Springsteen’s Nebraska album

[MikeInBethesda]

I went back and listened to this Springsteen masterpiece recently after quite a number of years. While I like a number of Bruce’s records (particularly the earlier stuff) Nebraska I’ve always felt like Nebraska was his biggest achievement from a song-writing standpoint. His acoustic guitar playing is laid back in the mix for much of the record, but his hypnotic fingerpicking really complements the haunting nature of many of the cuts. I’m wondering if anyone knows what acoustic guitars Bruce played on Nebraska? I have read that he is a real collector, though I’ve recently seen him playing Takamine live for the most part. Anyway, would be interesting to know what he was playing on Nebraska....

[fitness1]

Apparently a J-200

[Kerbie]

I don't know the answer about the guitar, but I agree with you about the album. It was a good one... very different from anything that came before.

[pjroberts]

Nebraska has been my favorite Springsteen album since the first time I heard it all the way through — was actually my first Springsteen album. At the time it was very laid back compared to his first decade, but later that acoustic focus seemed to be more prominent (especially after getting Tunnel of Love out of his system:-).

But, it was a J200 I am pretty sure ... he talks about this in his biography from a couple of years ago. He recorded the whole album solo on his Gibson as a demo recorded either in his garage, workshop or barn (something like that, forgive my memory experts). But point being it was demo quality, and they then re-recorded the whole thing in a real studio (maybe with other guitarists?). BUT, Springsteen liked his demo fingerpicking better and they cleaned that up as the final album. The whole thing was recorded in a portable 4-track recorder I think. Which totally fits the raw vibe of the album.

[Rmz76]

Originally Posted by MikeInBethesda

I went back and listened to this Springsteen masterpiece recently after quite a number of years. While I like a number of Bruce’s records (particularly the earlier stuff) Nebraska I’ve always felt like Nebraska was his biggest achievement from a song-writing standpoint. His acoustic guitar playing is laid back in the mix for much of the record, but his hypnotic fingerpicking really complements the haunting nature of many of the cuts. I’m wondering if anyone knows what acoustic guitars Bruce played on Nebraska? I have read that he is a real collector, though I’ve recently seen him playing Takamine live for the most part. Anyway, would be interesting to know what he was playing on Nebraska....

When he plays acoustic live he plays with a few different Takamine models, most notably the one he helped make famous (Takamine EF341SC). For the recording studio he uses several guitars, his favorite reported to be a 1951 Gibson J-45 which you can hear him playing in a live video of the Ghost of Tom Joad, but he would not have used the J-45 on Nebraska because it was gifted to him in 1988 and Nebraska was years before that... There is supposedly an interview with him and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which he talks about using a Tascam tape 4-track and a Gibson J-200 to record Nebraska (not demos, he used those tracks for the masters).

Back when I was doing a song of the day series I did a little write up on Stringsteen's J-45
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=435235

[gfa]

Yes! I'd had this album forever and liked it, but it happened to be in my CD player when I got in the car to drive home from Guitar Camp a few years ago. Heard it like I'd never heard it before. Masterful.

[Everton FC]

For me, this was the last great Springsteen album (The River is my other fave). Little Steven's "Men Without Women" was another great one. After these... Springsteen and the band, to my ears, drifted into pop/political "stuff" and lost me. But I just listened to "Nebraska" recently, and had the same question - what guitar is that?

[GCWaters]

Originally Posted by Everton FC

For me, this was the last great Springsteen album (The River is my other fave). Little Steven's "Men Without Women" was another great one. After these... Springsteen and the band, to my ears, drifted into pop/political "stuff" and lost me. But I just listened to "Nebraska" recently, and had the same question - what guitar is that?

Two great albums...I think “men...” was the album many of us were expecting from Bruce at that time....

[Looburst]

I happen to know, after asking Bruce at a gig in Vegas, where he and his wife showed up backstage to hang out with Tim and Faith, after one of their shows at the Venetian in 2014. He told me it was his old beat up 1950s Southern Jumbo.

[MikeInBethesda]

Hmmm, so it was a Gibson almost certainly (either the Southern Jumbo or J-200), sounds like you heard it directly from the source. Very cool that you were able to meet him and ask him directly.

[BastianS]

Originally Posted by Rmz76

most notably the one he helped make famous (Takamine EF341SC).

Don't mean to be overly smart about this, but: That was true until quite a while ago. On more recent live appearances, he can be seen more often with a P6N sunburst model. The EF341SC nowadays appears mostly as a 12-string played by Little Steven.

For what it's worth, Bon Jovi sticks to his EF341SC.

EDIT: A little comment on the record. I'm actually way to young to have witnessed Bruces first one or two decades, but this one stuck with me ever since I've first heard it. Mansion on the Hill in particular. What a song! That was about 5 years ago, I was 27 then. Two years ago, I was even lucky enough to have a chat about this record with a favourite fiction author of mine. So, Nebraska will always be one of my favourites.

[zombywoof]

The J-200 Springsteen used on that LP was on loan to the Rock & Roll HOF for an exhibit they had up for a bit. Nebraska remains my favorite Springsteen LP. I also have an old vinyl boot which has all of the songs in the order they appear on the original LP but performed live.

[Mr. Paul]

I played Reason To Believe on last week's radio show. Nebraska is the Bruce record that has aged most gracefully.

[AgentKooper]

It’s such a great record. It makes you feel like anything is possible with an acoustic guitar and a 4-track recorder (and a generous helping of songwriting genius).

[BT55]

I recently saw Bruce on Broadway. He played two Takamine guitars for that performance. It's interesting that he has Gibsons and is using Takamines for the show. Even Patti who was on stage for a few songs played a Takamine. Another interesting observation was that it appeared that he didn't have a sound tech. He controlled guitar volume from his pre-amp and when he walked away from his stand mounted mike the sound fell off.