What's the point of chasing someone else's tone?

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

I first started playing electric to get adam jones tone. And then kind of evolved a bit. He has a cool tone, but I kind of got bored of it after a few weeks and focused on trying to dial in whatever shitty amp I had to get a tone that supported my style/level of playing.

I haven't really gotten far in skill of playing, but I have slowly gotten better and wrote a little shit that I think sounds cool.

I have enough of a unique sound that trying different amps and trying to dial in my tone is a great pastime and one of many reasons that I like amp fests. When you find a new amp that really highlights your tone and playing style, it is very rewarding

 

[stephen sawall]

It was January 25th 1976. I was at Cobo Hall in Detroit. Iron Butterfly started to play In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. When the fuzz was kicked on I have been chasing that sound all my life.

 

[stratjacket]

I think we all are influenced by that we hear. So “our own” sound is based off something we heard even if we don’t chase a particular guitarist sound. I’ve never tried to get the exact guitar, amp, pedal, pickups, etc…to mimic a specific artist, but I can see where folks have fun doing it.
When I was in bands I’d try to get close on covers though.

 

[VonBonfire]

I haven't really gotten far in skill of playing, but I have slowly gotten better and wrote a little shit that I think sounds cool.

Yeah but you have some nice amps which enhance your chops. Plus you have an HD so you are pretty much ready 100% to start filming WASP/Ram Jam-style videos and stuff.

 

[SoooRad]

Thats why i bought my RG100es, i dug what Dime, Crowbar and Acid Bath got out of theres, i figured if they could get good tones out of them than so should i, i wasnt really looking to sound like them though

This is my approach with my “heroes”. Their gear is a reference point for a sound I like. Add or subtract as needed to get what I want.

 

[Greazygeo]

I mean it's literally an MXR distortion+ and a super lead And judging from the sound, probably a 57 or 58 as the mic

The key with that tone IMO is the lower output pickup and the distortion +

For Balls to the Wall and Metal Heart, Russian Roulette he was using EMG’s and the Dist + My favorite eras of Accept.
Restless and Wild and before was before the EMGs and sounds much more raw.

 

[DanTravis62]

For Balls to the Wall and Metal Heart, Russian Roulette he was using EMG’s and the Dist + My favorite eras of Accept.
Restless and Wild and before was before the EMGs and sounds much more raw.

I'm pretty sure that was later on, at least in the studio Balls to the Wall was the stock flying V or a strat with humbuckers AFAIK

I could be wrong, but google and every source i could find agrees with me

You are correct that he used emgs starting in the early 80s, but incorrect in that he only used them live, not in the studio until later on

I've heard a couple german language podcasts with him talking about this here and there

You may have some inside source to information I'm not aware of, of course, but as far as I know google is correct on the timeline

 

[JimAnsell2]

i'd say that my chase for my own tone came from chasing other "iconic tones". in that chase, i ended up kinda finding my own thing. its still in the "flavor" of my heros, but not a clone. wolf hoffman, for the record, was also in the top 5 guitar players whos tone i chased. the live tone from Staying A Life is just nuts.

 

[JimAnsell2]

It was January 25th 1976. I was at Cobo Hall in Detroit. Iron Butterfly started to play In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. When the fuzz was kicked on I have been chasing that sound all my life.

did you go to any shows at cobo that summer? like maybe Average White Band?