Why Are Most of Us Guitarist Always Chasing Tone?

[metalmaniac93]

It seems like every guitarist I know including myself is always chasing that coveted tone!!! It is like a dog chasing it's tail!!! Will we ever be satisfied? Probably not!!! Let the quest continue until it drives us mad or renders us broke!!!

You hit upon the answer-- Budget. "A" coveted tone is a singularity. MANY coveted tones are another potential stratosphere of budgetary constraints

I agree!!!! Most people have some budget constraints!!! If I was married I wouldn't, but I probably would not be where I am at without my lovely wife!!!! It is all relevant since I have heard great players play through normal gear and they sounded awesome!!!!

There is another reason most of us chase tone; we want to sound like: ________. Yet it seems almost impossible to get that tone. I believe there is an explanation for that and it has nothing to do with it being in the fingers, at least when it comes to strumming basic chords. Pull out a cd with your favorite guitar tone, I'll bet the artist's amp was screaming loud when it was recorded. Most of us cannot play that loud for any length of time if at all so we don't get that tone. Go see most pro's live, they are still loud. A screaming Marshall or Mesa gets "the tone." Played at home levels it is lacking and we keep looking. Those amps were designed to sound best loud.

Take a good condition JCM 900 and dime it, it will sound good. You or me playing may not sound good, but the amp will.

I slowed down the tone quest when I got the Friedman Marshall and the CCV. They sound incredible at the low volumes I play at and have cured me.....sort of.

Yeah, I am done after I get my CCV, and the Atomica I have is truly a great amp. I tried to like the Marshalls and the Mesa's that have come out in the past 15 or so years, but could not get into them and I have played through most of them. I usually keep my amps for quite a while. I have owned only a few amps over the past 20 years unlike a lot of RT members starting with the Lee Jackson XLS, VHT 50CL, Bogner XTC and Shiva, and the Engl Savage. Now I only have an Atomica.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Just to add fuel to the fire.. we all chase a tone that even the artists who once had that tone, don't even have anymore. How many times have you thought Ed's tone now doesn't compare to his old tone? etc etc.. the difference is, he doesn't care. We do.

 

[metalmaniac93]

Just to add fuel to the fire.. we all chase a tone that even the artists who once had that tone, don't even have anymore. How many times have you thought Ed's tone now doesn't compare to his old tone? etc etc.. the difference is, he doesn't care. We do.

I agree!!! I am actually chasing my own tone that I hear in my head, which can be frustrating since it is like chasing a ghost!!! Only chased the EVH/Rhoads/Lynch, etc tone in the 80's.

 

[drewiv]

I am actually chasing my own tone that I hear in my head...

^ this

Back when I COULD play, because in all honesty I currently play pretty lousy, I played through a Yamaha solid state 2x12 combo or Crate. Got tons of compliments on my PLAYING. Kind of lost interest from the mid 90s to the mid 00s when I got thrown into the fire to run my family's failing business, an American manufacturing company. I spent those ten years at work 12-14 hours a day trying to find a niche, build a customer base and provide for my family that had provided for me growing up. Met my wife in '02, played some hair metal ballads on my trusty Ovation Thunderbolt and the rest is history. Anyway, she mentioned after we got married in '06 that I don't have a hobby and I work too hard, I got back into music. I still spend a minimum of 9 hours at work six days a week. When I have time I try to spend it with my wife, which is difficult because she is a wedding photographer (janeivyphotography.com, shameless plug for those in Chicagoland needing a wedding photographer ) and she spends most nights and weekends with appointments and weddings. Next, I have three dogs that I truly enjoy training and spending time with, kind of like now as I type this. Nothing like a 80 pound Pit Bull that could rip you arm off, but listens to me like I'm their Lord and Savior. . Next, we watch our 7 yo niece frequently whom I'm a father figure to and try to provide that male influence in her life that her father isn't around to give her. So, that leaves music on the back burner, not an excuse - a choice. I LOVE all my gear, but I choose to only have 3-5 hours a week to dedicate to playing. I don't need all the gear I have, but, hell, it's my money and I don't have another hobby. I chase tone because it's fun, nothing short of that. I don't make millions a year, but many people spend much more on their hobbies than I do. It's what I choose to do and I enjoy it. Period.

Yes, my post could have been shorter, but now you understand "what makes Drew tick."

 

[Meathead]

There is no 'one tone' to acquire.
Every song has a different tone that suits that song.
Having a certain tone will make me write a certain way that suits the tone that I have at the time.

There are lots of good tones...we can't have them all. But it's really all about the song.

If all you do is hit notes and chords and listen intently for perfect tone, you aren't a musician, you are suffering from OCD.

