Y’all are gonna have to educate me on what cardboard sounds like ?
Makes me think of the James Brown interview when he said they were designing the 5150, he thought all was well until EVH called one saying “it sounds like cardboard” with James telling him “I don’t know what cardboard sounds like, but I’ll try to get that shit out of there…”
It's a timbre and admittedly maybe a stretch with that one. The only way I know how to explain would be examples like:
Metallic: the sound of a harpsichord, clavichord, triangle or if you literally tap a hollow piece of metal and listen to the sound (anything reminiscent of that). Or a resonator guitar or acoustically play an electric guitar made out of all metal like the EGC's or Ogre's (sorta sounds like a metal garbage can, but in a great way lol)
Woody: rich, warm sound like an old '20/'30's Martin acoustic guitar, especially with mahogany, a '50's Fender Tweed amp, most guitars in general that are over 100 years old
Glassy: Fender blackface cleans
Plastic-y: again tap a piece of plastic, play acoustically an Aristides guitar, the EVH 5153 series of amps
Cardboard: tap a piece of cardboard and listen to the tone (anything reminiscent of that), Uber Ultra, Omega Obsidian, Driftwood Purplenightmare. Basically to me sort of like woody with all the richness and warmth taken out of the sound, which is why I find it usually also goes along with descriptors like filtered, sterile, clinical, or lacking life