History & Technical Info on Blue (Including Replicas & Backups)

[Liam]

I figured a lot of people would be interested in the history and tech info on Blue and all it's backups/replacements so I've made this list using info I've come across in interviews videos, and all random places. I've tried to include evidence where possible.

Some info/guitars may be incorrect or missing, I've just made off the best of my knowledge. If you have anything to add or fix, definitely please let me know

Blue - Fernandes Stratocaster "Revival" RST-50 (1982 - Present):
This was the guitar originally owned by Billie's guitar teacher and later bought by Billie's mom as a gift for Billie. This guitar was used to record a lot from 39/Smooth till Nimrod. This one has been seen throughout the years with all different sticker.
- Body, neck, and pickguard appear to be original parts judging by the look of them now. You can tell the pickguard is original judging by the cracks it has and the dodgy cutting where the new pick up was put in. Billie's guitar tech has also confirmed it's the original neck in the comments.
- Bridge pick up was replaced with a Bill Lawrence L-500XL and then later a Seymour Duncan SH4 which he has used ever since replacing the BL though he has replaced the SH4 a few times. You can tell as the pick up colour sometimes changes from completely black to black and white, and completely white. The pickup is also angled.
- Neck and middle pickups are most likely original as he doesn't actually use these ones anymore as they were disconnected when the bridge pick up was installed.
- Tuning pegs/posts were upgraded to Sperzels around 1994 and have most likely been changed to newer ones a few times.
- Saddle was changed to String Saver High Performance Saddles sometime after 1994. Proof of Saddles here.
- String tree has also been changed from just one to two of them. Picture with one and two here.
- Strap locks were changed to Schaller strap locks.
- The tone pots are not used and the volume pot has been replaced with a 500K Seymour Duncan Yngvie "Fast Pot"
- Inside electronics/wiring has most likely been changed over time. No proof of this but judging by the age it's entirely possible.
- All other parts are most likely original though there is no way to be 100% sure without official confirmation.
- Guitar strap is a red Ernie Ball strap.

Blue Replica - Fender Stratocaster (1997 - 1999)
Around Nimrod era Billie started using a replica of Blue with different stickers that was made by Fender rather than Fernandes. It's rumoured that he used multiple though all the pictures I've seen all to appear to be the exact same stickers in the exact same spot.
- Fitted with Seymour Duncan SH4 on angle
- Has logo on headstock sanded off.
- Sprezels tuners.
- All other parts appear to be original.

American Sunburst Fender Stratocaster (2004 - 2005)
This was used as a back up for Blue during the American Idiot tour.
- Fitted with Seymour Duncan SH4 on an angle
- Most likely fitted with Sprezels tuners
- All other parts appear to be original.

Blackout Telecaster (2009 - 2014)
Starting the 21st Century Breakdown tour, Billie started using this guitar as a back up for Blue. This one had multiple copies made and Billie gave a lot away to fans who played on stage during this time.
- Fitted with a Seymour Duncan SH4 angled.
- Controls simplified to one volume knob.
- Pickguard made by WD
- All info can be seen on Rig Rundown.
- All other parts appear to be original.

Azul - Dark Blue Fender Stratocaster (2010)
During the South American leg of the 21st Century Breakdown tour Blue had to be refretted so was temporarily replaced with this guitar. Guitar was a darker blue with random stickers place on like Blue. After the tour the guitar was never seen again.
- Fitted with Seymour Duncan SH4
- Possibly fitted with Sprezels Tuners.
- Headstock was broken after being dropped on stage.
- All other parts appear to be original.

Buddy - Buddy Guy Signature Fender Stratocaster (2016)
This guitar was made as a back for the Revolution Radio tour using a Buddy Guy signature Stratocaster with Easy Bay related band stickers and dark blue pain down one part of the body. One one was made and was later gave away to a fan the same year.
- Pickguard changed to white.
- Fitted with Seymour Duncan SH4 angled.
- Wammy bar removed
- All other parts appear to be original.

Swamp Thing - Dark Green Fender Stratocaster (2017?)
This guitar appears to be the replacement for Buddy and the back up for Blue. Guitar was debuted on Billie's guitar techs Instagram but hasn't appeared to be played live yet.
- Fitted with Seymour Duncan SH4 angled.
- No Sprezels Tuners.
- No tone control.
- All other parts appear to be original.

[GreenDayTheory]

We need to have a GreenDay Gear thread.

