What tones do you like best?

[Telewanger]

What type of tone do you like the best, and why do you find yourself going back to this tone over and over for practice, recording, or live playing?

I keep posting sound clips on different guitar forums. Everyone says that everything that I post sounds like the 80's. Some love the tones and some say it sounds really cheesy. I used to hear of monster guitar players years ago, but I never hear much about them anymore. Now everyone seems to just seem to get lost in the mix.

The guys that I use to listen to a lot are, Steve Morse, Al Di Meola, Neal Schon, Steve Lukather, Van Halen, Steve Vai, Malmsteen, Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Paul Gilbert, Kirk Hammett, Jason Becker, George Lynch, Stevie Ray, Brent Mason, Albert Lee, Eric Johnson and on and on.

A lot of the post 80's "radio" music, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Green Day, has no lead guitar or very simple lines, and a lot of the more recent "radio" music has really rough and unpolished guitar tones, some of which sound like my first $50.00 amp and guitar. I had that sound, and tried everything I could to get rid of it. I have always liked the Boston, Eric Johnson, tight distortion polished tone. The distortion is packed so tight that it almost sounds clean, and has a sweet sound. Hardly anyone uses this tone anymore, and laughs about anyone trying to use it. I have always thought that it is the best sound that I have ever heard.

When I listen to a song, the instruments are at least, if not more important, than the vocals. If the nice solo sections, drum fills, and instrument fill parts do not exist, I really don't care to hear the song at all unless the song has a really strong message or story.

Here is a sample of a tone I was trying to get last night. I realize that the effects are too much. The small room that I record in has sound bouncing all over the place and it's hard to hear how much effects to add or subtract for the recording. I need to put my amps in another room and listen to the studio monitors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE7xA7fn_gc

[sunvalleylaw]

I am for developing my own tone, but in my mind, I base it off of this one as my favorite overall lead tone:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5imPpWkZo8

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W_UJWrcGPc&feature=related
A little cleaner yet for most of the song, then kicks in the overdrive at about 3:30 or so. Nice combo!

This cleanish overdrive and sustain strat tone is my favorite, and one big influence as I try to develop my own.

I am also influenced by this one heavily, especially when I am playing my Viking:

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvy4oybNIxA

I am also influenced by cool vintage tones like this:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zzT92BmDu4&feature=PlayList&p=423752FB7CCE9083&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=3

I like vintage tones with a bit of bite. Hollowbodies and semi-hollows grab me in addition to the nice strat tones above.

I go back to these tones over and over, because they seem really expressive to me and have a very vocal quality. I like the bit of edge, combined with the clarity so you can hear all the notes, what the pick is doing, etc.

You asked for favorite, so there you go. I also have my vintage grungey punk tone side too, but that is a different story. :AOK :AOK

[Spudman]

My favorite tone is the neck pickup on a Strat or a Tele. That's it.:dude

[ibanezjunkie]

Satriani - Surfing with the alien, Ice 9.


same album different songs, similar tone.

[Telewanger]

Yeah, that's some great stuff!

It is amazing that a great sound to some people, is absolutely terrible to others, as far as guitar sound goes. I listen to all kinds of music, and like just about any kind of guitar sound except for some of the fuzz tones. Some fuzz devices are so buzzy and spread out that it sounds like the speakers are blown or have holes cut in them, and some people love that sound. To me it sounds like cheap toy equipment that you buy at Wal-Mart. It's just like asking someone, "What is the best color?" There is no best color.

This is a cool post for me, because it is introducing me to a new bunch of new material that I have never heard.

[Duff]

Brand new Xavier xv500 LP type chrome neck pup crunchy gfs pat is awesome thru new old stock crate palamino v 32 2 twelve celestions clean and distortion channels w half reverb.

[markb]

Fender amp (or model) at about 5 or 6 so it compresses if you dig in, back off guitar volume for jangly clean. All guitars sound like themselves, add mid-rich OD (TS, etc) for leads. Boring, but it works.

[sumitomo]

I like good tone,let your ears be the judge.Sumi:D

[Tig]

Stevie played a beautiful, very warmly driven tube tone when he recorded "Lenny"
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For humbuckers with a similar driven tube tone, I like the Pearly Gates tone Billy Gibbons gets, especially in "Blue Jean Blues".


For higher gain solo tone, I have to say I love Slash's tone, like the "November Rain" solos. "Estranged" was their best song and his best solo, IMO.
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[Telewanger]

I wish I still had my recording studio, but we moved due to work issues. I used to really be able to crank my amps. Right now, they just don't sound good in my house.

[oldguy]

Gary Moore is one I like. Fat, full on tone, pick exploding off the strings, and great sustain and harmonics.

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[tot_Ou_tard]

That's much too difficult of a question.

[marnold]

I tend to like 80s metal tones too. Lots of mids and highs, a good amount of gain, but not so much that it turns to mush. Add a bit of delay for some depth. This isn't the best audio quality, but I think this Lynch tone is my favorite. It's also one of my favorite Dokken tunes:
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I will add that Joe Bonamassa's Les Paul tone is definitely growing on me. That struck me while watching Disc 2 of the Live at Royal Albert Hall DVD.

[Commodore 64]

I Like George Lynch's tone, I like Slash's tone, I like Vivian Campbell's tone. I guess that means I like gain and speaker break-up?

[Plank_Spanker]

I like all kinds...........

A killer Tele chicken pickin' clean

A Strat through an amp just at the edge of distorting

A Les Paul pushing a Marshall hard

Dano jangle through a Vox

A 335 pushing a clean Twin hard

For starters.........................:happy

[NWBasser]

My preference for listening is a Les Paul on the neck pickup. Thick and full singing sustain. Gregg Allman and Warren Haynes.

I do rather like Alex Lifeson's PRS with its strong mids too.

[deeaa]

I like a sound that is very driven, but not at all distorted. A sound that sounds kind of clean, but has a lot of bite and drive. That sound is also a sound that is hard to play; it reveals all mistakes well and supports nothing, no FX, no sustaining drive.

I guess on our Crank recordings I got pretty much exactly what I like:
http://deeaa.pp.fi/crankenhaus/crankenhaus%20-%20my%20rage.mp3

I play the lead melody and the 'main' guitar. No FX, no distortion, just an all tube amp and EMG pickups, played hard.

This kind of sound is VERY hard to capture, you just have to take my word for it it sounds way better live. Next time I record, I'll try to mic it even further, as it sounds the better the farther and more off-axis the mic is. Some 4 feet away and 4 feet above the amp - where your ear would be - is what I'll use next. But these are pretty good for close micing.

[Plank_Spanker]

I like a sound that is very driven, but not at all distorted. A sound that sounds kind of clean, but has a lot of bite and drive. That sound is also a sound that is hard to play; it reveals all mistakes well and supports nothing, no FX, no sustaining drive.

I hear you on this! I also love this type of sound, and I agree that it demands much of the player.

I got my first exposure to this when I bought my Germino Club 40. The amp is awesome sounding at that "driven, just on the edge of distortion" tone.................but it will bring out every flaw in your playing and demands touch when you play.

But when you and the amp are dialed in, you absolutely cannot beat the sound.