James Bay

In this video of James Bay performing the song 'Let It Go' for Burberry Acoustic, he can be seen playing an Epiphone EJ-200CE Acoustic-Electric Guitar in a Natural finish. Close-ups and details of the guitar can be seen throughout the video.

Some other videos of James Bay using an Epiphone EJ-200CE Acoustic-Electric Guitar, since the first video isn't working anymore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82MlZiPYkVc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsqnmYsRclM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIrE9LUX6lg

at 3:00 you can see his volume pedal, the boss FV-500H

In this video, James Bay talks about picking up a guitar when he first heard Layla by Eric Clapton at age 11. He describes some of the characteristics of his 1966 Epiphone Century electric guitar, and why he thinks it’s a great guitar for him:

“I’ve wound up with this red Epiphone Century, it was made in 1966, so it’s an old one. And there’s a lot to be said for old guitars, everybody thinks they’re kind of great for various reasons. And new guitars are great too! But this is a really nice piece of wood. It’s just put together well, and it’s aged well and I can say all this stuff and sound like a guitar geek. But at the end of the day, I saw it and I liked the look of it, and when I started playing it, it felt good. That’s what it comes down to, does it feel good. I like the fact that this is an electric guitar, but it hasn’t got a plain G-string, it’s got a wound G-string kind of like an acoustic guitar - exactly like an acoustic guitar. I just like that it’s difficult, I get a great feeling out of that. And it makes a great sound, it’s kind of like - it’s just the right kind of jangly, just the right kind of thick. Heavy… woody… electric… I love it. It’s just… there’s something about it.”

Total Guitar interview, James Bay talk about both his 2 Epiphone Century guitars:

Epiphone Century 1966 (Cherry Red) with 1 P90 Pickup

Epiphone Century 1965 (Brown) with 2 P90 Pickups and a Bigsby vibrato https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjm4UBHrCTI

In an interview with Andertons Music Co in April 2016, James Bay says he has got the Bigsby Vibrato removed from his brown Epiphone Century 1965 https://youtu.be/3DQJSkYl5rY?t=29m52s

James Bay, the acclaimed UK singer-songwriter, is seen playing a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire" with a Gibson J-200 in a video uploaded by Evelyn on YouTube. Known for his distinctive sound, Bay has often been associated with Jumbo body guitars, including the Epiphone EJ-200, which he played during his early career while busking in Brighton.

In the interview James mentioned when recording his single 'Let it Go', he mentions the song was recorded with a Blues Junior..

In this Instagram, James Bay can be seen holding/hugging his new guitar, a 1964 Gibson ES-330. He captions the photo, "I finally got it!! The guitar of my dreams! We're going to run away together.. #thanksbye"

In the comments, he replies to a couple users, confirming the year and model of this electric guitar: "'64 ES330 mmmmhmmmm x"

At 10:40 James Bay switches from his Epiphone Century to the Gibson Memphis Luther Dickinson ES-335. He shows off some of his lead work, demoing how his pedals affect his lead sound.

Video timestamp when he uses the Gibson Memphis Luther Dickinson ES-335 https://youtu.be/RYiSwv5j2D0?t=10m37s

It's that lone pedal to his left on the carpet

At 1:28 into this video of James Bay's pedalboard rundown, his Strymon BigSky reverb pedal can be seen. James Bay says, "The Flint covers sort of the initial... the sort of core reverb. [I'm a] massive fan of reverb. And everybody kept saying 'BigSky' 'BigSky', and eventually I went for it, I've jumped in... it lives up to its name, lives up to everything everybody says about it and after playing through it today I've already started to really sort of bring some of the sounds I really really wanted to life."

He then goes on to play his guitar, so you can hear the reverbs in action.

at 2:55 they talk about "the wonderful analog man bi-chorus"

at 34:40 James Bay talks about Hot Cake

When asked about the pedals and effects James Bay uses, he replies that he does not use very many. He says:

"I have been using an MXR Carbon Copy delay because I wanted a simple decent go-to delay pedal and I like the modulation button on it. There are loads of great delays, but I can only get so deep or else I'll fall into this endless cycle of options. I also use an [Electro-Harmonix] Holy Grail reverb at times, but the reverb on the Tone King really is pretty beautiful."

"I guess I take that Derek Trucks approach of 'let's just go straight into the amp', because the amp does so much. I don't even do anything with the tone knob on my guitar, and I barely do anything with the reverb. I'm just all the way up and it's about my hands. That's where volume comes from."

In this interview with James Bay, it is mentioned that Buzzfeed "invited the Hitchin-born singer (and his beautiful D'Angelico EX-59) to stop by our offices[...]". It can also be clearly seen in the photos and GIFs that accompany the interview, found here. His EX-59 looks to be a black finish with a rosewood fingerboard.

James Bay offers the following advice:

1. Your fingers are going to hurt.
2. You’re going to get hand cramps.
3. Get used to tuning and restringing your guitar — you’re going to have to do it a lot.
4. You’re going to suck at first — embrace it.
5. Practice is more important than gear.
6. Play with more experienced guitarists.
7. There’s a reason electrical guitars are easier to play.
8. Artistic expression is more important than technical skills.
9. There are a lot of ways to learn; choose the one that’s right for you.
10. Practice, practice, practice!
11. Embrace all genres of music.
12. Patience is a virtue.
13. Guitars are not edible — no matter how delicious they may look.

