New GDA Project - Equipment - Please Contribute Information

[J'net]

So now that I'm just making "routine" updates to the New Album and Other Crew pages, I've asked Andres for a new project. He has suggested completely reorganizing the Equipment page and trying to get more information about which equipment was used on each album. I love this idea, but I'm a bit concerned because I'm definitely not a musical instrument guru.

If you haven't looked at the current Equipment page, you should know that I'm not just talking about a generic list of instruments for each album. I mean we'd like to have information about which specific instruments were used (e.g. Gibson, Fender, etc.) with as much detailed information about the model, it's history with the band (for example, we could say a lot about Blue), or any other info that would be interesting.

I'd love to have input from everyone who's knowledgeable about the instruments, and I'll make sure to credit anyone who contributes significant info. However, if you just know of a good source (other than the CD covers, which I already have), please point me there, and I'll be glad to do the research myself.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

[Juan]

There might be some info on the Articles part, specially on the the guitar player and guitar world magazines

[Guest FlirtyDutherMucker]

That sounds quite difficult to gather all that information.

I believe Google is your friend, however.

[Juan]

ok here it goes of the top of my head, it's going to be rather sloppy

As far as Billie goes, there's Blue a Fernandes Strat Copy (pretty much just like a real Fender, including the headstock), now Billie covered it up with stickers an put a Bill ----(forgot the name) humbucker on the bridge only to change it later to a Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB humbucker, now billie also made various fender copies of blue and also some other strats: a red strat (97 toronto, alley concerts) a natural (Drunk new years eve) and others

He used blue on all the records till Insomniac (or nimrod) and blue remaining in use till 2004? (not sure, as far as 2002 has been confirmed), as far as Fender goes, he has a couple of Tele's, a jaguar, a jagmaster, a toronado

As far as gibson goes: he used a 135 with P-90 pickups on fashion victim

He also has Floyd : a 56 Les Paul jr with a single P-90 pickup (billie's favorite)

A TV yellow Jr used on the Warning tour (with a JB on bridge)

A lot of SG's without the tone and volume controls (just a single volume control)

a black and white SG used on the Reading Fest

He used a Les Paul Standard on American Idiot

[Nobody_Likes_You]

maybe this site could help a bit :

http://www.angelfire.com/fl/1039smoothgreenday/bjguitar.html

[Eirik]

Should I just mention guitars I know Billie Joe's used? If so, here it goes (I'm excluding everything that's already up on GDA):

Acoustic:

Gibson J-45

Yairi (that's all i know of the name)

Gibson J-200

Semi-Acoutic:

Gibson ES-335

Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins (I think so)

Electric:

Gibson Les Paul Standard '59 Flame-top Reissue from 2002 (Nickname: Booty)

Gibson Les Paul Standard (Ebony, different from the one above)

Gibson Les Paul Junior '56 (Floyd)

Gibson Les Paul Junior Double-Cut (White)

Gibson Les Paul Custom ('57 i think) Black Beauty w/ original P-90 pick-ups

Gibson Les Paul Billie Joe Armstrong Signature

Gibson Les Paul Goldtop

Gibson SG (He's got Junior, Special Faded)

Epiphone Les Paul Junior (During Knowledge, gives away)

Squier Stratocaster (During Knowledge, gives away)

A Blue Ibanez, not sure if it's his

Here's a bit more Info:

Green Gear by guitar tech Bill Schneider

"Billie is into using whatever sounds good," says long-time Green Day guitar tech Bill Schneider. "He loves his original guitar, 'Blue,' and his old Marshalls, but he's not tied down to that stuff." On Warning, Armstrong relied on a Gibson ES-135, a late '50s Les Paul Jr., and a '59 Les Paul Special -- all loaded with P-90s.

Other guitars used on Warning include a '68 Fender Tele, an '80s Les Paul ("Waiting"), and a Fender Jazzmaster (for the cool clean tones on "Warning"). For the glut of acoustic tones, Armstrong relied on a Taylor 514C and a Guild D-30.

"You can hear the difference between those two guitars real distinctly," says Schneider. "The real full, chimier sound is the Taylor -- like on 'Warning' and 'Hold On' -- but on tunes like 'Macy's Day Parade' and 'Misery,' the more focused, chunkier sound is the Guild."