 

[Spaceboy]

im real close to mine i think... but of course tastes change over the years. ive kind of stopped chasing the sound in my head so hard though. in studio theres usually a plethora of amps to get a fitting sound, and on stage the audience dont know shit about tone and amps... they just hear a distorted guitar, regardless if you spend 400 or 4000. so i dont beat myself up and always remind myself that nobody cares about my tone when i get those GAS attacks, haha.

 

[stephen sawall]

I cringe at the thought of an amp requiring a pedal to get a core tone that I like - whether it is a Fender Champ or a VH4. Some people are fine with it. That's just not why I do what I do......

I agree .... when I mention 2or3 pedals above with a Fender I was thinking phaser & wa (all I usually use). Personally I really like the sound of a cranked Champ with nothing but guitar. Hooked up to the right cab it can be pretty intense.

I only use 3 different sounds most of the time .... clean / point of breakup / distorted {combination or mix of preamp (saturation) &/or poweramp (clip)}. In most cases I do not need anything more heavy than AC/DC crunch. Less is more .... in many cases this means more dynamics & being able to control the amount of distortion with pick attack. Liquid lead sounds are cool ... But I do not use them a lot. My favorite amp does not have a master volume ~ THD Series One Plexi ..... Just a Marshall JMP built by THD.

Personally I feel fine using any decent tube amp & guitar.... I know this is not true for many people.

 

[rupe]

I'm pretty damn happy with what I have going on these days. Anything else I end up getting will simply be "flavor enhancers".

That said, we are not the norm here Rig-Talk. As others have mentioned, most players are more concerned with playing and technique than finding the perfect gear. I sat in with a band last week and played a very "pedestrian" rig...Japanese Charvel through a Mesa Single Rectifier 1x12 combo w/2x12 extension cab and a DD-5 for a little delay on solos. It sounded as good as any high dollar boutique rig I've heard...the guy really had it dialed in well. It really made me think about how silly "the chase" is.

 

[guitarmike]

I'm pretty damn happy with what I have going on these days. Anything else I end up getting will simply be "flavor enhancers".

That said, we are not the norm here Rig-Talk. As others have mentioned, most players are more concerned with playing and technique than finding the perfect gear. I sat in with a band last week and played a very "pedestrian" rig...Japanese Charvel through a Mesa Single Rectifier 1x12 combo w/2x12 extension cab and a DD-5 for a little delay on solos. It sounded as good as any high dollar boutique rig I've heard...the guy really had it dialed in well. It really made me think about how silly "the chase" is.

It's not silly unless you think it is. Flipping amps can be a fun activity in and of its self. Most people here probably don't gig, most guitar players don't gig... Trying different amps in the chase of the perfect tone the hobby and that is ok.

I do gig, a lot. There is no money in it here in Milwaukee unless you are in one of the top 3 or 4 cover bands that play to tracks to fool the crowd. So setting up the p.a, lights (plus, who owns the pa and lights?), and my rig at 7pm, playing 9pm til 1:30am, tearing it all down and packing it away for $50 is NOT crazy?


Its all perspective.

 

[Badronald]

I must be the odd man out. I work on tunes, technique AND tone. It all matters to me. They are all intertwined as far as I'm concerned.

I've seen what we would all consider to be great players but with bad tone. But for me if a great player has bad tone I don't really consider him to be great. If he doesn't sound good then I don't want to listen. Listening to music is the reason to create it.
In and of itself, bad tone destroys the pleasure of listening to music. At least for me. That includes not only the guitar but all the instruments that may make up a track.
Anyway......

 

[guitarmike]

I must be the odd man out. I work on tunes, technique AND tone. It all matters to me. They are all intertwined as far as I'm concerned.

I've seen what we would all consider to be great players but with bad tone. But for me if a great player has bad tone I don't really consider him to be great. If he doesn't sound good then I don't want to listen. Listening to music is the reason to create it.
In and of itself, bad tone destroys the pleasure of listening to music. At least for me. That includes not only the guitar but all the instruments that may make up a track.
Anyway......

I almost never listen to a complete song when the guitar tone is bad. I can listen to tones that aren't my style but play an electric through a kazoo and it's over!

 

[metalmaniac93]

I am actually chasing my own tone that I hear in my head...

