Does that elusive tone exist?

[supersonic]

Does buying the latest and greatest gear make you sound any better? I mean if you already have great gear anyway. I think we're all spoilt for choice these days and let's face it doesn't matter what gear you play through, you're going to sound like you. So does that elusive tone in your head exist, or is it unreachable?

 

[Fox77]

I think that elusive tone that everyone chases is not fixed, it evolves over time due to changing preferences and maybe even due to ear damage from years of loud playing Also, there may be more than one dream tone. I have played through a couple of amps, each of which produced sounds I was chasing: KSR Colossus, Diezel VH4, Diezel Hagen (EL34), Friedman BE and JJ, a boosted Roadster, EVH 5153, etc. They all sound quite different of course but I could be happy with each of them.

You can also be chasing a tone but looking in the wrong places without realising it. For instance: I was always looking for a specific high gain tone and played all modern high gainers I could find. I outright discarded Marshall tones as being too old-school to achieve that (without even trying). Until I played through a Friedman and realised what I am actually looking for is a Marshall-based tone.

So instead of buying that Mesa Roadster as my first nice amp, I could have spent 50% less (European prices) and just gone for a JVM 410. Despite all its issues, that amp would have satisfied my tonal needs a lot better.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Yes,it does exist. I found mine.

Didn't stop me from buying more amps. I wanna try them all.

It took a while for me to realize no other amp was gonna come close to my favorite one. Finally said "screw it,I am done." and I started buying guns and ammo. Can't bring myself to sell any of the other amps,because I love them all....but I found my tone for sure in that one special amp.

 

[supersonic]

I think that elusive tone that everyone chases is not fixed, it evolves over time due to changing preferences and maybe even due to ear damage from years of loud playing Also, there may be more than one dream tone. I have played through a couple of amps, each of which produced sounds I was chasing: KSR Colossus, Diezel VH4, Diezel Hagen (EL34), Friedman BE and JJ, a boosted Roadster, EVH 5153, etc. They all sound quite different of course but I could be happy with each of them.

You can also be chasing a tone but looking in the wrong places without realising it. For instance: I was always looking for a specific high gain tone and played all modern high gainers I could find. I outright discarded Marshall tones as being too old-school to achieve that (without even trying). Until I played through a Friedman and realised what I am actually looking for is a Marshall-based tone.

So instead of buying that Mesa Roadster as my first nice amp, I could have spent 50% less (European prices) and just gone for a JVM 410. Despite all its issues, that amp would have satisfied my tonal needs a lot better.

Yeah I agree, THAT tone can be a moving target. I guess the argument is how far should you go to get it and when should you settle on a GOOD tone. I know that all of the new gear coming out perks my interest but I need to tell myself that it won't improve my tone. I guess it's a guitarist thing, although some guys play the same rigs for years with no urge to change gear.

 

[keennay]

Yes, that tone DOES exist when you finally get there.

I still own and rotate through my various amps, preventing me from focusing too much and eventually getting sick & tired of that original tone.

 

[bgh]

I think a good percentage of guitarists have a base tone that they tend to gravitate towards. For me, it's the lead channel of my Mark IV. The middle channel of my Nomad is not too far behind. I like them both and have gotten fairly articulate in using them.

I am a sucker for overdrive pedals. I have a decent number of them and I like using them when I am recording. Each particular pedal can get a tone that my amps cannot get. Plus, they are sometimes just fun to mess around with. A lot of times for practice at church I would simply grab a preamp pedal and plug straight in to the PA.

I do admit there are some tones that have been somewhat elusive to me. In the 80s (back in Connecticut) I split time playing through a Marshall Mark II Lead and a Mesa Son of Boogie amp (until they were stolen). The Mark IV gives me pretty much what I can recall about the Son of Boogie. But I have not been able to nail the "crrraannng" sound my Marshall used to provide. I've gotten close (Weehbo Ltd), but not there yet. Fortunately, it's not my main go-to tone.

Interesting thread.