For amps, Armstrong used a variety of heads and combos. "All of the half-clean/half-dirty tones are a mix of Billie's reissue 100-watt Marshall Super Lead (with a Bob Bradshaw gain mod) and a blackface '64 Fender Bassman head," says Schneider. Both amps run through Marshall 4x12 cabs loaded with Celestion Vintage 30s. The record's clean-yet-tough tones are courtesy of a Hiwatt Custom 100 through a 4x12 Marshall. "The tune 'Deadbeat' is a good example of the Hiwatt," relates Schneider. "That amp is super-clean and doesn't break up at all." A '50s Gibson GA-30 combo was used for all of the lead breaks on the record, and a Line 6 Flextone was pressed into service for tremolo tones.

A '57 Les Paul TV Junior on tunes from Warning and Nimrod (live Warning Tour).

From his Shure Wireless, Armstrong's signal goes to a Bradshaw Custom Audio Splitter. His signal is then split three ways. Two outputs go to dual 100-watt Marshall Super Lead heads -- one known as "Pete" and the other called "Meat." Both amps sport gain mods by Bob Bradshaw, with Meat having slightly more gain. "Each of those amps through its own 4x12 cab makes up his main distortion sound," says Schneider. A third output from the splitter goes to a Custom Audio Electronics Three Plus preamp for his clean tone, which is powered by a Marshall power amp. The only effect is a Colorsound tremolo.

From an interview with Bill Schneider (by Gibson I believe), Warning Era. I edited it a bit, he talked about some other stuff to.

[Juan]

As far as Mike goes he used on 1000 hours, Slappy and 39/Smoothed a Peavey Patriot Bass

Then it broke so he bought a dude they were touring with his bass: a Gibson G-3

That bass appeared on Kerplunk, Dookie (along with a P-bass) and Insomniac

[Radioactive1]

That Green Day magazine that came out in 2005 had an entire chapter about the instruments they use.

But I'm 80 miles away from home so can't scan it for you lol

[Eirik]

That Green Day magazine that came out in 2005 had an entire chapter about the instruments they use.

But I'm 80 miles away from home so can't scan it for you lol

An entire magazine dedicated to Green Day?

[Radioactive1]

An entire magazine dedicated to Green Day?

Yeah. I went everywhere to get it and then found it in my local WH Smith.

It's like a 200 page magazine just of Green Day.

[Eirik]

Yeah. I went everywhere to get it and then found it in my local WH Smith.

It's like a 200 page magazine just of Green Day.

OMG! I have one of the same types with another band. Do you know where it's possible to buy it?

[Radioactive1]

OMG! I have one of the same types with another band. Do you know where it's possible to buy it?

You probably can't get it now. It came out like.....3 years ago =[

[Eirik]

You probably can't get it now. It came out like.....3 years ago =[

Okay, but who released it?

[Radioactive1]

Okay, but who released it?

I don't know. I'm really sorry, I can't remember. I've not read it for ages. I'm at university, 80 miles away from home and it's in my drawer there.

I know they do a lot of band ones though, cos they were advertising it at the end of the magazine.

[Eirik]

I know Metal Hammer does a lot of those, but I'm not sure if they've done Green Day.

[Juan]

Alright so after the G-3 that broke, Billie gave mike a 62'? P-bass, and also mike bought a 69' P-bass also known as Stella, Stella was modified with Anquitty Pride II Pickups and a BADass bridge. Stella was Mike's main bass since 97/02 also used on 2004. As far as the Nimrod/Warning tour goes mike has a bunch of P-basses in a bunch of colors

(black, sunburst-2 tone and 3 tone-, White-not Stella-, Black P-bass with Maple neck (most P-basses mike uses are Mahogany necks)-used for recording, Orange-used for destruction, Really beat up Green-seen on the Minority videos and Goat Island destruction, Sonic blue, and many, many more

Then mike got his signature precision bass with a 51' neck, 69' body, Fender Custom Shop Pickup and Badass bridge

In various colors:

Black with white pickguard (tuned half-step down for old songs)

Antique White with Black Pickguard (tuned in standard tuning)

Sunburst with white pickguard (for "late" songs on the setlist---BOBD, Maria,We are the champions)

Artic White with pearloid pickguard (seen on Fuse Comp'd and an AOL videos-the LA concert-has an archor sticker)

Black with Black pickguard (used in knowledge)

[Radioactive1]

I know Metal Hammer does a lot of those, but I'm not sure if they've done Green Day.

