5 best Holy grail tones

[Milerky2]

Third Day Conspiracy No. 5 album. (GREAT TONES!)
Eric Clapton Money and Cigarettes
Mark Tremonti (My Own Prison and Alter Bridge)
Anything Brent Mason
Roscoe Meek

 

[zz666]

VH - I, II, Fair Warning
Le Tekro
Aldrich - Burning Rain/live Whitesnake DVD
Steve Stevens - Vince Neil/Atomic Playboys
Sykes - Bad Boy Live
DeMartini - Ratt 99 Self Titled/Dancing Undercover
Joe Holmes - Ozzfest dvd
Akira Takasaki
Randy Rhoads - his live tone was stellar
Zakk Wylde - early tone

special mention to
Dean De Leo
Billy Duffy - Ceremony era
Back In Black
Nuno - Punchline

 

[FourT6and2]

Of course there are nuances and details that will be missed. But the general feel is there.

This is what I'm talking about...I've yet to hear anyone nail it. Heard lots of people claim to nail it, but haven't seen/heard any evidence...just lots of posts like this one. Also, I've seen the few videos you have up and, like most, although the tone is similar...it's just similar. No offense intended. If you've got some audio/video to back it up, I'll eat my words gladly . But until then, I stand by what I wrote.

J

No offense taken. Like someone else said, his sound has changed over the years. Opiate/Undertow were all JMP. Anybody with a Les Paul and a cranked 4-hole Marshall can get that sound. Or at least close enough to it. Throw in a Dual Rec. and you have Aenima. Replace the Dual Rec with a VH4 and you have Lateralus. Add in a shit ton of other high-gain amps like the Uberschall and Rivera Knucklehead and add some strange mic'ing techniques and you got 10,000 Days.

None of the clips I've made on Youtube were meant to cop Adam's sound. Honestly, I don't want his tone as my own. I go for something different. Don't let my gear fool you. Yes, I'm a total Tool fan-boy. But I do not chase Adam's sound. If I had a way of running two amps at once, I'd be totally down for making a clip with my VH4 and Super Lead in stereo, just like Adam's rig. But two things prevent me from doing so:

1. A way to run two amps at the same time.
2. Recording gear. My computer's webcam isn't going to cut it.

So, take all that for what you will. The point is, I don't think Adam's tone is hard to get. The gear he uses is pedestrian at best and readily available in the used section of most Guitar Centers.

 

[stephen sawall]

ZZ Top - the entire live side of Fandango, the Rev captured at his absolute BBQed best

God, that is a good tone. Super fat and raw all at the same time.

1000% agree... that's the $hit.

 

[Ventura]

A lot of talk about Adam Jones in here. All I can say is a lot of his tone is in his technique and style, in addition to his gear, sure. But it's his fingers and what he "wants" to hear that make it what we "end up" hearing.

Another one - I've seen talk of the best "live" tone. Gotta say, it was Dweezil PRE-Fractal... When he had his dads original gear on stage. That was the business.

V.

 

[xXxGhotimanxXx]

No offense taken. Like someone else said, his sound has changed over the years. Opiate/Undertow were all JMP. Anybody with a Les Paul and a cranked 4-hole Marshall can get that sound. Or at least close enough to it. Throw in a Dual Rec. and you have Aenima. Replace the Dual Rec with a VH4 and you have Lateralus. Add in a shit ton of other high-gain amps like the Uberschall and Rivera Knucklehead and add some strange mic'ing techniques and you got 10,000 Days.

Ya, I've read all that in the same articles myself.

None of the clips I've made on Youtube were meant to cop Adam's sound. Honestly, I don't want his tone as my own. I go for something different. Don't let my gear fool you. Yes, I'm a total Tool fan-boy. But I do not chase Adam's sound.

Ya, silly me .

If I had a way of running two amps at once, I'd be totally down for making a clip with my VH4 and Super Lead in stereo, just like Adam's rig. But two things prevent me from doing so:

1. A way to run two amps at the same time.
2. Recording gear. My computer's webcam isn't going to cut it.

AB-Y boxes are cheap. I've got 30+ videos up with just a webcam.

So, take all that for what you will. The point is, I don't think Adam's tone is hard to get. The gear he uses is pedestrian at best and readily available in the used section of most Guitar Centers.