 

Billie should advertise Fernandes Guitars lol

[pacejunkie punk]

Thanks for doing this. Interesting that he sanded off the Fender name on the 90's copy. Was he trying to pass it off as the original Blue? This really clears things up for me.

the main debate remaining in the Q and A thread now is whether he got it for Christmas 82 (age 10) or birthday 83 (age 11). 

[GreenDayTheory]

24 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

Thanks for doing this. Interesting that he sanded off the Fender name on the 90's copy. Was he trying to pass it off as the original Blue? This really clears things up for me.

the main debate remaining in the Q and A thread now is whether he got it for Christmas 82 (age 10) or birthday 83 (age 11). 

Did Billie write WMUWSE in 82?

That solves the debate if it did.

Edit: 83'

[pacejunkie punk]

2 minutes ago, GreenDayTheory said:

Did Billie write WMUWSE in 82?

That solves the debate if it did.

????

[GreenDayTheory]

7 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

????

I personally don't think he did.

I mean he wrote WMUWSE noodling around his guitar i think then he wrote the lyrics.

[pacejunkie punk]

4 minutes ago, GreenDayTheory said:

I personally don't think he did.

I mean he wrote WMUWSE noodling around his guitar i think then he wrote the lyrics.

He wrote that in 2002.  I don't see what that has to do with whether Blue was a Christmas or birthday present.  

[GreenDayTheory]

13 minutes ago, pacejunkie punk said:

He wrote that in 2002.  I don't see what that has to do with whether Blue was a Christmas or birthday present.  

Oh ok lol

Wikipedia says 10yrs old and Blue was given when his dad died.

[unextraordinarygirl]

You can't  trust Wikipedia for information.  Anybody can change or put  anything on those pages, so they aren't always accurate.

Here is a 1995 interview with Billie where he talks about it, so you can get it right from the horse's mouth, so to speak. 

https://youtu.be/_-C8VPDm9Ic

 

[pacejunkie punk]

Thanks. I saw that a long time ago and had forgotten some of the detail. Man they were young.

[GreenDayTheory]

1 hour ago, unextraordinarygirl said:

You can't  trust Wikipedia for information.  Anybody can change or put  anything on those pages, so they aren't always accurate.

Here is a 1995 interview with Billie where he talks about it, so you can get it right from the horse's mouth, so to speak. 

https://youtu.be/_-C8VPDm9Ic

 

I don't trust Wikipedia

[Ham Pascale]

On 10.07.2017 at 10:25 PM, pacejunkie punk said:

Thanks for doing this. Interesting that he sanded off the Fender name on the 90's copy. Was he trying to pass it off as the original Blue? This really clears things up for me.

In Total Guitar interview from late 1997 it was implied that this guitar (though there is a very, very similar guitar from roughly the same time period that is probably a Fender) is most likely a Fernandes. The neck was custom-made though - http://www.greendayauthority.com/news/3818/.

I don't think Billie Joe tried to pass it off as Blue, because Blue was still very much in use at the time.

[Ham Pascale]

Also...

Fender Stratocaster (1993)

Used as a back-up guitar for Blue in 1993. 

- Has a red strap, likely an Ernie Ball

- Fitted with Seymour Duncan L-500XL, albeit not angled

- All other parts appear to be original.

http://imgur.com/a/o4ND8

[GreenDayTheory]

Off topic but what picks Billie use?

[Liam]

4 hours ago, GreenDayTheory said:

Off topic but what picks Billie use?

 

 

[StratHunter]

He had the Bill Lawrence L-500Xl on Jaded in Chicago. Here are Pictures where you can see the rails on the pickup.

[pacejunkie punk]

Just watching the 1993 show from McGreggors and while he's changing a broken string he says "I should have a spare guitar, but this one is kind of a security blanket. My mom got it for me when I was 11."  So there you have it.  🙂 

(And it always seemed like a security blanket to me but it was nice to hear him say it)

[Hermione]

 

Just watching the 1993 show from McGreggors and while he's changing a broken string he says "I should have a spare guitar, but this one is kind of a security blanket. My mom got it for me when I was 11."  So there you have it.  🙂 

(And it always seemed like a security blanket to me but it was nice to hear him say it)

I knew it. I guess he decided 10 sounds better  

[Billie Joe's Fender]

This is some great info. I wonder what Blue's serial number is so we can find out whether he was an 80 an 81 or an 82. Also, it's funny how on the swamp thing guitar Billie removes the volume pot but keeps the tone pots because that's the exact opposite of what i did to my guitar.