THAT'S IT!!

I'm like 90% sure it was that.

Edit: http://www.greendayauthority.com/news_pics/MH1.jpg

Yup, that's it ^ If anyone has it to hand, there's awesome detail in there about their instruments.

[Eirik]

Okay, eeehm, I need that magazine, I just know that I'm gonna be obsessed about it for ages.

EDIT: I found it on eBay!! : D That's gonna be my christmas present from me.

[Radioactive1]

Okay, eeehm, I need that magazine, I just know that I'm gonna be obsessed about it for ages.

EDIT: I found it on eBay!! : D That's gonna be my christmas present from me.

haha, ace

It's one of the best things I've ever found! My poor Dad drove me to nearly every WH Smith in the north west to try and find me a copy

Fuckin' hell..........£40 for it on ebay

[Marc.]

Don't forget the drum machine Tre used on American Idiot and Pro Tools used in conjunction with Billie Joes guitar on that album.

THAT'S IT!!

I'm like 90% sure it was that.

Edit: http://www.greendayauthority.com/news_pics/MH1.jpg

Yup, that's it ^ If anyone has it to hand, there's awesome detail in there about their instruments.

lol they're my scans aswell. I still have that magazine too, found it yesterday.

[Juan]

I don't know much about tre's drums but in Dookie era it was DW, then in Insomniac it was Ayote

Then from nimrod till warning Slingerand and on AI-present Ludwig

[Guest Billy]

i know Billie Joe uses a Taylor 514C and a Guild D-55 for acoustics.

unmentioned so far, he's also used a Gibson Melody Maker and a Gibson ES-135 semi-hollow.

amps something like a Marshall JCM800 or Marshall 100 W 1959 SLP.

he's used different pedals i really couldn't specify right now.

i'd at least need to look at it, but on Scattered in the intro he uses something and in Redundant he uses a Flanger.

i couldn't tell you what brand, but that's about it.

[Guest Brian]

Alright so after the G-3 that broke, Billie gave mike a 62'? P-bass, and also mike bought a 69' P-bass also known as Stella, Stella was modified with Anquitty Pride II Pickups and a BADass bridge. Stella was Mike's main bass since 97/02 also used on 2004. As far as the Nimrod/Warning tour goes mike has a bunch of P-basses in a bunch of colors

(black, sunburst-2 tone and 3 tone-, White-not Stella-, Black P-bass with Maple neck (most P-basses mike uses are Mahogany necks)-used for recording, Orange-used for destruction, Really beat up Green-seen on the Minority videos and Goat Island destruction, Sonic blue, and many, many more

Then mike got his signature precision bass with a 51' neck, 69' body, Fender Custom Shop Pickup and Badass bridge

In various colors:

Black with white pickguard (tuned half-step down for old songs)

Antique White with Black Pickguard (tuned in standard tuning)

Sunburst with white pickguard (for "late" songs on the setlist---BOBD, Maria,We are the champions)

Artic White with pearloid pickguard (seen on Fuse Comp'd and an AOL videos-the LA concert-has an archor sticker)

Black with Black pickguard (used in knowledge)

Kinda wrong there, he doesn't have mahogany necked basses. Most of his Precision basses have rosewood fretboards (thats the darker wood ) but all have maple necks.

The Dirnt signature bass combines features of the various years of Precision basses. The body is that of a '51 but with some of the contours of a '55. The neck profile is taken off Stella, Mike's '69 P. The tuners are 70's Fender reproductions. The pickup is a custom shop split P.

Billie Joe also has a customised Fender Telecaster Deluxe, in black with a white pickguard and single humbucker. The neck pickup has been taken out and the hole was taped over. It can be seen in the video for the Hüsker Dü cover "Don't want to know if you are lonely".

[Juan]

You're right about the necks, but that P-bass you see on the video of them recording it has maple fretboard too

[alexandrez]

A friend and I know pretty much all tre's equipment in AI, and we have lots of info about previous sets.

i'm gonna talk to him and we can write it all down for you