Joe Bonamassa's guitar collection

**wintermoon** · 04-02-2015, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

OOPS!! I mis-spelled Joe's name. Please forgive me.

I'm not gushing at all here Brian. It always has . . and always will totally piss me off when people choose to express their pompous, self righteous opinions on guitar collectors as being greedy or having no concern for others . . . and stating that they shouldn't own more guitars than they intend to play regularly . . or if they have many many guitars, they can't play worth a shit. Ya know what? I never, ever, ever hear collectors dis'ing very serious and talented players, who might be playing very inexpensive or totally unimportant guitars because it's all they can afford to own. So, who's got the class out of those two groups? Is it the envious and jealous people such as ArchtopHeaven and others? Or, is it the collector who gets just as much enjoyment listening to guys like Joe Pass, who played and recorded with inexpensive guitars all of his life . . unless they were guitars owned by others?

While I'm not gushing, as you suggested . . I do admire the guy . . tremendously. Like you, I'm not at all a big fan. But, I wouldn't walk out of a concert . . and I doubt you would either.

actually some of those guys stepped up to higher end guitars once they achieved some sort of success.
Wes started on an ES-125 IIRC, before owning a number of L-5's.
Kenny Burrell started on a 175 before jumping up to L-5's, his D'Angelico and then Super 400s
Joe Pass used a 175 for years and then used a custom D'Aquisto once he 'made it'
same w/Grant Green who played a D'Aquisto later in life

**Patrick2** · 04-02-2015, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Flat

Changing all those strings would give me the blues too.

lololol . . . good one!! It reminds me of when my wife and I are visiting with friends living a neighborhoods of wealthy people . . I mean, really stupidly rich people . . she looks at some of the homes and says . . "Wow, I'd hate to have to wash all of those windows". Then, we just chuckle.

**Patrick2** · 04-02-2015, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

actually some of those guys stepped up to higher end guitars once they achieved some sort of success.
Wes started on an ES-125 IIRC, before owning a number of L-5's.
Kenny Burrell started on a 175 before jumping up to L-5's, his D'Angelico and then Super 400s
Joe Pass used a 175 for years and then used a custom D'Aquisto once he 'made it'
same w/Grant Green who played a D'Aquisto later in life

Yep. I'm aware of that too. But, not sure what it has to do with the price of corn? When they were playing those *cheapies*, collectors never frowned upon them or what they were using as guitars. They weren't judgemental . . is what I'm saying.

**Flyin' Brian** · 04-02-2015, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

And now we know were all the guitars and amps go. To people who apparently don't want anyone else to have them.

Im all for collecting but when your collection is this big, it's borderline distasteful and a discredit to other musicians.

Unless he uses all of them on a semi regular basis. Obviously not singling him out, there are much worse examples than this.

How silly.

**rob taft** · 04-02-2015, 02:13 PM

I'll never understand why folks rag on this guy about his guitar collection. From what I've read, he enjoys collecting old Stats, Les Pauls etc. He doesn't collect arch tops because it isn't something he plays. In addition, unlike a number of collectors, he brings his out on the stage to play and he regularly churns his collection.
Now mind you, I'm not a big Joe Bonamassa fan either but he is a steady working musician who is successful playing the music that he enjoys. More power to him.

By the way, I own a similar V to the one in the picture. Like his, mine is a Gibson Heritage V from the early 80's. It is one of the lightest guitars I own weighing in a around 6 lbs, plays like a dream while it's not a "jazz guitar", it is one hell of a rock blues and fusion machine.

**Bluedawg** · 04-02-2015, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

No. Flying V's are always stupid.

(I'm just kidding, man! In my first post too! But I never kid about the suckiness of Bigsbys.)

Flying Vs can be surprisingly good sounding guitars.

**Drifter** · 04-02-2015, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by fws6

his dad is very active in selling at least. I know of 3 people that have bought 'Joe s personal guitar' through his dad

That's certainly one possibility to fund a collection like this. Buy used standard Strats and sell them as Joe's personal. Pretty clever.

Just a thought, I'm not saying this is one of Joe's business tricks.

**mr. beaumont** · 04-02-2015, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Bluedawg

Flying Vs can be surprisingly good sounding guitars.

Wow, I guess you can't make a joke about flying V's anymore

**339 in june** · 04-02-2015, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Flyin' Brian

If we're going to gush and admire the guy let's at least spell Bonamassa correctly.

My apologize for the typo.

It is corrected now

Thanks to you for pointing out.

Purpose of that thread was not for gushing, just to show a bunch of nice guitars. That's all.

**paulkogut** · 04-02-2015, 03:21 PM

For what it's worth, I have a 70's Ibanez Artist and a 60's Dual Showman head that were Joe's. They were priced fairly as used/vintage instruments, no 'owned by a rock star' markup. I don't think Joe's dad has a shop open right now, but his former partner just opened up a store worth checking out.