Again, I'll disagree. I've seen too many people taking it pretty seriously and still not get his tone exact. Some pretty great cover bands out there who do nothing but play Tool, have all the gear, and still can't match his tone exactly. That's why I posted in this very appropriate thread. I've yet to see someone pick up any amp and casually nail Adam's sound...I hope that isn't what you are suggesting. Anyone who has even remotely tried to get his tone will know that this is not possible and to suggest it is going full tard...to put it mildly. The proof of this is all over the net, you don't have to take my word for it. There are literally hundreds of threads with thousands of posts through the years where people are trying to get info on Adam's tone. Come across your name plenty, I might add. If it were as simple as picking up some used pedals, a LP, and any amp you like....this army of tone chasers wouldn't have left their mark on the forums. There is something very unique in his tone with the gear he is using, and IMO it is not easy to get/reproduce. Again, just my opinion.

J

 

[xXxGhotimanxXx]

A lot of talk about Adam Jones in here. All I can say is a lot of his tone is in his technique and style, in addition to his gear, sure. But it's his fingers and what he "wants" to hear that make it what we "end up" hearing.

Another one - I've seen talk of the best "live" tone. Gotta say, it was Dweezil PRE-Fractal... When he had his dads original gear on stage. That was the business.

V.

Ya, and I apologize to the OP for the highjack. However, it is appropriate. Adam has a large following of people interested in his tone and he is contemporary. Also, totally agree on the tone/finger thing. Adam has the most unique way of picking I've ever seen. Saw somewhere, someone who worked on the last album...a tech of some sort...discuss this very thing. That Adam could coax out sounds that other's couldn't on his gear...that the way Adam played was truly amazing to watch in person and like nothing they had ever seen before...and they had worked with many, many guitarists. I believe this that his tone is threefold...first the fingers, then the gear, then very unique and clever settings and configurations. Also, as mentioned/hit on earlier....Adam does a lot of things that most of us wouldn't do, find distasteful or unappealing, or have been taught to avoid...as guitar players.

J

 

[FourT6and2]

A lot of talk about Adam Jones in here. All I can say is a lot of his tone is in his technique and style, in addition to his gear, sure. But it's his fingers and what he "wants" to hear that make it what we "end up" hearing.

Another one - I've seen talk of the best "live" tone. Gotta say, it was Dweezil PRE-Fractal... When he had his dads original gear on stage. That was the business.

V.

Ya, and I apologize to the OP for the highjack. However, it is appropriate. Adam has a large following of people interested in his tone and he is contemporary. Also, totally agree on the tone/finger thing. Adam has the most unique way of picking I've ever seen. Saw somewhere, someone who worked on the last album...a tech of some sort...discuss this very thing. That Adam could coax out sounds that other's couldn't on his gear...that the way Adam played was truly amazing to watch in person and like nothing they had ever seen before...and they had worked with many, many guitarists. I believe this that his tone is threefold...first the fingers, then the gear, then very unique and clever settings and configurations. Also, as mentioned/hit on earlier....Adam does a lot of things that most of us wouldn't do, find distasteful or unappealing, or have been taught to avoid...as guitar players.

J

I think we are actually in agreement.

Nobody is going to cop another player's playing style – the way they pick, the way they fret, the 'feel.' That just leaves the gear and how it is used. Anybody can get the gear. As I said before the amps, pedals and guitars (the silverburst paint has nothing to do with it) are readily available pretty much anywhere. That was my main point. That his gear has little to do with it as it is all common stuff.

The third thing is how he uses it. As you said, he does a lot of things most people would not do. Such as intentionally creating phase issues and running the pedals (especially delay) right into the front of his amps when he has multiple loop options on the VH4.

I sort of liken this debate with the EVH thing. People believe Eddie's amps must have had some magic in them or modified to get those sounds. People spend hours upon hours arguing about the gear. But when it comes down to it, Adam's gear is nothing special. You can go into Guitar Center and find a used JMP. I bought my VH4 at a GC as well. A Boss DD-3? Rare? Special? No. The point is, it's not the gear. So we're saying the same thing.

And when I say Adam's "tone" is easy to get, I mean it. But his 'playing style' and 'feel' are another story.

 

[Ventura]

Now about Dweezil when he was playing through his dad's original gear when ZPZ first started out... THAT was MONEY tone!!

Second thing about Jones' style... Having heard raw studio tracks before they hit the desk, he does a funky little thing which is very simple, but very effective - he plays slightly behind or in front of the beat. This all blends once it gets processed, but if you're ever DOING Tool covers, try listening carefully to the pre and post attack on many of his musical works. Now that I mention it, you might notice it - it's there. And it adds a tension, atmosphere, etc to his playing.

And this is a simple approach to one of the many other things he does too...
V.