^ this

Back when I COULD play, because in all honesty I currently play pretty lousy, I played through a Yamaha solid state 2x12 combo or Crate. Got tons of compliments on my PLAYING. Kind of lost interest from the mid 90s to the mid 00s when I got thrown into the fire to run my family's failing business, an American manufacturing company. I spent those ten years at work 12-14 hours a day trying to find a niche, build a customer base and provide for my family that had provided for me growing up. Met my wife in '02, played some hair metal ballads on my trusty Ovation Thunderbolt and the rest is history. Anyway, she mentioned after we got married in '06 that I don't have a hobby and I work too hard, I got back into music. I still spend a minimum of 9 hours at work six days a week. When I have time I try to spend it with my wife, which is difficult because she is a wedding photographer (janeivyphotography.com, shameless plug for those in Chicagoland needing a wedding photographer ) and she spends most nights and weekends with appointments and weddings. Next, I have three dogs that I truly enjoy training and spending time with, kind of like now as I type this. Nothing like a 80 pound Pit Bull that could rip you arm off, but listens to me like I'm their Lord and Savior. . Next, we watch our 7 yo niece frequently whom I'm a father figure to and try to provide that male influence in her life that her father isn't around to give her. So, that leaves music on the back burner, not an excuse - a choice. I LOVE all my gear, but I choose to only have 3-5 hours a week to dedicate to playing. I don't need all the gear I have, but, hell, it's my money and I don't have another hobby. I chase tone because it's fun, nothing short of that. I don't make millions a year, but many people spend much more on their hobbies than I do. It's what I choose to do and I enjoy it. Period.

Yes, my post could have been shorter, but now you understand "what makes Drew tick."

I agree Drew. It is my #1 hobby along with drinking beer!!! Playing ice hockey was a close second for quite a while, but now it is when I can play!!! That said, I do not play as much as I should and like Drew I don't need all of the gear I have, which is not really much compared to most people on RT.

 

[Greazygeo]

I've seen what we would all consider to be great players but with bad tone. But for me if a great player has bad tone I don't really consider him to be great. If he doesn't sound good then I don't want to listen. Listening to music is the reason to create it.
In and of itself, bad tone destroys the pleasure of listening to music. At least for me. That includes not only the guitar but all the instruments that may make up a track.
Anyway......

I guess I really don't understand this part. If the music is good and interesting that's what matters to me. I've never really listened to music for tones, unless it's something production / mix-wise.

Though it does kinda suck if an album has poor production.

 

[LP Freak]

So...........did you get paid?

 

[Badronald]

I've seen what we would all consider to be great players but with bad tone. But for me if a great player has bad tone I don't really consider him to be great. If he doesn't sound good then I don't want to listen. Listening to music is the reason to create it.
In and of itself, bad tone destroys the pleasure of listening to music. At least for me. That includes not only the guitar but all the instruments that may make up a track.
Anyway......

I guess I really don't understand this part. If the music is good and interesting that's what matters to me. I've never really listened to music for tones, unless it's something production / mix-wise.

Though it does kinda suck if an album has poor production.

It doesn't have to be everyones opinion. It's just mine. For me, tone is part of the overall package.

There are so many great players with great tone, so why should I settle for anything less? Especially with gear options these days. There's really no reason for a player to have bad tone, not if their technique is in order.

 

[steve_k]

Rarely would I listen to an album and say, "that tone is great". I know it is mostly processed and really don't pay much attention to it as it is a result of production quality and technique. Live sound though....altogether different for me and I pay more attention to detail. I can easily go to a concert and say, "the tone was fantastic" or "that tone sucked". And, to me there is no better live tone than Metallica.

 

[benduncan]

for me its a creative pursuit just like the music, my idea of perfection is ever changing therefor i will never achieve it. just like with a song, i know i will never record a perfect song but at the same time, i will never say "its good enough" i will continue to attempt to achieve perfection up until the moment i record and record an unfinished song, not a "good enough" song, theres a difference. i never gave up, i tried like hell until the last second, and thats what i will do with my tone my entire life. so far its a very fun life

 

[Heritage Softail]

Rarely would I listen to an album and say, "that tone is great". I know it is mostly processed and really don't pay much attention to it as it is a result of production quality and technique. Live sound though....altogether different for me and I pay more attention to detail. I can easily go to a concert and say, "the tone was fantastic" or "that tone sucked". And, to me there is no better live tone than Metallica.

Seen about 10 big acts roll thu ATL this year. Gonna see Seether in a few weeks.

Metallica was by far the best tone live. They kept sonic space between instruments. The only time they didn't sound clear was when 60,000 people were screaming the words louder than the band. Yeah, they are sell outs, every show...

Gojira was the worst. The guy on the board should have been taken out back. Speed kick drum mush beneath cookie monster vocals. Did not sound ant thing like the disc. Made me sad.

 

[Zachman]

I think the answer to the original post question is: because anything worth doing, is worth doing well... ethics

 

[gtr31]

I think it was Holdsworth said "there is no perfect tone" .there is the only perfect tone for "right now".
So you are constantly seeking the right sounds for the gig ,for the recording even for the mood and vibe of the song.