Song Rig
Further on up the Road
Joe Bonamassa · Blues Deluxe · 2003
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Bobby Bland's blues classic in Bonamassa's hands becomes a full-tilt high-gain showcase. The tone is more aggressive than his later sophisticated Dumble tones — this is the early era big-amp crunch that first brought him to attention. The Les Paul into a Marshall or Bogner combination, played at high volume.
Signal Chain
- 1Gibson Les Paul
- 2Marshall JCM800 (or Bogner Ecstasy)
- 3Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion
Amp Settings
High gain Marshall approach — earlier Bonamassa tone before the Dumble refinement period. Full crunch from the amp, not primarily from pedals. The Les Paul's PAF-style pickups into the Marshall creates the warm-but-crushing foundation. The OS-2 boosts for solo sections.
Technique
How to Play It
Traditional 12-bar blues structure with extended solo sections — the vocabulary is straight-ahead blues-rock, with the added fluency and speed of a player raised on Clapton, Page, and Stevie Ray Vaughan simultaneously. No modal jazz, just blues escalation.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Les Paul → Marshall JCM800 or equivalent at high gain → boost pedal (Tube Screamer or SD-1) for solos.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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