Guitar tone · blues, rock

Joe Bonamassa guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 9 Joe Bonamassa songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Gibson Les Paul Standard into Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100W head.

Guitars Joe Bonamassa used

Gibson Les Paul Standard2 songs
Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely R9 Historic Reissue, sunburst finish)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late '50s reissue or vintage, as per Bonamassa's typical choice for this song live and in studio)1 song
1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Burst' (rotating, but Les Paul Burst is most documented for this song live)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1959 Historic Reissue)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 1950s reissue or vintage, sunburst finish)1 song
1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Skinnerburst'1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 50s reissue or vintage, sunburst finish)1 song

Amps Joe Bonamassa used

Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100W head1 song
Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100 watt1 song
1959 Fender Twin-Amp JB Edition (high-powered tweed Twin)1 song
Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 (x2, run in stereo, through Van Weelden 4x12 cabs with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers)1 song
Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 (100-watt head, always on for live anchor sound)1 song
Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100 watt head1 song
Fender 5F3 Tweed Deluxe1 song
Fender Tweed Twin (1959 original and 2016 Joe Bonamassa signature reissue, 4x80W, all cranked)1 song

11 Joe Bonamassa tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Blues Deluxe · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard	1959 Fender Twin-Amp JB Edition (high-powered tweed Twin)	6.5
Blues Deluxe · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 1950s reissue or vintage, sunburst finish)	Fender 5F3 Tweed Deluxe	4
I'll Play the Blues for You (Live) · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 1950s reissue, sunburst finish)	Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 (100-watt head) x2, running into Van Weelden 4x12 cabinet with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers	4.5
Just Got Paid · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late '50s reissue or vintage, as per Bonamassa's typical choice for this song live and in studio)	Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 (x2, run in stereo, through Van Weelden 4x12 cabs with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers)	5.5
Just Got Paid (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Burst' (rotating, but Les Paul Burst is most documented for this song live)	Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 (100-watt head, always on for live anchor sound)	6.5
Midnight Blues (Live) · solo	Solo · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Skinnerburst'	Fender Tweed Twin (1959 original and 2016 Joe Bonamassa signature reissue, 4x80W, all cranked)	6
Sloe Gin · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard	Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100 watt	5.5
Sloe Gin · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1959 Historic Reissue)	Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100 watt head	5
Sloe Gin (Live) · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely R9 Historic Reissue, sunburst finish)	Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100W head	3.5
The Meaning of the Blues · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 50s reissue or vintage, as per Bonamassa's typical studio use)	Marshall Silver Jubilee (primary for driven solo tones, as per Bonamassa's studio/live rig for modern blues recordings)	5.5
The Thrill Is Gone (Live) · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 50s reissue or vintage, sunburst finish)	Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100 watt (main, clean channel, with no EQ for outside cabs) + Suhr SL-68 Hand Wired Amplifier (backup/alternate, but JCM2000 primary for this song/solo)	5.5

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Joe Bonamassa use?

Across 9 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100W head (1 song), Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead 100 watt (1 song), 1959 Fender Twin-Amp JB Edition (high-powered tweed Twin) (1 song), Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 (x2, run in stereo, through Van Weelden 4x12 cabs with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers) (1 song).

What guitar did Joe Bonamassa use?

Most often: Gibson Les Paul Standard (2 songs), Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely R9 Historic Reissue, sunburst finish) (1 song), Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late '50s reissue or vintage, as per Bonamassa's typical choice for this song live and in studio) (1 song), 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Burst' (rotating, but Les Paul Burst is most documented for this song live) (1 song).

How do I get Joe Bonamassa's tone on my amp?

Open any Joe Bonamassa song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.