Chill Mike D
War Child
I don't recall seeing him use anything but that green Gretsch since 2001.
Has Bono Used Any Other Guitar Live Since He Got His Custom Gretsch?
- Thread starter Chill Mike D
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Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
There is the Black finish Gibson "Elvis Presley" model Dove, which he's been using for acoustic work.
True that the only electric that Bono seems to have used on Vertigo and 360 tours has been the Irish Falcon.
But Bono did use more than the Falcon during the Elevation tour.
Bono was using his cadillac green Gretsch Country Club, until taking delivery of the first of the Irish Falcons.
Bono was also using his red sparkle Gibson ES-175 for Elevation performances of "I Will Follow" and "11 O'clock Tick Tock", until the November Oakland show, when he slammed it against the drum rising when he was 'having a moment' and issues with said guitar.
For the remainder of the Elevation tour, Bono used his black ES-175 (with the "I Feel Good" sticker) which was his main electric during the Zoo tours.
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Chill Mike D
War Child
Ah, ok. I thought he received the custom Gretsch at some point during the Elevation tour, at which point he retired the ES 175s. Thanks.
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Nope. Gretsch Country Club (later the Irish Falcon) was used for "One" and "Walk On".
The Gibson ES-175 was used for early period tunes that Bono played guitar on, like "I Will Follow" and "11 O'clock Tick Tock".
quadcaster
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I'd like to see him change it up a bit and actually CARE about his guitar tone/guitar playing for a change. Bono playing guitar was way cool back on zoo tv, now its just a prop 
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
I'd like to see him change it up a bit and actually CARE about his guitar tone/guitar playing for a change. Bono playing guitar was way cool back on zoo tv, now its just a prop
I think that he does care. But that said, he's playing less guitar on the last two tours. I think that either he or the band or both decided it was better for him to interact with the crowd more? T'is my guess. Especially as the Elevation, Vertigo and 360 tours have had more catwalk space for him to 'connect' with the crowd in full Bono-singing-passionately mode.
Actually, during Joshua Tree Bono had the red Gibson ES335, black Washburn acoustic, tobacco Alvarez-Yairi acoustic, Fender Telecaster, Danvel-Nelson Telecaster... And he wasn't playing guitar on that many tunes.
He played on as many or more on the Zoo Tours but it was either the black Gibson ES-175 or his Gibson Hummingbird.
Popmart tour there were some more guitars. His LOVELY black Gibson Les Paul Custom, the metal finish Les Paul (which I suspect might be the black LP Custom refinished), blue sparkle Gibson ES-175, red sparkle Gibson ES-175, Gibson Hummingbird... That said, he had other guitars along for the ride... just in case. His Telecaster Custom was there. A candy apple red Fender Telecaster, Danvel Nelson Tele...
In the picture below, Frasier McAllister is seen with Bono's Popmart 'booty' of guitars.
L-R: candy apple red Fender Telecaster, black Gibson Les Paul Custom, Gibson ES-335, black Fender Telecaster Custom, black Danvel-Nelson Telecaster, black Gibson Dove, (2) Gibson Hummingbird, black Gibson ES-175.
Custom Audio Electronic and Dallas both put Bono's rack together for Popmart. While hardly double-rack "Edge_Orchestra" size, he had good deal of good equipment.
Elevation tour, Bono was still playing some guitar but it appeared to be a bit less than the 1990's. As previously mentioned, along with the black Gibson Dove, cadillac green Gretsch Country Club, everygreen Gretsch Irish Falcon, red sparkle Gibson ES-175. After he damaged that in Oakland (as previously mentioned, he used his black Gibson ES-175.
Vertigo and U2:360 seem to be pretty much either the Irish Falcon or the Gibson Elvis Presley model Dove.
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Chill Mike D
War Child
I've always had a soft spot for black LP Customs and Black Beauties. I think I remember seeing a photo of Bono using his during the recording of the Passengers album.
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Yep, there are pictures in Anton Corbijn's "U2&i" from the Passengers sessions, of Bono with that guitar.
And there are a decent amount of pictures from the Pop sessions and early Popmart shows. But after the first few weeks of the tour, the black Les Paul Custom was not to be seen and the metallic/hollogram finish LP was.
Black LP Custom:
LP Custom (metallic):
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Chill Mike D
War Child
Did he have the pickup selector removed or something?
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/...xx-black/Gib-Les_Paul_Custom-19xx-black-3.jpg
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/...xx-black/Gib-Les_Paul_Custom-19xx-black-3.jpg
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Nope. Just gaffer tape over it so that he doesn't know it out of position.
You can see a lighter colour tape in the picture below, where he's taped the selector to the bridge pickup position. This way, it will be harder to knock to the mid or neck pickup when strumming.
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Chill Mike D
War Child
I guess he gets a bit spastic.
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
You can see Bono paying the black Les Paul Custom with added gusto during "Last Night On Earth" during the opening night of Popmart in Las Vegas.
YouTube - Last Night On Earth (live from Popmart Las Vegas)
And and again during "Gone"
YouTube - Gone (live from Popmart Las Vegas)
discothequeLP
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
my fav bono guitar is still the black fender lead II back in the early days, for 'a day without me' and such. it matched edge's strat!
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
But it was a horrible guitar! Okay, maybe not complete crap but not a great guitar at all.
The Fender Lead II was a two pickup Strat-light, at best. The fact that they were only made between 1979-1982 says volumes as to how the guitar won very few favors.
Eric Clapton played one briefly. It was that guitar that helped kick off the Hard Rock Cafe's guitar collection. So the fact he played it briefly and was more than willing to part with it... this might also speak to the guitar not being the best.
Now for what Bono used it for, a few big strums on "A Day Without Me and "I Fall Down". But he did himself proud come The Joshua Tree tour when he bought himself some "big boy" guitars.
Fender Lead Series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
breathe
Refugee
video anyone???
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Video of?
breathe
Refugee
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
sorry about that....A video of Bono destroying his guitar.
I've not seen any video footage of it. But I ws there and saw it right there in front of me.
The remarkable part was that Gibson later repaired the guitar.
After it was damaged:
After the repair:
breathe
Refugee
Thanks! Why the hell would he do that? What did u think when u saw that?
Edge_Orchestra
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
He was having issues with the guitar. Frasier came out and looked at it will he will still playing along to "I Will Follow". At the end, he took it off and slammed it against the corner of the drum riser.
He later apologized to us all for his outburst. (True story) You hear him on the bootleg of the November 16th 2001 show... a song or so after the 'beating'.
What did I think? Holy Moly, that poor guitar!
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