Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • "She knew what she'd created": Back to Black
  • Trower's '80s supergroup
  • Music theory tricks
  • Stage Tour game
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars

Manic Street Preachers: James Dean Bradfield's gear

News
By Guitarist
Published 28 September 2010

Guitarist Extra: Track-by-track guide to the gear used on Postcards From A Young Man

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

1. (It's Not War) Just The End Of Love

1. (It's Not War) Just The End Of Love

Acoustic track: Gibson J-45.

Main rhythm: White 1990 Gibson Les Paul Custom into a Fender Twin and Marshall JCM900 with Fryer Treble Boost.

Riffs: Gretsch White Falcon into Vox AC30 and Blackstar Artisan combos.

Solo: Burns Brian May guitar into two Vox AC30s with the tones down, with Fryer box in the chain and BOSS Hyper Fuzz (using the gain setting only).

Page 1 of 14
Page 1 of 14
2. Postcards From A Young Man

2. Postcards From A Young Man

Main rhythm: Gretsch White Falcon into Marshall 900 and Orange.


Intro lead: Burns Brian May guitar into Amp Farm with MXR Full Bore metal pedal.


Solo: White 1990 Gibson Les Paul Custom into Vox AC30 with BOSS Hyper Fuzz (gain setting).

Page 2 of 14
Page 2 of 14
3. Some Kind Of Nothingness

3. Some Kind Of Nothingness

Verse guitar: Schecter [unspecified model] , through a BOSS Compressor into a Fender Twin.

Middle eight guitar: Gretsch White Falcon into Fender Twin.

End guitar: Gibson Les Paul (1990 three-pickup) into Marshall JCM900 and Reverb Rocket amps.

Page 3 of 14
Page 3 of 14
4. The Descent (Pages 1 & 2)

4. The Descent (Pages 1 & 2)

Acoustic track: Gibson J-45 and Fylde.

Verse arpeggios: Burns Brian May into Fender Deville.

Main rhythm: White 1990 Gibson Les Paul Custom into Blackstar Artisan.

Solo: Fender Strat 12-string into Blackstar Artisan and [unspecified] Orange amps.

Extra guitar licks: '62 Strat into Fender Deville and Orange.

Page 4 of 14
Page 4 of 14
5. Hazelton Avenue

5. Hazelton Avenue

Low lead: White 1990 Gibson Les Paul Custom into Watkins Westminster and Blackstar Artisan.

High lead: 1980s Gibson Explorer into BOSS Hyper Fuzz into Marshall JCM900 and Watkins Westminster.

Main rhythm: White '79 (I think)) Fender Thinline Telecaster into [Line 6] Amp Farm and Jerry Jones electric sitar guitar into Vox AC30.

Page 5 of 14
Page 5 of 14
6. Auto Intoxication

6. Auto Intoxication

Verse: 1982 black Gibson Les Paul with Angus Young pickup into Marshall JMP Bass Master.

Chorus: Rhythm 1: 1990 white three pickup Les Paul into Marshall 900 combo and JMP.

Chorus: Rhythm 2: '62 Fender Strat into Diezel and Selmer amps with Ibanez Tube Screamer.

Re intro lead: Gibson Les Paul Special (TV white), Amp Farm and Reverb Rocket with Fryer 'V' booster.

Page 6 of 14
Page 6 of 14
7. Golden Platitudes

7. Golden Platitudes

Acoustic track: Gibson J45.

Electric: '65 Gibson ES-335 into AC30, JCM900 and Watkins Westminster.

Page 7 of 14
Page 7 of 14
8. I Think I Found It

8. I Think I Found It

Main guitar: '65 Gibson ES-335 into Fender Twin.

Acoustic: Gibson J-45 and Pro Natura Mandola.

Page 8 of 14
Page 8 of 14
9. A Billion Balconies Facing The Sun

9. A Billion Balconies Facing The Sun

Verse: '62 Strat into Fender Twin and Watkins Westminster.

Chorus: Fender John 5 Tele into Fender Twin with Switchblade pedal and Burns Brian May into Blackstar Artisan with Swollen Pickle pedal.

