Joe Bonamassa has pretty good taste in guitars, hasn’t he? As well as being a superstar blues rock musician, he’s the son of a guitar dealer, so the old wheel ‘n’ deal has always been in Joe’s blood. His ever-growing collection is famous amongst his fans, and has even accrued its own fictional location and nickname: Nerdville. The population of Nerdville is unknown, but the inhabitants are collectively some of the greatest and most desired vintage guitars in the world.
Everybody wants their own Nerdville, let’s face it.
For the last few years, Joe has collaborated with Epiphone to release a series of limited edition signature instruments that fall under his Nerdville umbrella. These are all replicas of specific Gibson guitars from Joe’s Nerdville collection, and we’ve seen one roughly every year since 2010.
The idea behind the Nerville guitars is to deliver a little bit of that authentic Bona-magic at a price that’s reachable to the biggest number of fans and players. As Joe himself says: “We recreate valuable vintage guitars at a price that everyone can afford”.
The Nerdville range has proven extremely popular, and I have a new one to show you today! I’ll also look back at some of the previous models to appear from Epiphone over the last few years.
The Nerdville Guitars at a Glance
Epiphone Ltd Ed 1959 Les Paul Custom Antique Ebony
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1962 ES-335
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1963 SG Custom
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa ‘Lazarus’ 1959 Les Paul
Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Standard Copper Iridescent
Epiphone Ltd Ed 1959 Les Paul Custom Antique Ebony
When I think of the term “59 Les Paul”, my mind goes straight to the Holy Grail Sunburst Standards. But there was more than just that happening with Gibson in 1959, and this BRAND NEW Joe Bonamassa signature 59 Les Paul Custom is proof!
It’s a bit of a beauty, isn’t it? I’ve always been enamoured with ebony finish Les Paul Customs: I just think they are amongst the most lovely guitars that money can buy, and this one is no exception! It’s based on a rare 1959 LP Custom that the ever-vigilant Joe found for sale in Pennsylvania. The rarity comes from the fact of it having two pickups (the norm for Customs back then was for 3 pickups) and the factory-fitted Bigsby tremolo.
This Epiphone recreation is filled with high quality appointments, including Probucker pickups, CTS pots, aged yellow binding and an ebony fingerboard. It’s a wonderful thing to play, with a ‘1959 Rounded C’ neck profile that feels very ‘real deal’ to my hands. There’s extra fanciness included with Grover Imperial tuners and a hardcase bearing the Nerdville logo.
As with all Joe Bonamassa Epiphones, this Les Paul is limited to a total of 1500, and that’s worldwide! It’s a looker, it sounds great, and it's ready for action right out of the case. Joe concurs: “It’s a great working man’s tool that you don’t have to modify”.
Click Here to Buy the Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1959 Les Paul Custom
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1962 ES-335
Some of Joe’s Nerdville guitars have stories attached to them, and this handsome ES-335 model certainly does. This is based on Joe’s prized ‘62 Gibson ES-335 that he bought in 1996 and used to record his solo debut A New Day Yesterday. A few years after that, he had to sell it in order to fund his move from New York to Los Angeles. The strange part of the story is this, though: almost exactly 20 years after this happened (with the album’s anniversary looming), Joe received a phone call with an offer to buy that EXACT guitar!
Whether you believe in coincidence, synchronicity or something else, the recreation of that guitar by Epiphone was an unparalleled success. They got the neck carve perfect, the colour just right (it’s noticeably different from the standard Cherry they normally use) and all of the cool details - from the Maestro trem to the ‘Custom Made’ plate - are right on the money, too.
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1963 SG Custom
How awesome is this one? The Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1963 SG Custom is a faithful recreation of Joe’s rare original, which is hardly ever seen in this dark wine red shade, and especially not with the white pickguard. Joe definitely has some good luck with these rare Gibsons!
It’s one of those guitars that certainly looks gorgeous in photos, but really needs to be seen in real life to fully appreciate. Gold hardware, aged yellow binding just like the new Les Paul Custom…it’s everything that makes Gibson - and Epiphone - classic.
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa ‘Lazarus’ 1959 Les Paul
Why was Joe’s stunning ‘59 Holy Grail Les Paul standard called ‘Lazarus’? It’s because, rather like the biblical character whose name is referenced, this guitar too rose from the dead. In another of his endless searches, Joe came across a ‘59 Standard - no small cause for celebration - but it had been poorly looked after. Indeed, it had even been refinished in red, which is basically heresy.
Joe had the guitar restored to its former glory, and in doing so revealed a beautifully figured maple top in a ‘Lemon drop’ shade of amber. The Epiphone model paid tribute to this with a AAAA flame maple veneer and Gibson Burstbucker pickups.
Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Standard Copper Iridescent
My last choice from Joe’s Nerdville stable is this unusual and very cool Les Paul. It’s based on a 1955 Standard, which would’ve been a Goldtop back then, originally. By 1955, Gibson would’ve moved on from the trapeze tailpiece and wraparound bridge/tailpiece to the tune-o-matic bridge and stop tail[piece that we all love. This is reflected in this guitar, which has a very eye-catching and unusual finish. It can look almost black under some lights, oxblood in others and a rich rusty copper in yet others. It’s subtly ostentatious, and sounds wonderful thanks to a pair of P90 Pro pickups.
Joe’s Nerdville
Whether you’re a fan of Joe Bonamassa’s music or not, there’s no denying that the guy knows his guitars. He’s as obsessed about them as you and I are, and he’s in a position to chase after some of the best and rarest vintage guitars that exist. His Epiphone Nerdville limited edition guitars are always a talking point, and some of them are amongst the best Epiphones I’ve ever seen.
Now more than ever, gigging pros are realising the benefits of a well spec’d Epiphone in terms of touring instruments. These have enough built-in quality to be able to meet the task required of modern performers, but they are affordable enough to not cause you unending anxiety on the road. They are built by Epiphone in collaboration with one of the world’s most successful electric guitarists. Remember, they are all limited edition, and we currently have the ‘59 Les Paul Custom available!
Your one-way ticket to Nerdville awaits.
