What has the biggest impact on tone?

[Meathead]

your gear and how you dial it in is 100% of your tone.

ABSOLUTELY!







































NOT

 

[VH4_BigRig]

To me there are two things that a lot of folks confuse...Great playing and great tone.

Tone is a combination of gear and player.

Playing great is...hell, playing great. For instance, Satch will sound like Satch no matter what he's playing through. If it's a "great" rig it will sound like Satch playing through a great rig. If it's a shitty rig it will sound like Satch playing though a shitty rig...it will still be awesome playing...just shitty tone.

If you don't buy that, I challenge anybody on this forum to turn their treble all the way up and turn the bass and mids all the way down and then record a clip with that setup and show me the great tone.

+100000000

Count me in with the amp camp. I mean, I wouldn't have sold my left nut to get a VH4 if I believed otherwise
I mean, say someone here posts two clips. Exact same lead lick, exact same phrasing. However, one is recorded with a gunned XTC, and the other is recorded with a low volume Crate with a death metal pedal. Chances are most folks would probably say "I like the XTC clip better." Why? Because the tone is better! This goes to show that hands are very important, but NOT everything. Amps, then hands, then speakers, then guitar, then everything else in my books.

 

[degenaro]

My 2 cents...whatever you think has the biggest impact. All the chasing goes in circles...amps, guitars, speakers, strings, pick, technique. It never ends...

 

[stabbyJo]

When I was at that period of time in my playing I had just moved up from my little practice amp /muff fuzz and hondo II LP. Sure it was better, but what did I know. I was still trying to learn Crazy Train The OP already has a rig way better than that and is complaining about the tone?? Next thing he'll be on a search of the magical 12ax7, power cable, ridiculous price no name pickups, whatever tenon construction LP etc etc.....

That's fair. Point well taken.

I should mention that I do recognize that this rig is much "higher-end" than most play through at 1.5 years - and i'm lucky in that regard. And despite the fact that it sounds harsh, and shrill to me, it sounds far, far, and I mean FAR and away better than what my buddies are playing through. We all sound much better playing through the boogie than we do through the Line 6 spider or the Behringer v-tone. We don't play any better through it, but what we do play sounds better... much better.

Also, although I do emphasize practice over playing, I do like to experiment with different tone and gain settings. I practice monday through friday, but I pretty much let myself play and mess around on saturday. I don't entirely suck, there are some things I can play pretty well. It's just that when I play a note that I think should "sing", instead, it goes "shrill". And instead of rolling over into harmonic sweetness, it breaks up and fades away.

 

[bds9487]

We all sound much better playing through the boogie than we do through the Line 6 spider or the Behringer v-tone. We don't play any better through it, but what we do play sounds better... much better.

Excellent! I think you just made the case for "tone is in the amp" not "in the fingers".

same technique into 2 different amps...2 different tones.

 

[peaveyT60]

your gear and how you dial it in is 100% of your tone.

ABSOLUTELY!

NOT

well, maybe 99%, but your guitar, pickups, cables, amp, speakers, etc... and how you turn the knobs is your tone.

 

[jack-2]

tone and ability of the player are two completely different things.

tone is completely controlled by gear used. The number one factor being the amp, then pickups, then cab, etc.
how good the player is is determined by technique, skill, knowledge of theory, etc.

 

[amiller]

For you guys that say tone is ALL in the fingers...

A little help if you please....

I'm looking at my fingers and can't seem to find the mid-range knob. Do I just pull on one of my digits, twist one or what? If I crack my knuckles does that change the bass? ..and oh yeah, what the hell are those pesky tone control knobs on my amp for anyway?

'just fun'n!

 

[muudrock]

This....

 

[Zachman]

This....

Ooh... I like that one. Thanks

 

[VH4_BigRig]

This....

Sweet, you have one too?? Mine's got a Jose mod

 

[Anonymous]

One guy says amp first then hands second is most important? Fuckn unbelievable. Tell that to someone if they play a cello/violin/ piano/ god fuckn forbid an acoustic guitar or a banjo that the tone of that instrument is not manipulated by the players fingers. Dont get me started about playn thru a non master volume amp.

 

[sg guy]

what a waste of web space this argument is,...maybe if we all had the same definition for "tone" it would be helpful?

 

[Anonymous]

Well spit your idea of tone out fellow. You may fit in with the rest of this hi gain crowd.

 

[bds9487]

One guy says amp first then hands second is most important? Fuckn unbelievable. Tell that to someone if they play a cello/violin/ piano/ god fuckn forbid an acoustic guitar or a banjo that the tone of that instrument is not manipulated by the players fingers. Dont get me started about playn thru a non master volume amp.

You're taking this way too personally.

 

[Anonymous]

WTF You know its the truth,but anyway KMA

 

[Meathead]

One guy says amp first then hands second is most important? Fuckn unbelievable. Tell that to someone if they play a cello/violin/ piano/ god fuckn forbid an acoustic guitar or a banjo that the tone of that instrument is not manipulated by the players fingers. Dont get me started about playn thru a non master volume amp.

You're taking this way too personally.

I actually agree with Shawn on something.

 

[stabbyJo]

We all sound much better playing through the boogie than we do through the Line 6 spider or the Behringer v-tone. We don't play any better through it, but what we do play sounds better... much better.

Excellent! I think you just made the case for "tone is in the amp" not "in the fingers".

same technique into 2 different amps...2 different tones.

Oh, I think you're right. I'd be surprised if there was anything technique-wise I could do to eliminate the general shrill I'm getting.

So, here's the thing, my buddies notice the same thing. However, we're all playing basswood guitars with EMGs! Not much room for analysis there! If only guitar center would just let me borrow a few guitars...

 

[Meathead]

We all sound much better playing through the boogie than we do through the Line 6 spider or the Behringer v-tone. We don't play any better through it, but what we do play sounds better... much better.

Excellent! I think you just made the case for "tone is in the amp" not "in the fingers".

same technique into 2 different amps...2 different tones.

Oh, I think you're right. I'd be surprised if there was anything technique-wise I could do to eliminate the general shrill I'm getting.

So, here's the thing, my buddies notice the same thing. However, we're all playing basswood guitars with EMGs! Not much room for analysis there! If only guitar center would just let me borrow a few guitars...

OK let this be an example of a players hand tone.
There is a knob on a guitar labeled 'tone' ...turn that down when needed to smooth out shrillness...when you feel more attack is needed turn it up, something I do all the time...ride the volume and the tone.

An example of something the hand can do at any moment to achieve better tone.

 

[bds9487]

We all sound much better playing through the boogie than we do through the Line 6 spider or the Behringer v-tone. We don't play any better through it, but what we do play sounds better... much better.

Excellent! I think you just made the case for "tone is in the amp" not "in the fingers".

same technique into 2 different amps...2 different tones.

Oh, I think you're right. I'd be surprised if there was anything technique-wise I could do to eliminate the general shrill I'm getting.

So, here's the thing, my buddies notice the same thing. However, we're all playing basswood guitars with EMGs! Not much room for analysis there! If only guitar center would just let me borrow a few guitars...

OK let this be an example of a players hand tone.
There is a knob on a guitar labeled 'tone' ...turn that down when needed to smooth out shrillness...when you feel more attack is needed turn it up, something I do all the time...ride the volume and the tone.

An example of something the hand can do at any moment to achieve better tone.

So, is it "hand tone" when you change the tone knob on the amp, too? Cause you DID use your hand. Wouldn't your example be "guitar tone"?