 

[Racerxrated]

My favorite tones that I've heard on recordings have been Marshalls, so that's what I gravitate to. When I started all this gear chasing I wanted to try/own as many iconic amps as possible, and in the end decide on what I like best. I've owned or played most of the talked about amps on this forum over the years, and decided that a Mark 2C+ and a Marshall of some type are must haves for me. I dial each amp similarly, but I can't get either amp to sound exactly like the other-which is cool by me. Variation with some similarity is good. My only regrets are the amps that really were keepers over the years, but I HAD to sell to generate funds for the next amp..and the next one..and the next one.

 

[jcj]

For me, it's always feel. I dial all amps to sound roughly the same (unintentionally, but consistently); it's the feel that will suck me in, every time.

I always play the same stuff when checking out a new amp; not because it's what I play best, or all I know, (I wasn't even aware I did it) but because those certain riffs, chords and licks will tell me all I need to know about my ability to gel with that amp. My oldest son was actually the one who pointed that out, and a lightbulb went on for me; it's ALWAYS feel and response.

So yeah, that "tone" can be had in a lot of amps, because for me, it's really feel.

 

[Racerxrated]

For me, it's always feel. I dial all amps to sound roughly the same (unintentionally, but consistently); it's the feel that will suck me in, every time.

I always play the same stuff when checking out a new amp; not because it's what I play best, or all I know, but because those certain riffs, chords and licks will tell me all I need to know about a particular amp. My oldest son was actually the one who pointed that out, and a lightbulb went on for me; it's ALWAYS feel and response.

So yeah, that "tone" can be had in a lot of amps, because for me, it's really feel.

And to take that further, the best 'feeling' amps have also been the most open/organic/articulate, almost like the strings are alive..at least in my experience.

 

[Fox77]

For me, it's always feel. I dial all amps to sound roughly the same (unintentionally, but consistently); it's the feel that will suck me in, every time.

I always play the same stuff when checking out a new amp; not because it's what I play best, or all I know, (I wasn't even aware I did it) but because those certain riffs, chords and licks will tell me all I need to know about my ability to gel with that amp. My oldest son was actually the one who pointed that out, and a lightbulb went on for me; it's ALWAYS feel and response.

So yeah, that "tone" can be had in a lot of amps, because for me, it's really feel.

Totally agree. I do the same thing with the riffs, especially riffs which will tell me about the feel of palm mutes and whether the amp makes playing feel easier. There are some tonal aspects as well, of course. Some riffs I use tell me how "clean" an amps's bass response is.

 

[Zachman]

Does buying the latest and greatest gear make you sound any better? I mean if you already have great gear anyway.

Maybe, but it depends on if the gear you had in the 1st place was even close to provide the intended tone target(s).

I think we're all spoilt for choice these days and let's face it doesn't matter what gear you play through, you're going to sound like you.

I find that I tend to play differently (stylistically) through various gear, set differently-- and realized that there is more than one facet to the 'Me', I sound like.

It's when you need to sound like something other than what your preference might be, like when someone is paying you to play on their project and your job is to help them facilitate 'Their' tone preference over yours; that the differences between 'sounding like you' sonically vs stylistically aren't the same thing.

So does that elusive tone in your head exist, or is it unreachable?

Yes, but-- it's when you have several 'specific' tone(s) in your head, and various genres/styles that you associate them with, in one's playing arsenal-- where things get a bit more 'Specific', and then the 'How close is close enough' comes into play.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I agree "that elusive tone" will be a dynamic thing. Your tastes will change over time and you might need to go on the hunt all over again. But having said that, I do feel that buying new gear can make you a better player simply because it makes you want to play more often (At least it does for me).

I just acquired another new amp despite loving the one I was already playing and just the excitement of playing new/different gear sparks a new level of interest for me and usually leads to new riffs/ideas.

Just ordered another new guitar too. Did I need one? Nope. Absolutely love the one I already have, but just that anticipation of something new is like an addiction for me, and I feel that excitement keeps me all the more interested in playing. It's like the addiction and excitement one would get from smoking crack cocaine, only without, well..... the crack cocaine. Just for the record, I have never smoked, nor do I endorse the use of crack cocaine

 

[charvelstrat81]

I will let ya know when i find it!