“It felt like I was daydreaming!” Matteo Mancuso joins Joe Bonamassa onstage to trade arena-worthy solos By Janelle Borg published 19 April 24 Joe Bonamassa had previously named Matteo Mancuso as his new favorite guitar player
“He was one of my greatest heroes… His attack, tone, vibrato and melodic sense was peerless”: Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to Jeff Beck as he shares his favorite licks from the guitar icon By Joe Bonamassa published 19 April 24 With a Les Paul in hand, Bonamassa checks in from Nerdville to give a lesson in the style of the late, great Jeff Beck
“What makes a great blues player is taking on influences that aren’t blues-based”: Joe Bonamassa explains why the best guitarists always look beyond the blues By Andrew Daly published 11 April 24 The guitar phenom offers his own definition of greatness, and reveals his 3 best guitars for blues
“A true unicorn”: Joe Bonamassa has just acquired one of the rarest Fenders ever made – a 1954 Blackguard Tele with a huge factory-installed Paul Bigsby pickup By Matt Parker published 9 April 24 The model is thought to be a complete one-off and is a rare example of a factory-made modification on one of Fender’s most sought-after historic builds
“The first time I saw Ronnie, he was playing a Strat through two Super Reverbs – the sound was larger than life”: Joe Bonamassa reaches for his dream guitar to dissect the brilliance of East Coast blues great Ronnie Earl By Joe Bonamassa published 3 April 24 The Howard A. Reed 1955 black Fender Stratocaster is put through its paces once more in tribute to one of blues guitar's GOATs
“Pretty much everybody in the genre was a Fender guy… I said, ‘I’ve gotta pivot and do something different’”: Joe Bonamassa reveals what prompted him to switch from Strats to Les Pauls – and the one technique he cannot nail By Phil Weller published 27 March 24 It's a technique that Allan Holdsworth and Eric Johnson are masters at, but the revered blues guitarist has had to pursue a different approach to counter his shredding kryptonite
“It doesn’t take a million dollars. You take this to any studio or venue, and you’re Band of Gypsys”: Joe Bonamassa attempts to recreate Jimi Hendrix’s iconic live rig on a budget – with a $319 Squier Strat and Peavey Classic By Phil Weller published 20 March 24 The gear guru is challenged to capture Hendrix’s legendary live tones with two vastly different budgets – and reveals some Hendrix tricks along the way
“A set of humbuckers from one of his favorite ES-335s”: Seymour Duncan and Joe Bonamassa have produced another set of signature pickups – a pair of PAFs that replicate the tones of “one of the finest instruments in his collection” By Matt Owen published 19 March 24 The Blonde Dot 1960 ES-335 humbucker set seeks to channel the sonic spirit of JoBo's prized semi-hollow
“This is the earliest known black Strat in existence. I first saw it when I was 11 years old – Guitar World featured it as the centerfold poster. I fell completely in love”: Joe Bonamassa on the guitar that represents his journey above all others By Joe Bonamassa published 12 March 24 JoBo tells the story of the legendary 1955 Howard A. Reed Strat as he shares his favorite licks by blues great Ronnie Earl
“To me, those are blues machines”: Joe Bonamassa picks his three quintessential guitars for playing the blues – and names his “Les Paul killers” By Matt Owen published 11 March 24 Bonamassa has one of the most expansive guitar collections around, but if he had to choose, which models would he select as the best bits of kit for playing blues?
“I just wanted to make some money so I could buy a Fender amp. I think I did OK”: Joe Bonamassa’s Guitar Man documentary charts the guitar hero’s epic career – and it’s currently available to stream for free By Phil Weller published 1 March 24 The nearly two-hour film charts the bluesman’s distinguished guitar journey – and you can watch it for $0 for a limited time
“A cinematic celebration of Joe’s music, a testament to his unparalleled standing in the blues-rock realm”: Joe Bonamassa plays with 40-piece orchestra on new live album By Phil Weller published 26 February 24 Commemorating his debut performance at the landmark venue, the besuited bluesman’s licks are accompanied by an orchestra, with Twenty-Four Hour Blues the first track to be released from his forthcoming live album
“We had a blast in the studio – the blues resonates with me more than anything”: Orianthi taps up Joe Bonamassa for soulfully scorching new single First Time Blues By Phil Weller published 23 February 24 Both guitarists unleash fretboard-burning solos on the new Kevin Shirley-mixed track, which was recorded at Robby Krieger’s LA studio
“An unforgettable, unmissable display of guitar mastery”: A new Jason Becker single fashioned from an old demo has been released – and it brings together a staggering cast of A-list guitar heroes By Matt Owen published 16 February 24 Championed by Nita Strauss, Some Assembly Required recruits Steve Vai, Lari Basilio, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather, Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert, Zakk Wylde and countless other guitar greats for an epic 7-minute solo session
“The Gibson SG took me about 30 years to figure out… it’s completely different from a Les Paul”: Joe Bonamassa explains how he learned to love Gibson’s solid guitar – and teaches you his favorite SG licks By Joe Bonamassa published 13 February 24 It might have taken Bonamassa a minute (or a few decades) to fall for the SG’s charms, but now he has in a big way, and this video lesson offers a taste of what the Gibson double-cut can do
“Absurd amount of talent”: Andy Timmons is in the studio with Joe Bonamassa – and the two melody masters are cooking up a virtuosic solo storm By Phil Weller published 7 February 24 Producer Josh Smith has shared a clip of the blues legends trading licks in the studio, with a follow-up to 2022’s Electric Truth well underway
“This is a rare instrument and a cool example of something Jimi would have played back in 1969/1970”: Joe Bonamassa teaches us his favorite Hendrix-inspired licks on a very special Stratocaster By Joe Bonamassa published 29 January 24 Class is officially in session at Nerdville as JoBo reaches for his “bronchitis Strat” for a primer in Hendrix blues-rock that will make you a better player
“90 percent of my guitars are in mint condition – untouched and unmolested... The last 10 percent – those are the ones I play on the road”: Joe Bonamassa on his legendary collection, perseverance, and how he picks his touring guitars By Jim Beaugez published 26 January 24 The blues guitar titan looks back on the 2003 album that saved his career, explains why – 20 years later – he's recorded a sequel, and reveals how his legendary guitar collection gave a new voice to slept-on blues tracks
“An extreme solution to a simple problem”: Joe Bonamassa challenges his noisy neighbors in the best way possible – by ripping through Smoke on the Water on a ‘59 Gibson Les Paul with a Dumble amp By Matt Owen published 23 January 24 The Mayor of Nerdville sought to protect the peace by going toe-to-toe with some over-zealous partygoers
“I have a couple of skills in this world: I can play guitar pretty good and I can spot a fake guitar”: Joe Bonamassa reveals one common fake ‘59 Les Paul ‘Burst scam – and how you can avoid it By Matt Owen published 11 January 24 Bonamassa knows a thing or two about buying guitars on the vintage market. Ignore his advice at your own peril