[Joe.]

18 hours ago, Billie Joe's Fender said:

This is some great info. I wonder what Blue's serial number is so we can find out whether he was an 80 an 81 or an 82. Also, it's funny how on the swamp thing guitar Billie removes the volume pot but keeps the tone pots because that's the exact opposite of what i did to my guitar.

Could be that the two tone knobs are now master tone and volume, although I can't work out why they'd remove the volume and change the routing of the tones. Removing the volume control doesn't make sense anyway and based on Billie's track record of only keeping the volume knob is quite unusual.

[Drink Coffee And Destroy]

On 7/10/2017 at 1:50 AM, Liam said:

Blue Replica - Fender Stratocaster (1997 - 1999)
Around Nimrod era Billie started using a replica of Blue with different stickers that was made by Fender rather than Fernandes. It's rumoured that he used multiple though all the pictures I've seen all to appear to be the exact same stickers in the exact same spot.
- Fitted with Seymour Duncan SH4 on angle
- Has logo on headstock sanded off.
- Sprezels tuners.
- All other parts appear to be original.

There were two "Blue" guitars made for that tour. The other one is this: 

Blue Replica - Fernandes LE-1 Stratocaster (1997-1999)

First replica made for the nimrod tour

- Angled Seymour Duncan JB

- Black initials

- Sperzel tuners

- Headstock modified by Bill Schneider

- All other parts appear to be original

- Here's what it looked like without the modifications

https://imgur.com/a/k2X9ER8

These are other guitars that were on hand at that time:

Red Fender Stratocaster (1997)

One off guitar used at the HMV Alley Show

- Angled Seymour Duncan JB

- Sperzel tuners

- Single black volume knob

- 11 hole pickguard

- All other parts appear to be original

- Smashed after Basket Case

https://imgur.com/a/CcX58RS

"Peach" Stratocaster (1997-1999)

- Fitted with angled white unknown humbucker

- Believed to be another 'Frankenstein' guitar

- Controls limited to one volume knob

- Large 70’s style headstock

- Sperzel Tuners

- Can confirm with this picture this guitar is NOT natural finished, more of a peach color

https://imgur.com/a/NPWwvLe

Candy Apple Red Fender Telecaster (1997)

- Non-angled Seymour Duncan JB

- Sperzel tuners

- All other parts appear to be original

https://imgur.com/a/hvuhv4e

Black Fender Strat (1998)

- Angled Seymour Duncan JB

- Played by Timmy Chunks while Billie took the mic (King For A Day, Platypus)

https://imgur.com/a/b4fsm26

Edited June 5 by Drink Coffee And Destroy

[Hammie Stein]

I am convinced there were more than 2 Blue Fenders made during the Nimrod Era. I recall seeing a photo of his guitar rack that had 4 or 5 from memory, that would have been including Blue. 

[Drink Coffee And Destroy]

13 minutes ago, Hammie Stein said:

I am convinced there were more than 2 Blue Fenders made during the Nimrod Era. I recall seeing a photo of his guitar rack that had 4 or 5 from memory, that would have been including Blue. 

I know exactly that photo. Blue is strapped on Billie, Blue backups #1 and #2 and the Pink/Natural guitar are in the rack. There's also the Red Stratocaster and Maroon Telecaster so that would make seven guitars total from that period.

[Maddie86]

1 minute ago, Drink Coffee And Destroy said:

I know exactly that photo. Blue is strapped on Billie, Blue backups #1 and #2 and the Pink/Natural guitar are in the rack. There's also the Red Stratocaster and Maroon Telecaster so that would make seven guitars total from that period.

this photo?

and don't forget the black tele from that era, Billie played it in the Nice Guys video and there was a NYE performance where he used it for Scattered, and then he used the pink strat for Good Riddance

[Drink Coffee And Destroy]

1 minute ago, Maddie86 said:

this photo?

Bingo. But it asks the question of what guitar is directly behind Billie? 🤨

5 minutes ago, Maddie86 said:

and don't forget the black tele from that era, Billie played it in the Nice Guys video and there was a NYE performance where he used it for Scattered, and then he used the pink strat for Good Riddance

Good catch. I had to go back and watch the NYE show to jog my memory. I'm still fuzzy whether the "pink" strat is actually painted (shell pink maybe?) or left natural.