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it’s a Mesa Lonestar and a JCM900 SLX at the same time (Signal splitter like a Headbone to mix both I believe) into a 4x12 Marshall cab with Greenbacks. Marshall handles the high end and upper mids, Lonestar is for the lower mids and bass and they work together beautifully.
He uses a fair amount of pedals but they’re reliable and affordable ones (eg Boss, MXR) - no really fancy boutique stuff. Notable pedals include his FZ2 which has been around since the 90s, he uses it on the boost mode (no fuzz, just a massive clean boost straight into the front end) for solos, an EHX Soul Food lately and a Mosaic 12 string sim, Boss Harmonist and Delay pedals (DD3 and 6 I think) and a few other modulation type sounds for Holy Bible and other more effected tones.
Amps for the Radio X sessions were Blackstar HT5 mini stacks...
Though ive always thought we had some of rocks greatest gear heads posting anonymously here...
My wife is the proper manics fan in our relationship.. She has delved into the murky depths of the fan forums and fb pages.. it is truly terrifying stuff. Mild stalking is the norm.. fan fiction (translated: James and Nicky porn with Sean there to film it), and total weirdness.
Think there are pages dedicated to Nicky's love of vacuum cleaners..
TL:DR - Think he has places in London & Cardiff. Used to be seen running a lot in Cardiff. Their new studios are located there too i think.
When I lived in Cardiff I met him quite a few times around town, in HMV, walking his dog, in guitar shops, after gigs, at signings. Strongest handshake you’ll ever get! Met him and Sean in Cranes when they were guitar shopping for SATT recording, where in the heat of the moment I corralled him for a chat about gear and he chatted with me for a solid half an hour about his setup and some of his THB and GT tones, it was absolute guitar hero worship heaven (found out a few years before the Guitarist video that Motorcycle Emptiness was recorded on Richey’s Thinline Tele, I felt very in the know when that came out).
Even better, I popped down the street after that to Gamlins, the ‘other’guitar shop on Cardiff’s St Mary’s Street, and full of the piss and vinegar of geeking out at length with my hero, tried out a DSL50 and Tubescreamer with a few riffs at volume. After a bit of time, I played the You Love Us solo and became aware of someone watching me. Turned around and JDB had the same guitar shopping idea and had been watching me play! He gave me a smile and a nod and I died a little bit of joy inside haha.
I also had the honour of having him sign the back of my white ‘99 Les Paul Custom’s headstock at a signing - absolutely wonderful. He also played a quick solo on it (I think I said ‘squee’ or some other indistinguishable sound) and offered to buy it off me! I told him it wasn’t for sale but if I was going to sell it to anyone it’d be him...
Those are the two particularly guitar-heavy JDB moments, but he’s always absolutely lovely, down to earth and willing to chat.
Sometimes it is is a good idea to meet your heroes!
Only met him the once but definitely a great chap