Guitar Players Tone as they mature, better or worse?

[ttosh]

I have noticed a lot of my favorite guitarists tone being not as well as they have progressed in music. I want to say that each new CD Paul Gilbert does his tone just keeps getting better to me. Maybe my ears are getting worst, but his tone on his last 2 has been great, cannot wait for the latest one that is getting ready to come out.

 

[~Abstract~]

As good guitarists age...they have more and more opportunity to play loudly...often.

This probably doesn't help when it comes to dialing in amps...

 

[LP Freak]

I get it....................I think

 

[ttosh]

I need to start over here


A lot of guitarists tone seems to suffer as they get older, I am talking recorded tones here. I think that Paul Gilbert is the opposite, his tones have gotten better in his last few CD's. At least to me it has. Maybe I am not sure what I mean here, just that I am really digging Paul's latest efforts and the fact he is not playing bass guitar with 6 strings, he is playing guitar and letting the other instruments sit in the mix where they belong. Maybe I am just in a mood.....

 

[~Abstract~]

Paul Gilbert rocks.


....is this what you're looking for?

 

[ttosh]

Paul Gilbert rocks.


....is this what you're looking for?

That will do

 

[Tawlks]

I agree. What I always assumed it was, as they have more money they're able to invest in more expensive rack setups and using new expensive heads and even signature heads if they're big enough. It's not uncommon for people to buy a new amp (you see this alot here) and think "OMFG it's amazing." then post back soon after saying they miss what they had before.

I always see Slash and people looking for their old tone, I bet if they dug out their amp from the 80s and the same guitar they used on their first album they'd be happy.

 

[shredhead7]

I would disagree on average, not because of the player, but because recording techniques keep getting better.

There are some exceptions here and there, but mostly, each new release sounds better than the last. Even on CD's that were classics to me, after 5 years or so, when I go back and listen again, it doesn't sound as good as it once did.

Case in point:
UFO - Strangers in the Night
Don't get me wrong, I love this record. But I honestly feel that the live German release that came out in 95 sounds better. His tone is much fuller, buttery almost, but still retains clarity. The same can be said about his Shrapnel releases. Yes, they aren't as polished and the songs are not as good, but the tone of his guitar (same setup since '83) is better to me.
In Flames - Clayman
This CD was the tits when it came to melodeath and tone. There are like 300 pages on Sneaps forum dedicated to the recording. While it still sounds good, there are so many discs that are fuller, crisper and just better sounding now in the death genre.

I could go on and on, but the point is recording techniques and EQ curves have changed. Are they better or just louder, I cannot say, but I like it modern!

 

[amiller]

I have noticed a lot of my favorite guitarists tone being not as well as they have progressed in music. I want to say that each new CD Paul Gilbert does his tone just keeps getting better to me. Maybe my ears are getting worst, but his tone on his last 2 has been great, cannot wait for the latest one that is getting ready to come out.

I don't know...not the case for guitarists that I like. In generall, I hear improvments in tone for most of the guitarists I listened to over the years. I think some of it is a result of the players ability, better gear and most of all recording techniques. If you listen to Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) Free Fall album the tone absolutely sucks. I'm still not a big fan of Steve Morse's tone, however, it's light years beyound where it used to be. Here's a list of folks that I think have improved their tone/or stayed the same over the years:

Steve Morse
Jeff Beck
Andy Timmons
Slash - just pick up his latests solo CD - wow!
Paul Gilbert - for sure
Vinnie Moore
Satriani - his early stuff was over gained and process - a bit more organic now
Vai - pretty consistent - not my favorite tone though
Petrucci - at least IMHO
Robin Trower - YES, he is still making new music.
Eric Johnson - pretty much static as far as tone goes

 

[rupe]

A lot of guitarists tone seems to suffer as they get older, I am talking recorded tones here. I think that Paul Gilbert is the opposite, his tones have gotten better in his last few CD's. At least to me it has. Maybe I am not sure what I mean here, just that I am really digging Paul's latest efforts and the fact he is not playing bass guitar with 6 strings, he is playing guitar and letting the other instruments sit in the mix where they belong. Maybe I am just in a mood.....

I agree on both counts in general, but clearly there are enough cases of players tones getting better over the years (Mick Mars, Scorpions up through LAFS, Steve Morse, Satriani,...) for people to argue back.

IMO, guys like Lynch, Demartini, EVH, Bettencourt (although I loved his "Waiting for the Punchline" tones), and many others definitely seemed to tonally peak early on in their careers. As for Gilbert's tone getting better...that wasn't a tall order considering his starting point He's clearly shown a lot of growth as a complete musician over the years going from a "by the numbers" shredder into a player with great touch, tone, and feeling in his playing.

 

[thiswaythatway]

EVH's tone went downhill for me when he started using a stereo chorused out sound for everything and he went away from his Marshalls. I mean, listen to OU812 then listen to Fair Warning....DUH.

Eric Johnson. After Venus Island, what happened? He's just not been the same player.


Krk Hammett.

 

[Gainfreak]

I have noticed a lot of my favorite guitarists tone being not as well as they have progressed in music. I want to say that each new CD Paul Gilbert does his tone just keeps getting better to me. Maybe my ears are getting worst, but his tone on his last 2 has been great, cannot wait for the latest one that is getting ready to come out.

