What amp created the best live tone you ever heard?

[vultures]

ENGL SE - I saw Rhapsody of Fire live and it was the best sound I've ever heard with a band.

 

[Ventura]

Tool on the Lateralus tour...

Keeping within the parameters given of this thread - *this*

Saw them at 3 different venues during this tour and ya, the tone was thunderous and incredible. Absolutely crushing and delicious.

Another memorable moment was when ZPZ started out with Dweezil playing "most" of his dad's original gear. Likely a semi full of amps and cabs and effects alone - he's now an AFX2 user - but his first few tours were hands down delightful; listening to vintage guitars being played through an assortment of hand selected vintage amps and cabs. Talk about mind blowing. Vancouver Orpheum - best ZPZ venue ever when he was using his dad's gear. Awesome.

 

[jgillihan]

Periphery. Axe FX 2 Friedman model. Crystal clear tone

 

[Badronald]

I've been fortunate to see a LOT of legendary bands and players over the years, so I cannot really give one so I'll give a few in no particular order. the list could go on and on so I'll truncate.

1. Glenn and KK - Screaming for Vengeance tour.
2. Dave and Adrian - Powerslave tour
3. Yngwie - Marching Out Tour
4. Akira Takasaki - Thunder in the East tour
5. Metallica - Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets tour
6. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood Tour
7. The Scorpions - Blackout Tour
8. Malcolm and Angus - For Those About to Rock tour
9. Zakk - No Rest for the Wicked tour
10. Eric Johnson - Venus Isle tour
11. A couple weeks ago I went to Guitar Army Tour with Robben Ford at the MIM Museum and when he plugged his '60's SG into the Dumble with a 2x12 (very loud) and started ripping, his tone was KILLER. Robben doesn't skimp on the treble. That tone sliced like a knife. Awesome.

It goes without saying that all of these players/bands have had incredible tones over the years. More important, they were great bands with great songs. The tones were just icing.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Band from LA, and I can't remember, but the guitarist had a mix of Herbert and VH4 and it was the best I have heard live. Don't remember the cabs, but I could see his amp rack. Talked with him after, and he said he ran both...it was monstrous

 

[JTyson]

Joe Holmes Jose Marshalls, most wicked live tone I've ever heard

 

[messenger]

Ross Childress 5150 at Collective Soul Woodstock 1994

I've always been a big Collective Soul fan so I went to check it out on Youtbue and he appears to be using Fender combos on both Woodstocks ('94 & '99).

 

[vicknott]

Cantrell - 2010 Sonisphere festival, he used 2 Friedman modded Marshalls.

 

[sg guy]

-BRAD GILLIS w/OZZY was better than HOLMES, and I've seen all of OZZY's guitarist-

 

[nevusofota]

Band from LA, and I can't remember, but the guitarist had a mix of Herbert and VH4 and it was the best I have heard live. Don't remember the cabs, but I could see his amp rack. Talked with him after, and he said he ran both...it was monstrous

This was similar to my experience and is what sparked the topic. I think it's quite interesting that a band that is virtually unknown could have better live tone than some of the leaders in the field, and likely better than their idols. These guitarist likely never realized the effect their monstrous tone had on some. I also just wanted to see if the same amp names would be continuously mentioned.

 

[Motorpud]

I saw AIC like 5-6 years ago and his tone was god like. I'll never forget it. It was the tour I think with deftones and whoever else they were with. I've been to a lot of shows but man, I was blown away by good his rig sounded.

He was using 2 of the old Marshas from what I could see and it looked like he had ISO cabs set up. For me that's now the benchmark in live tone.

Honorable mention though I have to agree with whoever said Tool on the Lateralus tour, crushing tone . Really though I've seen Tool every time they've been in town since then and twice in other cities and they sound great every time.

 

[CaseyCor]

Lamb of God's live sound during the Ashes of the Wake era was killer. Mark IV's. The record has some of the best metal tone I've ever heard. It's almost thin sounding for metal, and in a good way.

I saw Children of Bodom many years ago, and Alexi's lead tone was really nice. ENGL pre amps, IIRC. God Forbid opened, their tone wasn't too bad either. 5150s

Saw Bonamassa at least 10 years ago now in a tiny little theater. I got to play on stage with him, which was super cool. He was a really nice guy, and we all know how killer his playing is. I recall a Silver Jubilee and a JMP, couple blackface Fenders mic'ed up too.

Oh yeah, Heart had a wonderful sound when I saw them too! I forgot about that one. I saw them at Ribfest in Naperville, IL a long time ago. No clue what was being used at the time, but the tone was great.

 

[shredhead666]

When I saw ozzy playing during the joe Holmes era. I couldn't believe how thick and just amazing that guitar sounded. It's my all time tone I chase

Came here to post Joe Holmes. I think it was just boosted marshalls into greenback cabs? Those old 70's strats w/ humbuckers and floyds...

 

[cecilbag]

When I saw ozzy playing during the joe Holmes era. I couldn't believe how thick and just amazing that guitar sounded. It's my all time tone I chase

Came here to post Joe Holmes. I think it was just boosted marshalls into greenback cabs? Those old 70's strats w/ humbuckers and floyds...

As far as I know he uses real Jose Marshalls and Charvel-ized strats. Great player as well. That tone is my benchmark

 

[kunos]

I am a simple guy. Small venue in Tokyo back in 2003, unknown guy shows up with a Music Man Luke (EMG 85 IIRC) straight into a JCM 800.. all I can remember was the tone coming out of that combination.
I never managed to get the JCM 800 (or DSLs) to work for me under my fingers but man, the that's the "tone" for me if I am sitting there listening and not playing.

 

[japetus]

Couldn't stand the band, but I saw Nashville Pussy about 10 years ago, their guitarist was using Plexi's and they sounded absolutely amazing.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

Judas Priest - Unleashed in the East - Marshallls
Ozzy - Speak of the Devil - Gillis Boogie
Loudness - Marshalls

For myself playiin my stuff, a close 3 way tine of stock JCM800 2203 w/6550's, Bogner Ecstasy 101B, and VHT 50 CL

 

[stephen sawall]

I have seen about 2000 bands live. Most of them the guitar sound was horrible.
Tool always had good sounds.. I liked the guitar sounds best when he was running Mesa and Marshall.
Best sound I have found is the THD Series One Plexi..... It was voiced after the amp Dave Friedman uses to voice all of his amps. It's a NMV four input JMP. I have never found a Marshall type amp that sounds better.

 

[shredhead666]

I have seen about 2000 bands live. Most of them the guitar sound was horrible.

True story!!