Which guitar player has got the best tone?

[Robert]

Another controversial subject, I reckon... but let's hear who you think has/had the best TONE! You can name up to 5 names, in order of goodness... :)

Here is my list (I'll probably change my mind next time I look at this list... :whatever: ):


Bill Frisell
SRV
Michael Landau
Jimi Hendrix (the reason he's not 1st is because his gear was unreliable and sometimes his tone was... well up and down we could say. However, when his stuff was working - it was a killer tone.)
Scott Henderson

[warren0728]

haven't had much time to think about it and i'm about 3 single malts into the thought process but here goes....

clapton....gibson era woman tone and brown tone.....yum
roy buchanan

many more....just aren't on the tip of my fingers....

ww :greenguitar:

[sunvalleylaw]

I can't argue with any you listed Robert. I would add John Mayer, because I love his strat tone, and Brian Setzer, just for what he can do with a hollow body guitar and a Bassman, with basically nothing else most of the time. Oh, and I am a new fan of Gary Moore's sound, to add an LP guy.

[warren0728]

i'm gonna add carlos santana...you know it's him as soon as he hits a note...

ww

[mrmudcat]

SKYDOG:master:





EAT A PEACH:rockon:

[warren0728]

SKYDOG:master:





EAT A PEACH:rockon:
that's hard to argue with too...he lived a lot of his life less than an hour from me....another that left this earth way to early.

my theory is that if you are really that good....god might bring you home early so that you can play in his band...that's why i suck.....keeps me on earth longer to enjoy my kids!! :beer:

ww:greenguitar:

[Plank_Spanker]

The cat from Blink 182

"Gurg" from Mudvayne

Someone in that circus of Slipknot

Anything Nirvana

Let us not forget P.O.D

Legends..................................to name a few..................:D

LMAO!!!!!! :poke:

[piebaldpython]

What Warren said!! :master: There are just some guitarists who have unmistakeable tone or play in such a way that lots try to imitate them: In no particular order, top 5, huh?
Carlos Santana, Albert King, Bonnie Raitt, Duane Allman, SRV. Yeah, that'll do it. Honorable mention to Tom Scholtz of BOSTON who invented that signal compressor thing that changed guitaring!! ahhaa

[marnold]

Boy, this is a tough one. Especially when so many guitarists dramatically change their tone over the course of their careers. I don't know if I can really put them in order.

The two who have influenced my "style" or lack thereof would be George Lynch and SRV
Those I also appreciate greatly: Mark Knopfler, Brian May, Tony Iommi

[oldguy]

Tough one, Robert. I have to go with what I'd call the smoothest, most consistent tones, (for my tastes).

1. Sonny Landreth..... always gets a full, fat, tasty tone.
2. EVH, mostly the early stuff, IMO.
3. Joe Satriani.... pretty consistent.
4. SRV.
5. Joe Bonamassa.

[pes_laul]

My favorites are....
1. John mayer-Love the strat tone
2.David gilmour-Yet another awsome strat tone
3.Daron malakian- Love his solo on psycho
4.Slash-I love his tone on Knocking on heavens door
5.EVH-Had alot of cool chorus and flange

[R_of_G]

Bill Frisell, hands down, no contest.

[Katastrophe]

I'll stick to the rules of the thread and post only five this time...:D

(in no particular order)

1. Paul Gilbert - Racer X's Second Heat had incredibly fluid lead tones.
2. Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare The man's a tone monster.
3. SRV - Look up "Ideal Strat Tones" in Wikipedia, and it should be SRV with a Tube Screamer, Dumble amph and ol' Number 1
4. Eric Johnson - The man's a tone freak. Anyone that says single coils cant have a thick sound should listen to any of his albums.
5. David Gilmour - He could play on anything, and it would sound like him.

[Spudman]

Roine Stolt
Andy Latimer
Jeff Beck
Joe Bonnamassa
David Gilmour

[Rockette]

Best tone? What does that mean?
Wouldn't it depend on the guitar/amp/PA/score at some given point in time?
Obviously Gibson/Bluesbreaker Clapton, Strat/DeVille Clapton, Bellezza Bianca Clapton, 000-28 Clapton would deliver 4 different & distinct "tones". Same goes for any other artist. Throw mood & vibe into the mix for more things that can influence "tone" in any given session.

[tunghaichuan]

While I think he is an obsessive compulsive nutjob, I've always like Eric Johnson's tone. His smooth, singing "100lb violin" tone is just increadible. Having said that, I don't like his playing much anymore, he obsesses over it some much that he loses all spontaneity.

tung

[Tone2TheBone]

I agree with both Plankster and tung...both on the Blink 182 dude and Eric being too crazy these days. :messedup:

Good thread. Where do I start. Well I won't cuz there are too many best mentions here. As many times as I can think of them too. I think the best toned people have been the ones that are just fuggin' on at that moment. A little grace goes a long way but I have to say that an engineer with a good ear and studio savvy doesn't hurt either.

