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  1. Guitars

Manic Street Preachers: James Dean Bradfield's gear

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By Guitarist ( Guitarist ) published 28 September 2010

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

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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
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