, amplification, effects and songs. Specific gear may vary by recording, tour and year.
Guitars
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standards | Several historic sunburst Les Pauls rotate through shows and recordings. | Touring collection |
| “Spot,” “Runt” and “Principle Skinner” | Named vintage Les Pauls associated with the classic collection. | Selected tours |
| Gibson ES-335 | Vintage and signature semi-hollow models for blues and jazz textures. | Career-wide |
| Gibson Firebird I | Vintage Firebird for cutting single-coil-style output. | Touring |
| Gibson Les Paul Goldtop | P-90-equipped goldtops for a clearer, more immediate response. | Studio/live |
| Music Man double-neck baritone/standard | Extended-range instrument for quick register changes. | Selected tours |
| Alvarez WY1 acoustic | Stage and studio acoustic models with preferred electronics. | Acoustic sets |
| Gibson Songwriter | Backup acoustic guitar. | Touring |
Amplifiers
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall JCM2000 / vintage Marshall | British overdrive and high-volume headroom. | Selected rigs |
| Marshall Silver Jubilee | Classic rock gain and midrange response. | Touring |
| Suhr SL68 | Plexi-style amp used as an alternate to the Marshall/Diaz setup. | 2013 rig |
| Friedman Dirty Shirley | Prototype and later Friedman options in the amp rotation. | Selected rigs |
| Fender Twin Reverb | Clean headroom and touch-sensitive response. | Touring |
| Dumble amplifiers | Boutique high-gain and clean options in selected large rigs. | Selected tours |
| Fender 5F3 Deluxe | Small studio combo prized for its powerful sound. | Studio |
| Marshall 4x12 cabinets with Greenbacks | Cabinet pairing for classic British amp tones. | Selected rigs |
Effects and signal chain
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Dunlop Joe Bonamassa Cry Baby | Signature wah at the front of documented boards. | 2013 onward |
| Fulltone Supa-Trem | Tremolo effect in documented touring chain. | 2013 rig |
| Dunlop Bonamassa Fuzz Face | Signature fuzz for vintage-style saturation. | Selected rigs |
| Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer | Primary midrange overdrive on one documented board. | 2013 rig |
| Way Huge Pork Loin / Overrated Special | Overdrive option in different touring boards. | Selected rigs |
| MXR Micro Flanger | Modulation effect in the 2013 rig. | 2013 |
| Boss DD-3 / DD-2 | Digital delay, including a long-standing DD-3. | Touring |
| Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere | Rotary-speaker effect in the Marshall effects loop. | 2013 rig |
| Vintech X73i preamp/compressor | Used with acoustic instruments in a documented setup. | 2013 rig |
| Amp switching and shields | Signal splitters and clear amp shields manage multi-amp stage volume. | Live |
Song and era references
| Gear / reference | Details | Era / use |
|---|---|---|
| Sloe Gin | Sustained blues-rock lead tone and expressive volume control. | Sloe Gin |
| The Ballad of John Henry | Les Paul and high-powered amplifier character. | 2009 |
| Mountain Time | Dynamic clean-to-driven transition and long-form solo tone. | Blues Deluxe |
| Dust Bowl | Vintage guitar and varied amplifier colors. | 2011 |
| Time Clocks | Modern production and expanded touring amplifier palette. | 2021 |