Skip to main content
Become a MusicRadar VIP - it's free
- Join our community
SampleRadar
Access over 90,000 royalty-free samples
The MusicRadar app
Full access and custom feeds
MusicRadar Newsletters
The latest music and gear news inboxed
Earn Member Badges
Climb the MusicRadar charts
Coming soon: VIP-only Giveaways
Win pro-grade music gear and more
Join the conversation
Connect with other musicians and fans
BECOME A MUSICRADAR VIP
For the quickest way to join, enter your email below. We’ll send a confirmation email and sign you up to MusicRadar newsletters with the latest music news, gear reviews, tutorials and exclusive offers.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
Get VIP Access Quick

Become a MusicRadar VIP for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to Become a MusicRadar VIP !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Start reading to unlock your first badge
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Hot music news

Hot music news

The latest news from the hottest artists.

Explore
Make better music

Make better music

Explore tutorials, tips and guides for creating music.

Explore

Your membership perks

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Explore now

Get the MusicRadar Newsletter

Get the latest music news, gear reviews, deals and tutorials delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up here

Sign Out
MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Software & Apps
  • Controllers
  • Buying Guides
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • About us
More
  • Styles' sonic secret
  • I'm Still Standing
  • Stevie Wonder’s '70s synth guru
  • 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
The Fender x Loog child-friendly guitar lineup now includes a 21.6" scale Precision Bass.
Guitars Fender and Loog transform the P-Bass into a child-friendly 3-string, unveil a classic Tele for kids
 
 
Scott LePage of Polyphia points the way during a 2024 live show.
Guitarists How Scott LePage finds Polyphia’s wildest guitar tones
 
 
Warm Audio Centavo Mod
Guitar Pedals “The Klon formula, minus the oversized enclosure and price tag”: Warm Audio Centavo Mod review
 
 
Full line-up of Positive Grid gear with a man playing guitar in the background
Guitar Amps We loved these Positive Grid practice rigs at full price – now they’re as low as $99 thanks to this early Black Friday sale
 
 
A shot of Behringer's proposed mega-launch of super-cheap guitar effects pedals.
Guitars Behringer teases 100s of $10-$15 stompboxes – but what’s with the TC Electronic stuff in the photo?
 
 
Blackstar Beam Control and wireless rig: the British amp specialist has just expanded its Beam lineup with a wireless four-button footswitch.
Guitars Blackstar’s Beam Mini Wireless Rig has everything you need for cable-free playing
 
 
Latest in News
The Fender x Loog child-friendly guitar lineup now includes a 21.6" scale Precision Bass.
Guitars Fender and Loog transform the P-Bass into a child-friendly 3-string, unveil a classic Tele for kids
 
 
Scott LePage of Polyphia points the way during a 2024 live show.
Guitarists How Scott LePage finds Polyphia’s wildest guitar tones
 
 
Full line-up of Positive Grid gear with a man playing guitar in the background
Guitar Amps We loved these Positive Grid practice rigs at full price – now they’re as low as $99 thanks to this early Black Friday sale
 
 
Brian Johnson from ACDC performs with Dave Grohl (R) of the Foo Fighters during the taping of the Vax Live fundraising concert at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on May 2, 2021
Guitarists “Sobbing like a baby”: Dave Grohl reveals how jamming with AC/DC reduced him to a blubbing wreck
 
 
Nile and David in 1983
Artists “Billy Idol went, ‘Bloody hell, that's David Bowie!’ And as he says ‘Bowie’, he barfs. Vomits all over the place”
 
 
Martyn Ware
Artists Martyn Ware on how the sound of the city encourages creativity
 
 

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...