Nerdville East: I buy the story, the instrument comes free...

Guitarist Joe Bonamassa has been hoarding vintage guitars and amplifiers for more than a generation. Some of his collection comes from famous owners that were passed through friends or family. Many were modified by their previous owners. Some remained in their altered states and many Joe had restored back to their original luster.

Interviewed by Mark Agnesi of Gibson guitars, Joe is an expert to the details of his collection, literally having total recall for the history behind each and every one.

Mentioned in the video, he doesn't break up a set. So if he made a deal for a guitar that came along with an amplifier, they stay together and the story told behind his quest to get these instruments becomes part of it's history. Joe can tell the year an instrument was made, specifics to the pickups and electronics, style of the neck (thin or rounded) whether or not it had original frets or modified.

His Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to collect instruments, especially Gibson Les Paul series with sunburst finish is apparent. It's memorabilia madness and about 33 minutes into the video a significant statement "I buy the story, the instrument comes free" puts it all together.
He doesn't say, I picked up this guitar from a music store... it's more like: This one was bought from Woodies music in Chobonga, Illinois. It's a '67 with original electronics. The owner bought it for his son who played in a garage band before joining the army. They paid $157 with a case. I wasn't unable to strike a deal with Woody the first time, but passing through 6 months later, he finally accepted my offer. It comes with the original receipt. That's Joe. That's Nerdville.

Joe first did a video of his California collection calling it Nerdville. In his travels and touring, geographically it was beneficial to relocate to Nashville so his new home was appropriately titled Nerdville East.