I loved Nuno Bettencourt's tone on III Sides To Every Story. He's got great ears for real tone.
Since we have a "worst recorded guitar tone" thread, why not do the opposite?
I think Scott Henderson's album Dog Party has some really tasty strat tone. He used a Fender 50s re-issue strat with Lindy Fralin pickups through a Matchless amp on that one (if I remember correctly).
I'd have to mention anything by Bill Frisell also. He's got such a lovely, mellow tone, quite irresistible.
And, again, I think Jimi Hendrix had a fantastic tone on "Machine Gun". Still gives me "duck skin" (goose bumps) every time I listen to it.
The Law of Gravity is nonsense. No such law exists. If I think I float, and you think I float, then it happens.
Master Guitar Academy - I also teach via SKYPE.
I loved Nuno Bettencourt's tone on III Sides To Every Story. He's got great ears for real tone.
Guitars/Bass - MIM Fender Classic 50s Strat, MIM Fender Standard Strat, Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Epi '56 Gold Top Les Paul, Martin DSR acoustic, Sigma Martin Auditorium electric/acoustic, Squier Jazz Bass.
Amps/Cabinets/Modelers - Model 2558 50 watt Marshall Silver Anniversary Jubilee combo w/ Celestion Vintage 30s, 4x12 Marshall cabinet w/25 watt Greenback Celestions, Fender Blues Junior w/ a couple of Billm mods, Line 6 POD 2.0, Roland Micro Cube
Pedals/Effects - Cry Baby Classic Wah, Boss TU-2, Boss NS-2, Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Ross Compressor, MXR Micro Amp, Danelectro FAB Echo, Danelectro FAB Chorus, Danelectro Chicken Salad, Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Marshall Echohead, Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer, Digitech Digiverb, Digitech Bad Monkey, Dunlop Fuzz Face, Homemade Loop Bypass pedal, Duhvoodooman's Sonic Tonic (Maxon SD-9 clone +), Voodoo Labs Superfuzz
I am still too newbie to really say. I am just learning about tone. But I will throw one out there I really like. Even though he is young, and his earlier stuff is pretty young and pop sounding, I really like the tone John Mayer is getting lately, esp, when he heats up the tone a little like in the Trio recordings. To me it is very expressive. Best of all? I am probably unqualified to say. I do really like it though.
Steve Thompson
Sun Valley, Idaho
Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay
love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
- j. johnson
John Sykes on Whitesnake's 1987 record had a great rock tone. Very different but equally awesome tone - Mark Knopfler - Sultans of Swing. I also love Bad Horsie by Steve Vai for ballsy tone.
- Lev
Main Guitars: Fender US Deluxe HSS Strat, PRS SE C24, Fender Baja Tele
Bass Guitar: Squier VM Jaguar Special
Main Amp: Vox AC15
Main Effects: Digitech EXP-7, Line6 M5, Soul Food, Sub n UP, Flashback, Polara Verb
Vids: www.youtube.com/levguitar
I like George Lynch's tone on Dokken's "Tooth and Nail" and "Back for the Attack" although there are distinct differences between the two. "Tooth and Nail" is far more raw.
I know it's cliche, but I like SRV's blues tone. For a particular reference, I'd probably pick his cover of "Little Wing."
Axen: Jackson DK2M, Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Reverend Warhawk 390, Taylor 914ce, ESP LTD Surveyor-414
Amphen: Jet City JCA22H and JCA12S cab, Carvin X-60 combo, Acoustic B20
Effecten: "Thesis 96" Overdrive/Boost (aka DVM OD2), Hardwire DL-8 Digital Delay/Looper, DigiTech Polara Reverb, DigiTech EX-7 Expression Factory and CF-7 Chorus Factory, Danelectro CF-1 Cool Cat Fuzz
"I wish Imagine Dragons would be stuck in an Arcade Fire for an entire Vampire Weekend."--Brian Posehn
Poor John Sykes. I think if you would ask who played on that album, people would probably say Vivian Campbell, Adrian Vandenberg, or even Steve Vai (mistaking it for "Slip of the Tongue").Originally Posted by Lev
Axen: Jackson DK2M, Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Reverend Warhawk 390, Taylor 914ce, ESP LTD Surveyor-414
Amphen: Jet City JCA22H and JCA12S cab, Carvin X-60 combo, Acoustic B20
Effecten: "Thesis 96" Overdrive/Boost (aka DVM OD2), Hardwire DL-8 Digital Delay/Looper, DigiTech Polara Reverb, DigiTech EX-7 Expression Factory and CF-7 Chorus Factory, Danelectro CF-1 Cool Cat Fuzz
"I wish Imagine Dragons would be stuck in an Arcade Fire for an entire Vampire Weekend."--Brian Posehn
I dig pretty much every sound that I´ve heard from Joe Perry. Especially early Aerosmith.
I can't say that I've given up on a flanger cause I've never liked the effect either. I also can't say the same about Tremolo. I hate them both equally. - Tone2TheBone 2009
Yeah, SRV has to be mentioned. I'll say "Lenny"!
