Mythbusters

[tot_Ou_tard]

http://www.guitarattack.com/mythbusters.htm

[t_ross33]

Funny, but true in so many ways. We all KNOW what a so-called-cheap guitar sounds like in the hands of a talented player - many of which reside right here at theFret. I'd personally have more fun with a variety of good quality cheapies than one expensive as H-E-double hockeysticks "BRAND NAME" axe.

I know of a guy that consistantly argues that there is NO WAY a "vintage" guitar can sound as good as a new guitar of the same pedigree because of improvements in quality control, components etc. I too am skeptical of those that claim that over time sound vibrations "mellow" wood by massaging the microscopic wood fibers etc. etc. and 40 years of gunk and grime add to the sound quality.

But it's all subjective cuz every once-in-a-while there's that ONE that will just reach out and touch you...

[Robert****]

Yeah, some think that old wood in a Vintage strat is what makes it sound much better than a new strat. Bologna, I say. It's probably just that those old strats were much better made than the new ones of today. Case in point - Jimi played brand new stock strats, and he had amazingly good sounding brand new strats.

[street music]

Very informative!

[Kodiak3D]

It would be very interesting to see Mythbusters do a show on this. I love that show.

[LagrangeCalvert]

Ive been playing guitar for 20 years now, and modding for about half of that time. IMHO the biggest difference in tone (I'm a tone whore so trust me I found these things out the hard way) is HARDWARE. I've noticed the weight of the guitar, the neck mount (set or bolt on) and how the strings are attached; String through, Floating bridge, Floyd, or W/E, are the biggest play the biggest part in shaping sound as well - that is, beyond hardware. The Nut material and type can play a factor into how a guitar sounds and feels.


I noticed a big difference in clarity and bite when I went from the cheap plastic nut and stock saddles of my 50's strat to the LSR Roller nut and graph tech saddles...... AND I haven't broke a string on that guitar since I had those mods done (a year ago)........

Same with my Epi. I put a roller nut and graph tech saddles and it made the tone awesome.


Thats my .02 on the subject(s).

My thing is :

Its only a cheap guitar until you stick 300 dollars in parts into it. I refuse to pay more than 400 dollars for slabs of wood that I can shape/tune to play like a 2000 dollar slab of plants/bone/whatever "booo-teek" materials you can think of.

[street music]

LC, that's a great informative take that I think says alot coming from that type of experience.

[tot_Ou_tard]

IMHO the biggest difference in tone (I'm a tone whore so trust me I found these things out the hard way) is HARDWARE.

In a back alley with your dignity in tatters?

At one point, I was looking into upgrading the bridge &/or use graphtech saddles on my Godins. But the bridges are nonstandard so I never found a replacement. The odd thing is that I broke 4 high E strings on the Godin Radiator over the last two days, before that it has been at least six months.

I've been working on rhythm & have adjusted my technique, hopefully that'll help.

[Robert****]

I've played for 27 years now, and in my opinion, what makes the biggest difference in tone are the pickups.

[marnold***]

I've been playing for 4,563 years and I feel that the thing that improves my tone the most is getting the voices in my head to shut up.

Seriously, folks, "tone" and "good tone" are such massively subjective words that much of it will be up to interpretation. One man's "woman tone" will be another man's "muddy mess." One man's "vintage Strat tone" will be another man's "shrill, fizzy, gutless waste."

Add to that the fact that everyone's sense of hearing is different whether those differences be biological or brought on by years of exposure to noise. If Eric Johnson actually feels that removing a screw from one of his pedals makes it sound better, who am I to question? Even if it is a difference that no scientific equipment will ever be able to measure, if it makes HIM feel better and play with more confidence, then it's a good thing for him.

My experience is obviously limited. I can say that swapping the Area '61s for the original Chinese single coils made a big difference to me, even if the clips I've posted make the difference somewhat subtle. The noiselessness and improvement in clarity mean the difference between a guitar that I was struggling to like and a guitar that I can't put down.

[warren0728]

i have to agree with marnold....tone is so subjective....just like musical styles....while i don't think i could sit through an entire opera i certainly appreciate the talent of those opera singers....

ww

[Robert****]

Wow, Marnold, I know you are not a child anymore, but I didn't know you were that old!