UTICA CLASSIC GUITARS - New, Vintage, and Used Guitars

PK

**dingusmingus** · 04-02-2015, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Wow, I guess you can't make a joke about flying V's anymore

Maybe he's holding it in the picture because it won't sit right in that kind of guitar stand.

**rickshapiro** · 04-02-2015, 03:34 PM

You guys should see my wife's shoe collection, need a bigger stage then the one in the pic.

**Patrick2** · 04-02-2015, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Wow, I guess you can't make a joke about flying V's anymore

You think we're treating you rough? Just try being a guy from UK with the initials ATH and make a joke about 175s.

I actually share your opinion . . and I'm not joking at all. My first impression when I first saw one of these was . . "Why????" I don't like them at all. Same for the other goofy looking Explorer . . or the Modern . . which some people still refuse to even acknowledge was ever produced by Gibson. But, on the other hand, I have warmed up to the appearance of the Firebird. Especially when a small company from Kalamazoo, MI can make them as beautiful as these;

**AlsoRan** · 04-02-2015, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by paulkogut

For what it's worth, I have a 70's Ibanez Artist and a 60's Dual Showman head that were Joe's. They were priced fairly as used/vintage instruments, no 'owned by a rock star' markup. I don't think Joe's dad has a shop open right now, but his former partner just opened up a store worth checking out.

UTICA CLASSIC GUITARS - New, Vintage, and Used Guitars

PK

God, they have some great Italian food in Utica! (Sorry, but that name brought back memories, Paul. I was blown away.)

But it is interesting to hear this fact about his Dad. He must be very proud of his son, and isn't it great that he gets to share his guitar passion with him? And from what you stated, he wasn't trying to take a person's first born child when he sold his son's guitars.

**Liarspoker** · 04-02-2015, 05:23 PM

He closes his shows with the Flying V.

**Bluedawg** · 04-02-2015, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Wow, I guess you can't make a joke about flying V's anymore

And don't forget Explorers ... thay suck, too

**mr. beaumont** · 04-02-2015, 06:15 PM

No. Explorers are awesome. It's strange to me that ypu can't see the awesomeness of the Explorer. If Chuck Norris played guitar...no...if Chuck Norris were a guitar...

**teleman3726** · 04-02-2015, 07:25 PM

If he has the bucks to collect all of these guitars, so what?
This argument about hording in order to deprive (intentionally or not) is bizarre.
I had a guitar teacher (briefly) that used to make the same claim- "all these (relatively) rich dudes hording guitars so none of us (poor) sacks can have a go at them."
This was the same guy that had $20 in his bank account, couldn't get his ass out of bed and be on time if he tried, etc.
FWIW I mentioned to him that I would have loved to have been a professional jazz guitarist but I knew the earning power and had to make a choice.
Crickets.....

**Doctor Jeff** · 04-02-2015, 10:23 PM

I think a Flying V would make a good stake for tomato plants, upside down...

I for one am glad he spends his all his $$ on guitars. Some musicians spend it all on prostitutes and blow...

**Hammertone** · 04-03-2015, 01:22 AM

Seems like a nice little collection.

**Little Jay** · 04-03-2015, 04:27 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick2

Here's a guy who should definitely be sent directly to Myanmar for 1,000 lashes with bamboo;

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?for...%3DyqYk7LFtHUw

Perhaps governments of all countries should impose limits on how many of any given item its citizens are allowed to own?

Imagine what happens when a guy like that dies and all those guitars flow into the market at once.... vintage prices should go down dramatically! (Especially lapsteels.....)

**paulkogut** · 04-06-2015, 02:42 PM

AlsoRan,

There's really no way to discuss anything Utica-related without eventually getting around to the Italian food. If you're missing it, O'Scuggnizzo will ship to the continental US.

O'scugnizzo's Pizzeria - Order Pizza from Utica Online

Or if you want to try to recreate the magic at home, this is a good source for recipes.

The Brooklyn Ragazza: Famous Utica Greens ~ A Signature Southern Italian Dish of Utica, NY

PK

**rickshapiro** · 04-06-2015, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Little Jay

Imagine what happens when a guy like that dies and all those guitars flow into the market at once.... vintage prices should go down dramatically! (Especially lapsteels.....)

Sorry, I am being buried with all mine.

Regards,

Rick

**jads57** · 04-06-2015, 06:09 PM

I love guitars w/ a passion and have owned an obscene amount of them(vintage and current) over 47 years of playing. But I never believed in having more than I can actually use on a regular basis. Other than bragging rights, it seems a bit overboard. I really admire a player like John McGlaughlin who actually gives away many of his guitars to other worthy players.

**Klatu** · 04-07-2015, 09:01 AM

Fortunately, you don't carry the collecting gene. Some of us, though, have been cursed to collect various items throughout our lives.

In my case, I've been a collector of one thing or another from the time I could formulate thought. First it was stamps, then comic books in the 80s, CDs in the 90s, and guitars from 2000-present. The obsessive-compulsive drive to pick up and categorize stuff even contributed to my choice in academic study, where I ended up acquiring a History degree in college.