The Law of Gravity is nonsense. No such law exists. If I think I float, and you think I float, then it happens.
Master Guitar Academy - I also teach via SKYPE.
Sooo many to choose... but at this moment
Snowy White - Bird Of Paradise
Just gets me... I listen to it once daily probably..
his tone? and playing are just so good on this..
Don't care much for the video..
but the song is just a beauty.
At about 1:55...wow..I can relate to duck skin...
excellent.."to me"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RBXTNAdvGKI
Last edited by Justaguyin_nc; July 18th, 2007 at 12:17 PM.
Jimmie Vaughan Strat , Squire 51
Epi 56 GoldTop, SX "Vintage" Jazz Bass
Zager 50, Guild GAD30R (Excellent)
G-Dec 3 Thirty, Valve Junior & Cab
Crate PowerBlock, Crate V33H
Avatar Cabinet 2x12 Hellatones
JamVox, Studio GX With Mods/Farm 2.0.
Yup now you're talking Lev and Marnold. Great rock guitar tones from both John Sykes and George Lynch. I wonder if George ever got to buy that purple Marshall head he always borrowed for recording. I found it interesting when I read that Randy Rhoades preferred George's playing over EVH.
Guitars/Bass - MIM Fender Classic 50s Strat, MIM Fender Standard Strat, Squier Classic Vibe 50s Tele, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Epi '56 Gold Top Les Paul, Martin DSR acoustic, Sigma Martin Auditorium electric/acoustic, Squier Jazz Bass.
Amps/Cabinets/Modelers - Model 2558 50 watt Marshall Silver Anniversary Jubilee combo w/ Celestion Vintage 30s, 4x12 Marshall cabinet w/25 watt Greenback Celestions, Fender Blues Junior w/ a couple of Billm mods, Line 6 POD 2.0, Roland Micro Cube
Pedals/Effects - Cry Baby Classic Wah, Boss TU-2, Boss NS-2, Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Ross Compressor, MXR Micro Amp, Danelectro FAB Echo, Danelectro FAB Chorus, Danelectro Chicken Salad, Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Marshall Echohead, Duhvoodooman's Zonkin' Yellow Screamer, Digitech Digiverb, Digitech Bad Monkey, Dunlop Fuzz Face, Homemade Loop Bypass pedal, Duhvoodooman's Sonic Tonic (Maxon SD-9 clone +), Voodoo Labs Superfuzz
+1. Cables for strings + Old Strat + Magic fingers + Soul to burn = Unique & unbelievable toneOriginally Posted by Robert
On the much more refined side, I find Robben Ford's LP tone to be spectacular.
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David Gilmour
Joe Bonamassa
Billy Gibbons
Albert King
Robert Fripp
...too name just a few of my favorite tone-meisters.
Electrics: Epiphone Les Paul Standard (w/S.D. pups - JB-4/bridge, SH-'59 neck), Fender Fat Strat (Mexican), Squier Fat Tele, Squier '51, Agile Valkyrie III, Ibanez Artcore AF75, Washburn OS OE30 Delta King, Dean Vendetta XM (w/ Dimarzios, D-Sonic/bridge, Air Norton/neck), Silvertone archtop (late 60s/early 70s), Titan EG-1 strat, Gibson G-3 bass, Fullerton strat
Acoustics: Sigma DM-5 (Japanese), Silvertone archtop (early 50s), Yamaha FG-110 (Korean), Alvarez RD20 12 string, Silvertone (60s)
Amps: Alamo Capri (early 60s tube), Alamo Challenger (late 60s tube) Epiphone Valve Jr. Head (w/Peavey 1x10 cab & Realistic 2x6 cab), Fender Yale Reverb, Vox Pathfinder 15R, Marshall Lead 12, Behringer G110 V-Tone, Marshall MG15CD, Vox DA-5, Pignose 7-100, Marshall Bass 12
I'm with you on Lenny Robert its just too nice of tone other than that love Eric Johnson's tone and outside of that the EVH brown sound on the second album it still makes me wake up with a smile.
Cannuck on a mission
Guitars: Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Ibanez Roadstar 2, Peavey Wolfgang Standard, Gibson Flying V, Yamaha 12 string, some beat up old classical
Amps: 1969 Fender Twin Reverb, 2002 Line 6 Flextone 2
Effects: Digitech GNX4, Boss ME30, and a whack of pedals
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I was flipping through the stations the other day and came across VH1 Classic's "Classic Albums" episode featuring Queen's "A Night at the Opera." I don't know if Brian May's tone would qualify as "best ever" in my mind, but one thing is for sure: whenever you hear his playing you know it's him. He's one of those 70's guitar heroes that never gets his proper due, in my opinion.