[tot_Ou_tard]

I've been playing for 4,563 years and I feel that the thing that improves my tone the most is getting the voices in my head to shut up.

Good luck with that.

Seriously, folks, "tone" and "good tone" are such massively subjective words that much of it will be up to interpretation. One man's "woman tone" will be another man's "muddy mess." One man's "vintage Strat tone" will be another man's "shrill, fizzy, gutless waste."

"shrill, fizzy, gutless waste" is *exactly* the tone I'm going for, but I only ever end up with "vintage Strat tone". Tell me who this other man is & I'll go & get my d@mned tone back.

I agree with Marnold, with the proviso that folx are inclined to preworry about tone.

Maybe this doesn't sound so good, perhaps if I changed this, that, & the other, I'd be in tonal bliss.

A quick peek around the interwebs reveals that it never stops. This knowledge can help you relax & play what you've got. Making occasional changes as experiments, & to find out what you prefer.

[marnold***]

Wow, Marnold, I know you are not a child anymore, but I didn't know you were that old!

I look remarkably well-preserved for my age, don'tcha think? Would you like a glass of blood? Oh, what a giveaway!

Actually, that's combined ages of all the voices in my head.

I agree with tot that this Guitarist Obsessive-Compulsive Syndrome (GOCS, more commonly known as GAS) is not cured by any amount of logic or reason. Guitars will always be shiny. Big Marshall stacks will always be powerful (and over-compensating).

[LagrangeCalvert]

I've played for 27 years now, and in my opinion, what makes the biggest difference in tone are the pickups.

To clarify, by hardware I include pots/pups in that category.



AND I agree that tone is the most fussed about subject AND most of the time the tone of the guitar can be fixed with the amp settings.....or a better amp.


This thread almost lends itself to the "tone is in the fingers....tone is in the guitar" discussion we had a few months back. :

[tot_Ou_tard]

AND I agree that tone is the most fussed about subject AND most of the time the tone of the guitar can be fixed with the amp settings.....or a better amp.


This thread almost lends itself to the "tone is in the fingers....tone is in the guitar" discussion we had a few months back. :

That was fun .

Did'ja know that I was actually talking about fingers with no implied dichotomy with gear.

But back to our good Friend LaGrange's main point.

Which is that one gets a better result by concerning oneself more with the hardware: pups, bridges, saddles than with the body: neck material, body wood etc.

Sounds reasonable to me, but my experience is limited.

[warren0728]

But back to our good Friend LaGrange's main point.

Which is that one gets a better result by concerning oneself more with the hardware: pups, bridges, saddles than with the body: neck material, body wood etc.

Sounds reasonable to me, but my experience is limited.

if i had to guess i would have to go with hardware (on electrics only) and truthfully the only differences would be discerned by other guitar cork sniffers...i doubt if the average person in an audience would be able to tell if you were playing a squire stock through a ss amp and playing a vintage strat through a vintage tube amph....just sayin'....

ww

[tot_Ou_tard]

if i had to guess i would have to go with hardware (on electrics only) and truthfully the only differences would be discerned by other guitar cork sniffers...i doubt if the average person in an audience would be able to tell if you were playing a squire stock through a ss amp and playing a vintage strat through a vintage tube amph....just sayin'....

ww

Just what is this audience thing you speak of .

[LagrangeCalvert]

I have to agree with you...most people wouldn't know. But most talented Rock n' roll guitarists play with above average stuff....

But I tend to disagree that most people do not know what sounds good and would be able to tell somethings up - but couldn't put a finger or ear on it - if lets say you came out with a crate practice amp and a squier right off the shelves then played with it.....except for the Indie Rock scene.....not a slam its just they usually have vintage gear and can hardly bang out chords or riffs that sound something like music......so I guess it is a slam.

IMHO nut material and saddle material do make a sonic difference in tone and esp. feel.

Now........this is what a shame really is:

I saw "Fall Out Boy" on Saturday Night Live - caught a re-run. And they had great gear, but absolutely sucked buttermilk through a straw.....they were more worried about jumping around on stage than sounding good. I expect a band to sound like they do on their record......

I think pro-tools should be banned from use on major record labels....or at least you should have to pass a "talent" test before using it.


Thats my rant 4 today....sorry.....