[Algonquin]

Many distinctive (Tone) players have already been covered, but there's one that I haven't seen that excels at this...
Angus !

Instantly recognizable in my eyes for his solo's. Not the best, but deserves a mention here.

[Jimi75]

1. Hendrix - especially in the period between 68-70.
2. Joe Bonamassa - his Strat sounds are cool, but his Paul sounds are KILLER!
3. SRV - grooowwwwlllll.......unbeliveable perfect combination of equipment, strings, talent and whatever
4. Mark Knopfler - the tone is in his fingers
5. John Petrucci - had to pick one Metal guy. Petrucci has the potential to sound heavy, gentle and clean a the same time. He makes a Boogie sound what a Boogie should sound like.

[sumitomo]

This is a tough one but Skydog,SRV,Carlos,Clapton and Joe Louis Walker and many many others.Sumi

[Robert]

Who the heck is Skydog?

[piebaldpython]

SKYDOG is Duane Allman. :rockon:

[duhvoodooman]

Several of my favorites have already been mentioned so I won't repeat (well, except SRV!! :AOK: ), but here are a few more I like: Robben Ford, Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher, Mike Campbell, Billy Gibbons.

[Ro3b]

I consider myself absolutely unqualified to make an objective judgement as to who has the "best tone." Some players I personally like for their tone are:

Pete Townshend (The first player whose tone really made me sit up and take notice)
John Frusciante
Pete Buck, especially on the first two or three REM albums
Johnny Marr
Vigilante Carlstroem and Nicholaus Arson (The Hives)

[Robert]

Ro3b, there's NO WAY to make an objective statement about who's got the best tone - it's all subjective, buddy! And that's okay.

[oldguy]

Another subjective thing about tone..... The Albert King video Robert posted today shows how great a blues player Albert was, and also his tone, which I tend to instantly appreciate, because it's Albert's tone. It's not the fat, full, overdriven tone lots of people shoot for, but it's great. Another I always liked was Albert Collins' hard, sharp edged tone. They made it their sound.

[mechanic]

Its all subjective like Robert says but IMO
Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Johnny Winter
Billy Gibbons
And last but not least Luther Perkins.
My list does change some based on the mood I'm in too.
later
Eric

[Skittles]

David Gilmour (on the turning away tone is sick:master: )
Mick Mars (dirty sex,drugs, and rock & roll tone:dude: )
EVH (panama tone)
Randy Rhoads (Crowley tone)
Daisy Berkowitz (dope Hat, Lunchbox:dude: , Snake eyes for sissies)

[Lev]

agree with many of the posts just wanted to include John Sykes tone on Whitesnakes 1987 record - The definative Les Paul & Stack rock sound for me.
Also while I'm on the theme of Thin Lizzy guitarists, Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham on Live and Dangerous have an excellent tone, Thin Lizzys studio recording never quite captured that guitar tone for me.

[Blaze]

It depend on your taste, for me it s different from a style to an other..

I d say Robben Ford , Larry Carlton in blues_ Jazz

Scott Hendreson - Fusion Jazz_Blues

Jeff Beck - Rock_ fusion & Blues

Tommy Emmanuel - Acoustic_ Folk

Bireli Lagrene (most versatile in Jazz and Django s Style)

These guys have their one voice on guitar , dont forget mr.Santana the most recognizable sound and also Mark Knopler..

Cheers :AOK:

Blazes

[GREENMACHINE]

For me I think (in no particular order):
S.R.V, Eric Clapton,B.B King.

Cheers

[R.B. Huckleberry]

No particular order:

Edward Van Halen,
Stevie Ray Vaughan,
Nuno Bettencourt,
Jake E. Lee (Badlands era),
Angus and Malcolm Young


...editted down to be more in line with the "up to 5" limitation. However: I don't think you can seperate Angus & Malcolm.

[Robert]

I have to say NOT this guy:
g9gVAGLJLJo

:D

[just strum]

I have to say NOT this guy:


:D

Well, you get no argument from me this time or you guys would be giving me a one way ticket on the train to Outtahere, USA.

I have to go with Warren's response early on - Clapton with the 335. Another would be Phil Keaggy Glass Harp days.

It's difficult to find a good clip of Phil, but here are two that will have to do for now - first in the early years and one when they reunited for some concerts.

oJgdNCYt_tA&feature=related

I_eUFWraaus&feature=related

[street music]

Ok, since I only get five picks;
Chet Atkins
Johnny Rivers
Roy Orbinson
George Harrison
Joe Walsh

No certain order just the five that I had come to my list first.

[jpfeifer]

I realize that this is like asking someone what flavor of ice cream is the best.
But for me, here are the guys that have great tone to my ears:

Eric Johnson
Carlos Santana (he plays only a few notes and you know who it is)
David Gilmour
B.B. King

-- Jim

[TS808]

My favorite guitarists' tones are definitely Warren Haynes, BB King, Carl Perkins, and SRV.