e-mail from paul gilbert regarding marshall modelling.

[merlop]

very harsh, brittle, and shrilly

That pretty much sums up Paul's tone IMO. I love his playing, but I've never thought he had good tone.

I totally agree. I think Paul has hearing loss. This is probably why he wears ear plugs. I never really cared too much for his tone, but thats not why I lsten to him.

He has extreme hearing loss.

 

[fek]

He mentions in an interview that listening to EVH play in person at a studio was a big factor in the hearing loss. He said that he was in actual pain because it was so loud but didn't want to offend Eddie at the time.

 

[Gitfiddler]

I'm a huge Paul Gilbert fan, but I've never been a fan of his tone.

IMO his best tone was in the Racer X days, a la Street Lethal

But I can't dismiss the fact that his latest track Fuzz Universe has a great tone!

+1
I really dug Paul's tone on Street Lethal AND his playing on Street Lethal. That's my favorite Racer X because it was raw and unpolished and Paul's playing was just fire-breathing. I think he got better over time and expanded his playing but on Street lethal he sounded like he was possessed. By the next album, it sounded like he could play that stuff in his sleep. Neither one is bad, but I prefer early Paul Gilbert for his playing and tone and modern Paul for his songwriting. Especially the poppy stuff, I have an extreme weakness for power pop that doesn't suck.

yeah, but randy rhoads' tone sucked too (i'm joking.. )

 

[Chubtone]

I'm a huge Paul Gilbert fan, but I've never been a fan of his tone.

IMO his best tone was in the Racer X days, a la Street Lethal

But I can't dismiss the fact that his latest track Fuzz Universe has a great tone!

+1
I really dug Paul's tone on Street Lethal AND his playing on Street Lethal. That's my favorite Racer X because it was raw and unpolished and Paul's playing was just fire-breathing. I think he got better over time and expanded his playing but on Street lethal he sounded like he was possessed. By the next album, it sounded like he could play that stuff in his sleep. Neither one is bad, but I prefer early Paul Gilbert for his playing and tone and modern Paul for his songwriting. Especially the poppy stuff, I have an extreme weakness for power pop that doesn't suck.

yeah, but randy rhoads' tone sucked too (i'm joking.. )

You're pushing it kid.

 

[controlled_voltage]

bump
was just listening to street lethal
killer tone!
sounds like the snorkler to me
supposedly its a lee jackson modded 50 watt marshall
whatever it is paul's tone on the album was pretty dang brown.

 

[Chubtone]

bump
was just listening to street lethal
killer tone!
sounds like the snorkler to me
supposedly its a lee jackson modded 50 watt marshall
whatever it is paul's tone on the album was pretty dang brown.

Man, I don't think Paul was using Lee Jacksons yet by the time of Street Lethal.

 

[rp108]

bump
was just listening to street lethal
killer tone!
sounds like the snorkler to me
supposedly its a lee jackson modded 50 watt marshall
whatever it is paul's tone on the album was pretty dang brown.

Man, I don't think Paul was using Lee Jacksons yet by the time of Street Lethal.

From what I heard he was using them on that record. Uh oh, do I see an EVH like thread starting soon.

 

[supersonic]

I'd rather have bad tone than bad timing!

 

[Chubtone]

bump
was just listening to street lethal
killer tone!
sounds like the snorkler to me
supposedly its a lee jackson modded 50 watt marshall
whatever it is paul's tone on the album was pretty dang brown.

Man, I don't think Paul was using Lee Jacksons yet by the time of Street Lethal.

From what I heard he was using them on that record. Uh oh, do I see an EVH like thread starting soon.

This is supposed to be Pauls old amp:

 

[university81]

This is supposed to be Pauls old amp:

fml ! that's the tone right there, modded marshall heaven, exactly the kind of tone i'm after, impending modded marshall GAS

 

[Chubtone]

fml ! that's the tone right there, modded marshall heaven, exactly the kind of tone i'm after, impending modded marshall GAS

FML?

 

[ke2]

fml ! that's the tone right there, modded marshall heaven, exactly the kind of tone i'm after, impending modded marshall GAS

FML?

F%&k my life?
For motherf¤%king laugh?
Fly me low?
Feel my leg?

the options are limitless

 

[university81]

fml ! that's the tone right there, modded marshall heaven, exactly the kind of tone i'm after, impending modded marshall GAS

FML?

F%&k my life?
For motherf¤%king laugh?
Fly me low?
Feel my leg?

the options are limitless

it probably wasn't the most appropriate 'f**k my life' usage lol was just really impressed with the tone and needed to write something

 

[yngzaklynch]

Paul grew up about 45 minutes from me. I always heard that Pauls dad was some sort of electrician. TV repairman or something. Anyways supposedly Pauls dad modded his amps way back. Can't say for sure though.

 

[Badronald]

His tone on Fuzz Universe and What If is pretty great.

 

[philb]

He mentions in an interview that listening to EVH play in person at a studio was a big factor in the hearing loss. He said that he was in actual pain because it was so loud but didn't want to offend Eddie at the time.

Really? Man, that is stupid and tragic.
Take care of your ears people!!

 

[bstaley]

I've talked to his dad before at a club in Pittsburgh years ago. He told a story about somehow he wired a toaster to the amp, I think to use it as some sort of variac. I cannot remember the details, but I do know a toaster was involved.

Or he could have been totally bullshitting me.

 

[Chubtone]

I've talked to his dad before at a club in Pittsburgh years ago. He told a story about somehow he wired a toaster to the amp, I think to use it as some sort of variac. I cannot remember the details, but I do know a toaster was involved.

Or he could have been totally bullshitting me.

I swear I saw him with a toaster oven on top of his amp when I saw Racer X play early on. And it was lit up and glowing. I have to assume he was using it as some sort of variac with the dial on it?

 

[Bob Savage]

Toaster ovens are great for making baked scallop cut rolls. Yum.

 

[jcmlespaul]

He said he had the setting at top brown in gftpm