Five Faces of the MESA/Boogie Fillmore Series featuring Jamie Humphries – Part Two – Blues Infused

In this second part of a multi-session series, MESA artist Jamie Humphries runs through a slow blues piece he has written inspired by such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Gales, Joe Bonamassa and Richie Kotzen, showcasing a wide variety of tones available from the Fillmore 50 combo.

This track uses pushed clean tone to fully driven gain and everything in between, but specifically focusing in on using a single coil loaded guitar for classic blues style tones. The intro includes a Hendrix inspired figure using double stops and chord embellishments with a mild overdrive tone. This section demonstrates the clarity and definition of the Fillmore 50 when playing intricate rhythm parts with overdrive. In contrast to the intro, the verse drops down in dynamics and features a mildly pushed clean tone, again using the neck single coil. This tone is rich and full bodied, with a “bloom” to the tone of each note of the melody, helped by the Fillmore’s lush spring reverb. This delicate tone really reaches to the subtle nuances of the player, as well as the slightest change to the guitars controls; a very organic/musical tone. The pre chorus see’s the gain and midrange being increased, and with the guitar switched to the middle single coil, adds bite and definition to each note. This tone was inspired by the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan. Even with the increased gain you can hear the attack of each note, with plenty of sustain on held notes. The chorus lifts up further both dynamically, and with the choice of chords for the progression. Here we have more gain added, but with the midrange cut slightly, and the use of the neck single coil, the melody sits back slightly, giving a rich soulful tone; great for sustained notes and runs alike. The outro solo includes a very driven tone, but shows how the definition of the note remains intact, even when the amp is pushed hard. This section uses the bridge single coil, with the midrange pushed, and plenty of reverb, for that old school bluesy midrange “honk”.

Following the play through Jamie takes a look at the tones, as well as performing some of the sections unaccompanied, to give you an in-depth insight into each of the tones used. Stay tuned for part three of this five part series!

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