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Billy Bragg & Joe Henry Tiny Desk Concert


bayoubengal1954

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It looks like Bragg is playing a J-45 Standard, but I could be wrong. From their joint project from 2016 featuring Leadbelly songs with RR Themes. Henry is playing a New Era 12 Fretter built by Tony Klassen inspired by the old Bacon and Day guitars. Seeing and hearing this just makes me happy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE9T-ubu45Y

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I spent several years on the road with BB, working as his tour manager and guitar tech. Occasionally played some shows with him too, and contributed some minor stuff to his last album (mainly conducting the audience terrace chant recording on 'Saffiyah Smiles').

 

The black nut J45 Bill is playing here is an exceptional guitar, I've played it many times and wrote several songs with it over the years as BB would always have me take it back to my hotel room after a show for a clean and to be put to bed as it were...obviously what tended to happen was I'd crack open some treats from the mini bar (I was still drinking in those days!) and sit up half the night playing and working on stuff.

 

Sadly the J45 was crushed when the Hiscox case it was in got jammed in the hydraulic mechanism of a loading bay door on an Air Canada flight in 2017, a mere month after it was lost by an Austrian airline en route from Croatia, and eventually returned to the UK several weeks later! It was repaired by Manson's in Exeter however, despite substantial damage, and I believe BB is still playing it live.

 

Weirdly, Joe Henry is Madonna's brother in law...not something that is vastly common knowledge!

 

Billy keeps his J45 tuned down a whole step and uses basic Martin 80/20 13s on it. He plays with blue Tortex 1mm picks, uses a Boss TU3 and Whirlwind leads. If any other boring trivia is required, I'm your man! ?

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I spent several years on the road with BB, working as his tour manager and guitar tech. Occasionally played some shows with him too, and contributed some minor stuff to his last album (mainly conducting the audience terrace chant recording on 'Saffiyah Smiles').

 

The black nut J45 Bill is playing here is an exceptional guitar, I've played it many times and wrote several songs with it over the years as BB would always have me take it back to my hotel room after a show for a clean and to be put to bed as it were...obviously what tended to happen was I'd crack open some treats from the mini bar (I was still drinking in those days!) and sit up half the night playing and working on stuff.

 

Sadly the J45 was crushed when the Hiscox case it was in got jammed in the hydraulic mechanism of a loading bay door on an Air Canada flight in 2017, a mere month after it was lost by an Austrian airline en route from Croatia, and eventually returned to the UK several weeks later! It was repaired by Manson's in Exeter however, despite substantial damage, and I believe BB is still playing it live.

 

Weirdly, Joe Henry is Madonna's brother in law...not something that is vastly common knowledge!

 

Billy keeps his J45 tuned down a whole step and uses basic Martin 80/20 13s on it. He plays with blue Tortex 1mm picks, uses a Boss TU3 and Whirlwind leads. If any other boring trivia is required, I'm your man! ?

 

Very cool info, Jinder. [thumbup]

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