Axen: Jackson DK2M, Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Reverend Warhawk 390, Taylor 914ce, ESP LTD Surveyor-414
Amphen: Jet City JCA22H and JCA12S cab, Carvin X-60 combo, Acoustic B20
Effecten: "Thesis 96" Overdrive/Boost (aka DVM OD2), Hardwire DL-8 Digital Delay/Looper, DigiTech Polara Reverb, DigiTech EX-7 Expression Factory and CF-7 Chorus Factory, Danelectro CF-1 Cool Cat Fuzz
"I wish Imagine Dragons would be stuck in an Arcade Fire for an entire Vampire Weekend."--Brian Posehn
For me, the unidpsuted King of Tone is Bill Frisell. There is no style in which he can't play and all with tones unmistakably Frisell. Number two would have to be Marc Ribot. After those two, it's a free for all, but some of my other favorites tone-wise are Django Reinhardt, Sonny Sharrock, Jonny Greenwood, Dave Gilmour, Jimi, Johnny Ramone, and Steve Cropper.
"I happen to have perfect situational awareness, Lana. Which cannot be taught, by the way. Like a poet's ... mind for ... to make the perfect words." - Sterling Archer
For my taste, it'd be Warren Haynes and David Gilmour duking it our for top spot. In both cases, their tone is perfectly suited to their playing style and the songs involved.
helliott in Hamilton
Guitars -- 2 PRS CE 24s 85/15 pups, PRS semi-hollow CE 22, Fender Baja Telecaster; Gibson Les Paul Standard; 80s Strat updated with custom 69 pups, Anniversary Strat with Fat 50s, Epiphone Sheraton re-issue; Yamaha 5-string bass; Yamaha TBS 6 and 12 string acoustics,Takamine acoustic, Fender nylon string acoustic
Amps -- Mesa Boogie Lone Star; Boss Katana 100, Peavey Blueamaster 2x10, Line 6 Helix
Pedals etc: Mosfet Full Drive 2; Ibanez Tube Screamer; Fairfield Barbershop OD, Diamond Compressor; Voodo Sparkledrive, Boss Digital Delay DD7; Boss TU2 Chromatic Tuner; Cry Baby wah
Ok. Everyone has their favorite players tone, but how about a specific song so that anyone can "ooh and ah" over it along with you.
"No Tele For you." - The Tele Nazi
Ha! Tele-ish now inbound.
How do you narrow down Bill Frisell to one song. Most of the reason he is at the top of my list is because of his use of tone across his whole body of work. Trust me, if you pick up a Frisell cd or two or a dozen, you won't be disappointed whether you are looking for a specific track or not. That said, allow me to present a short list [a "where to start" for some of the players I metnioned to help anyone who might not know who these people even are].Originally Posted by Spudman
Bill Frisell - his own "East/West" live double cd is a great intro to Frisell. Anyone interested in hearing him rock his balls off, pick up John Zorn's "Naked City" album.
Marc Ribot - his own "Saints," "Shrek" and "Spiritual Unity" are good places to start. To really hear him unleash tones, try Tom Waits' "Rain Dogs" or "Frank's Wild Years" albums.
Timothy Young - pick up any of the three Zony Mash albums.
Jonny Greenwood - any Radiohead album will do, but I personally reccomend either "OK Computer" or finding some live Radiohead to really hear Jonny do his thing.
Sonny Sharrock - his own "Ask the Ages" any "Last Exit" and Miles' "Jack Johnson" album will testify to his greatness.
Vernon Reid - "Other True Self" a great recent album with heavy funk, blues, etc.
Another person people might want to check out is former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus. His guitar work on the Pavement albums is superb, but his "Face the Truth" album from 2005 has some great tunes with amazing tone control.
I think everyone knows who Jimi, Django and Gilmour are so there is no need to cite albums for you all to listen to as they are known tones.
Back to what I was saying earlier for a second, my personal obsession with tone goes far beyond which specific songs have good tone in them. It's got much more to do how they use the nuances of good guitar tone from song to song and across genres. I have heard Bill Frisell play everything from National folk to grindcore, and I can always tell that it's him. Ditto Marc Ribot. To once more make my most often-made point, tone is in the hands of the guitar player, not in the guitars or pedals they use. Plug Frisell into Gilmour's equipment and he will still sound like Frisell [just in a Gilmour-esque way].
With some of these guys you just have to listen to a lot of them to really hear how their tone carries through into whatever they are playing. If anyone hasn't heard of some of these guys, or even heard of them but never listened to, trust me, this is music for guitar players. What I am interested in is knowing which songs/albums stand out to any of you who make the choice to start listening to some of these guys.
Ok, lecture over.
ps. I'm just a little hyped up because I am playing with a friend tonight and we haven't played in a few weeks so I am a little too focused on guitar right now.
"I happen to have perfect situational awareness, Lana. Which cannot be taught, by the way. Like a poet's ... mind for ... to make the perfect words." - Sterling Archer
That's what I'm trying to get down to. Just one song that is a great recorded guitar sound from whatever artist. You know, the one song that exemplifies what you think is great tone on a record from that player.Originally Posted by R_of_G
One song is a great place to start discovering other great players.
"No Tele For you." - The Tele Nazi
Ha! Tele-ish now inbound.