James Bay official Twitter page: https://twitter.com/JamesBayMusic/status/596321620257452033

In this video interview, James Bay talks about what strings he uses on his acoustic guitars. Starting at 4:49:

"I've gone up to 13s recently, because I dropped down, I was on 12s, cause I’d go down a whole tone. I’ve been using some Ernie Ball strings recently, they’ve got a range called Earthwood strings, which I was enjoying…"

The fact that he refers to the Ernie Ball Earthwood line and 13 gauge means he's using the Ernie Ball 2002 Earthwood 80/20 Bronze Medium Acoustic Guitar Strings.

Starting around 1:28 into this video of James Bay's pedalboard rundown, his Strymon Flint Tremolo & Reverb pedal can be seen. The signal chain starts with the Flint, then goes into his Strymon BigSky. James Bay says, "The Flint covers sort of the initial- the sort of core reverb."

In the provided image, James Bay is seen holding a Gibson J-50 Jumbo guitar.

at 0:20 , at the beginning of the video, you can see the Hum Debugger

Around 5:07 into this video interview with James Bay, "James Bay on Gibson Guitars," he mentions he switches between Ernie Ball Earthwounds, Ernie Ball Everlasts, and D'Addario strings, but has "fallen in love" with the Ernie Ball ones.

James Bay's first ever guitar. He captions his Instagram photo, "#Tbt to the first guitar I ever bought. Hand painted when I was 14 and still hanging in my room at my parents house"

The body shape, pickups configuration, knobs, switch, and rosewood fingerboard match those of a Epiphone Les Paul Special II electric guitar. James Bay's is of course hand painted by him.

James talks about selling his Yamaha Pacifica to buy the Epiphone Les Paul Special II https://youtu.be/3DQJSkYl5rY?t=13m31s

In this Instagram video, James Bay plays a riff through his Yamaha THR10C Classic Combo Modeling Combo Amp (he is using an Epiphone guitar, judging by the headstock). He says, "Plugged into my new Yamaha THR10C So many tasty tones coming out of this little beaut"

This might be a photo from his earlier work, he using a strat

Photos taken on July 25, 2010 at the Rythms Of The World festival in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, UK. Playing with the James Bay Band. Photos taken by James Boardman, who was the bass player in an earlier band James played guitar in, called RoadRunner

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jboardmanphotography/4838401297/sizes/o/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jboardmanphotography/4839007662/sizes/o/

In an interview about James Bay's album Chaos And The Calm and the gear he uses live and in the studio, James Bay talks a bit about his amps of choice.

While recording Chaos And The Calm in the studio, he used a "late-60s 'silverface' Twin" and loved the sound he got through it, particularly with P-90 pickups. However, he laments that carrying a vintage Fender Twin around on tour is impossible, due to it "breaking every five minutes". James Bay then talks about discovering Tone King amps:

"But then I found Tone King amps, which are made by a guy called Mark Bartel in Baltimore. I now play live through a Tone King Sky King. It's so clear but warm, and it breaks up just in the right way."

"I do like break-up, but I don't like it to be too aggressive. I like to work to get it to feel aggressive. It also has a built-in [Ironman] attenuator, which is this beautiful thing that allows you the same tones when you click down to different volumes. This amp has some of the greatest sounds ever."

In an Instagram story Q&A, James Bay is asked:

Do you ever just randomly write songs and record them? Or do you have like a process?

James Bay answers:

Bought myself some toys at the start of lockdown. The Izotope Spire is a dream come true for me. Started recording my songs way more now. Instead of just using iPhone voice notes... so much fun!

The photo shows James Bay's Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Mic.

In this Instagram photo, James Bay says, "First ever pedal board ... Plank of wood painted black. Proud to call it mine x"

His LR Baggs Venue DI Acoustic Guitar Direct Box and Preamp is the left-most pedal, followed by a Holy Grail Nano, then into a Blackstar HT-Dual Distortion, and finally into a Boss tuner pedal.

At 2:50 they talk about his Archer clean overdrive

At 2:10 into this video, James Bay's Artist 20 amp head and cab can be seen.

In this Tweet, James Bay says, "Tucked away today with a delicious #Hamstead amp rehearsing for tomorrow's @BBCR1 #LiveLounge !!! X"

Hamstead replies, "Great to hear you love it - Means a lot! Have fun! ;)" to which James Bay says, "Sounds incredible!" (source).

The amp appears at 2:19 in this video, the video is from That Pedal Show, where it is explained the complete rig.

In the official video for "If You Ever Want To Be In Love," James Bay and his background singers use the Audio Technica AE3300 microphone.

In this screenshot of a James Bay Instagram story, he can be seen playing a Fender Custom Shop Bob Bain "Son of the Gunn" Telecaster in Butterscotch Blonde. In the caption he says:

for the geeks: ... Fender @paul_weller_fender custom Bob Bain Tele

listed on the website (source)