Solo: White Gibson Les Paul into… can't remember, or won't tell!

End licks: Richey's Fender Thinline Tele into Fender Twin with Fryer 'V' Booster.

Page 9 of 14
Page 9 of 14
10. All We Make Is Entertainment

10. All We Make Is Entertainment

Acoustic: Gibson J-45 and Fylde.

Main riff: White 1990 Gibson Les Paul Custom into Marshall 900 and Burman combo.

Bridge: 1969 Gibson ES-330 into Reverb Rocket and Fender Twin.

Main rhythm guitar: John 5 Tele into Orange.

Solo 1: Brian May Burns into two Vox AC30s with Fryer box – tones down.

Solo 2: White 1990 Gibson Les Paul into Marshall 900 with BOSS Hyper Fuzz (gain setting).

Page 10 of 14
Page 10 of 14
11. The Future Has Been Here 4 Ever

11. The Future Has Been Here 4 Ever

Main rhythm: 1960 Fender Jazzmaster into BOSS Compressor into Blackstar Artisan in forgotten tuning.

Lead guitar:
Richey's Thinline Tele into Fender Twin with Screaming Tree pedal with tone rolled off all the way on the guitar.

Page 11 of 14
Page 11 of 14
12. Don't Be Evil

12. Don't Be Evil

Verse: 1969 Gibson ES-330 into Mesa Lonestar.

Chorus: '79 (I think) white Fender Thinline Tele into Burman combo.

Solo: Gibson 330 into JMP Marshall with MXR Full Bore metal pedal.

Page 12 of 14
Page 12 of 14
Pedal Power

Pedal Power

A selection from James' effects armoury.

Page 13 of 14
Page 13 of 14
Pedalboard

Pedalboard

The pedals on this board have already seen gig action on tour. The welsh flag-emblazoned pedal is a secret weapon and his trademark BOSS Hyperfuzz also features.

Page 14 of 14
Page 14 of 14
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones
Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS
If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

Latest in Guitars
Bass Guitars Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted pays his respects to the late, great Cliff Burton
 
 
Jackso Pro Series Phil Collen PC1-E
Artists Phil Collen on why you can play anything on his new Jackson, and even nail those Hysteria tones
 
 
Hotone Ampero II Stage
Guitar Pedals “Even if you have a decent amp, there's enough variety and depth of effects in the Stage to justify integrating it into an existing rig”: Hotone Ampero II Stage review
 
 
Fender American Ultra Luxe 60s Stratocaster
Guitars Fender CEO admits regret over S-style cease-and-desist campaign – but says it will "improve" guitar design
 
 
Polyend Loop looper pedal
Guitar Pedals Polyend Loop is part looper pedal, part drum machine and comes stocked with over 100 effects
 
 
Boss EX-4 Effects Expander
Guitars “Expands the range of your pedalboard – without changing what already works”: Boss unveils the EX-4 Effects Expander, a compact multi-fx powerhouse that's designed to maximise your pedalboard's potential
 
 
Latest in News
UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 22: Photo of Stevie WONDER; Stevie Wonder promoting the album Songs In The Key Of Life, dressed as cowboy (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)
Artists Stevie Wonder surprise releases four previously unheard songs from 1976's Songs in the Key of Life
 
 
Bass Guitars Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted pays his respects to the late, great Cliff Burton
 
 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: (L-R) Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, and Pat Smear of Nirvana accept the Video Vanguard Award onstage during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) at Peacock Theater on September 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Artists Nirvana's Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl reunite at the 2026 VMAs as Madonna and Taylor Swift win big
 
 
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - SEPTEMBER 25: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Olivia Rodrigo performs onstage during The Unraveled Tour kick off at PeoplesBank Arena on September 25, 2026 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Artists Olivia Rodrigo kicks off her Unraveled tour with a “one of one” heart-shaped guitar and a surprise solo
 
 
Fred Again
Artists Fred Again slams AI music: "I've felt no pull whatsoever to even try it... the process is the magic"
 
 
Todd Rundgren and Taylor Swift composite image
Artists "To me, she is the apotheosis of mediocrity": Todd Rundgren is not a Swiftie
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...