I don't know...not the case for guitarists that I like. In generall, I hear improvments in tone for most of the guitarists I listened to over the years. I think some of it is a result of the players ability, better gear and most of all recording techniques. If you listen to Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) Free Fall album the tone absolutely sucks. I'm still not a big fan of Steve Morse's tone, however, it's light years beyound where it used to be. Here's a list of folks that I think have improved their tone/or stayed the same over the years:

Steve Morse
Jeff Beck
Andy Timmons
Slash - just pick up his latests solo CD - wow!
Paul Gilbert - for sure
Vinnie Moore
Satriani - his early stuff was over gained and process - a bit more organic now
Vai - pretty consistent - not my favorite tone though
Petrucci - at least IMHO
Robin Trower - YES, he is still making new music.
Eric Johnson - pretty much static as far as tone goes

I think that we have two perspectives here and we need to catogorize them.
What I mean is that there are two ways of looking at this! I see a lot of guys who had AMAZING tone early on in their career get shittier and shittier tones as they have gotten older and then you have the reverse!! (like most of the guys you mentioned!)
It's almost like that the guys who had shitty tones are trying to correct the situation as they get older and the guys who had killer tone no longer care!! (and then you have the consitent guys who are either shit or good constently LMAO)

 

[Mudder]

A band that is always mentioned as declining tone is ZZ Top, at least as far as recordings go. I don't know if it's worse now than early, it still sounds great to me, but definitely different.

Live they sound just great.

 

[ttosh]

I have noticed a lot of my favorite guitarists tone being not as well as they have progressed in music. I want to say that each new CD Paul Gilbert does his tone just keeps getting better to me. Maybe my ears are getting worst, but his tone on his last 2 has been great, cannot wait for the latest one that is getting ready to come out.

I don't know...not the case for guitarists that I like. In generall, I hear improvments in tone for most of the guitarists I listened to over the years. I think some of it is a result of the players ability, better gear and most of all recording techniques. If you listen to Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) Free Fall album the tone absolutely sucks. I'm still not a big fan of Steve Morse's tone, however, it's light years beyound where it used to be. Here's a list of folks that I think have improved their tone/or stayed the same over the years:

Steve Morse
Jeff Beck
Andy Timmons
Slash - just pick up his latests solo CD - wow!
Paul Gilbert - for sure
Vinnie Moore
Satriani - his early stuff was over gained and process - a bit more organic now
Vai - pretty consistent - not my favorite tone though
Petrucci - at least IMHO
Robin Trower - YES, he is still making new music.
Eric Johnson - pretty much static as far as tone goes

I do not disagree with your list at all, of those Gilbert is the one that stands out the most in regards to improvement in tone, and Timmons tone is just freaking amazing, as well as Ty Tabor has better tone now then ever IMHO.

 

[ttosh]

I have noticed a lot of my favorite guitarists tone being not as well as they have progressed in music. I want to say that each new CD Paul Gilbert does his tone just keeps getting better to me. Maybe my ears are getting worst, but his tone on his last 2 has been great, cannot wait for the latest one that is getting ready to come out.

I don't know...not the case for guitarists that I like. In generall, I hear improvments in tone for most of the guitarists I listened to over the years. I think some of it is a result of the players ability, better gear and most of all recording techniques. If you listen to Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) Free Fall album the tone absolutely sucks. I'm still not a big fan of Steve Morse's tone, however, it's light years beyound where it used to be. Here's a list of folks that I think have improved their tone/or stayed the same over the years:

Steve Morse
Jeff Beck
Andy Timmons
Slash - just pick up his latests solo CD - wow!
Paul Gilbert - for sure
Vinnie Moore
Satriani - his early stuff was over gained and process - a bit more organic now
Vai - pretty consistent - not my favorite tone though
Petrucci - at least IMHO
Robin Trower - YES, he is still making new music.
Eric Johnson - pretty much static as far as tone goes

I think that we have two perspectives here and we need to catogorize them.
What I mean is that there are two ways of looking at this! I see a lot of guys who had AMAZING tone early on in their career get shittier and shittier tones as they have gotten older and then you have the reverse!! (like most of the guys you mentioned!)
It's almost like that the guys who had shitty tones are trying to correct the situation as they get older and the guys who had killer tone no longer care!! (and then you have the consitent guys who are either shit or good constently LMAO)

This.

 

[Beyond Black]

EVH's tone went downhill for me when he started using a stereo chorused out sound for everything and he went away from his Marshalls. I mean, listen to OU812 then listen to Fair Warning....DUH.

Eric Johnson. After Venus Island, what happened? He's just not been the same player.


Krk Hammett.

EVH-Perfect example. 1984 was his last great tone IMHO.

 

[amiller]

...

I think that we have two perspectives here and we need to catogorize them.
What I mean is that there are two ways of looking at this! I see a lot of guys who had AMAZING tone early on in their career get shittier and shittier tones as they have gotten older and then you have the reverse!! (like most of the guys you mentioned!)
It's almost like that the guys who had shitty tones are trying to correct the situation as they get older and the guys who had killer tone no longer care!! (and then you have the consitent guys who are either shit or good constently LMAO)

I think it would be interesting to see if there's a correlation between improved tone AND improved playing. In other words, if a player keeps progressing musically does he also keep improving his tone. I guess what I'm getting at is a level of commitment to the craft. I think some guys just get lazy on both counts. I also think some guys had good tone early on because someone in the studio knew how to get it for them...on there own they wouldn't have a clue...like me. ....I don't mean I have good tone...I'm just clueless.

On the other hand, someone like Holdsworth, who I think is amazing, never really had great tone IMHO. I'm sure he digs his tone and I'm sure it works for him. I just never dug it...

 

[Strat+Marshall]

There are alot of players that have a tone drop off as they get older. I think when they have everything available they get kinda lost trying new gear and thinking they can make it better. Usually the simple stuff sounds the best.

Clapton, Blackmore, SRV, EVH to name a few.

 

[guitarslinger]

The only guy who gets better with age.


David Effing Gilmour.

 

[amiller]

The only guy who gets better with age.


David Effing Gilmour.

I love Gilmour's stuff ... love his tone!