Joe Bonamassa: Signature Sounds

Joe Bonamassa's instructional DVD gives us an inside look into his approach, influences and gear choice and a smattering of playing techniques - so get ready for the hottest blues geetar man in the world today!

This DVD promises over 61 minutes to have Joe reveals the playing techniques, tips and gear behind his powerhouse blues-rock guitar style. Gear includes: * Fender Stratocaster * Fender Telecaster * Gibson Guitars * Rhythm * Soloing * Slide Guitar * Effects * Amps & Speakers * Amplifier Baffle * Mics & Amps

The first thing one notices when cracking this one open that there are no liner notes, no tabs - nothing but the DVD - and there is also a very limited use of split screen on this as well! That's because this DVD is long on sounds and equipment, but very short on style and technique.

Overview

Instead we have Joe sitting in front of a backdrop of vintage Silver Jubilee Marshall's and modern Budda amps, and for a good 50 of those 61 minutes he simply chats about his favorite guitars, sounds, effects amps and tricks. Whilst there are sections on rhythm, soloing and slide guitar (a particularly superb demonstration on his Chandler Electro Slide) Joe spends most of the time noodling for us just like he might do for himself at home. Only once does he show us the actual effected intro to one of his songs. The rest of the time he favours a soaring Eric Johnson like tone and style, a sound and style we all wish we could emulate and do well!

Although he is still a young man, Joe is already a veteran having spent most of his life on stage, more than half as a professional. When it comes to equipment and sound, Joe is decidedly old school borderline ancient. Anyone who's purchased one of his CD's has no doubt already drooled over the list of superb vintage equipment this man uses. Back to the noodling: Joe spends a good 15 minutes running through the gamut of possibilities offered up by the vintage Stratocaster. He covers it all, and spends most of that time sounding like Eric Johnson or Hendrix. Best tip in this section is how to rewire your tone pots. Next up is the Tele, and although Joe owns many of those vintage beasts (remember the footage of a young Joe and vet Danny Gatton sitting in a Nashville guitar store listening to the wood of several old Tele's) he chooses to use a gorgeous custom made Gigliotti Tele to demonstrate. Best tip: How to stuff packing foam into the body to eliminate hum and squeal... hmm don't think he needs that with the Barden pickups on that Gigliotti though.

Then we have what Joe calls his favourite guitar, the Les Paul. Most of this section is spent demonstrating early Peter Green, Paul Kossoff and Beano era Clapton sounds. The best tips are discussions of hand placement to best emulate the scale length of a Strat if like Joe, you grew up with Fenders. Joe then discusses his array of pedals, mostly vintage, and discusses the setting levels and sequence. Joe uses a combination of Silver Jubilee Marshall 100 watt heads mixed with two Buddas, a 30 watt for rhythm and a 50 watt for lead affording him three distinct signature sounds that he uses both in the studio and on stage. The coolest idea of all though, is his Plexiglas baffle that directs the sound up and out over the crowd on stage, not directly at the audience and band. The short outro solo spot contains some of the best of Joe's noodling... and yes, his noodling is better than yours and mine will ever be!

Conclusion

Joe demonstrates that he is indeed confident and fluent in pretty much any style you could imagine, with tone to kill. An enjoyable DVD indeed, unless of course you are looking for some instruction. If you are seek out his old Hot Licks video from several years back.