80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

[Sludgenutz]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

80's metal seemed to be dominated by guitars with hardly any identifiable classic character. A Floyd (I just threw up in my mouth), and a JB (they sound better when others play them), along with the gear choice explosion made for a schizophrenic "standards" concept.

The bass tones of eighties guitars seem pinched off, but this allowed guys like Rudy Sarzo the space to play and be heard. That's cool.

Marshall! Marshall! Marshall! The amp/speaker standard of the eighties tone!

I need to thank Black Sabbath for keeping me sane through those dark ages.:smokin:

 

[Mephis]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

Hey hey hey hey Warrant rocked!

Cherry Pie was a COOL single, and Uncle Toms Cabin just kicked butt

I wouldn't talk about anyone getting owned.

You just owned yourself.

 

[Jeff Seal]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

just fwiw... bashing any "era" or style may come back to haunt you and generally is considered "bad form", especially by older musicians. There really was some killer stuff that came from all era's..... As has already been posted, SD SH-6 through a JCM800 is "standard issue" for 80's guitar tone.

BTW, (cheese or not?) you might wanna listen to Winger's "Seventeen" and figure out the time sig on it. Rod Morgenstein (drummer) has a nice little "twist" on things.

Jeff Seal

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

Well for us who lived through it....damn
There was some baaaad sappy stuff
Winger...yeah they could play and then some...but I do not remember one tune by them now?!?
And I still remember when the first 800's came, the words buzzy thin and way to gainy
Hehe nothing new under the sun!
But lots of fun was the keyword through those times, and I liked the radio back then, lots of catchy wellmade stuff, plus alot of seventies music as well, not anymore, not much music that is in the radio today is much fun or very good.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

just fwiw... bashing any "era" or style may come back to haunt you and generally is considered "bad form", especially by older musicians. There really was some killer stuff that came from all era's..... As has already been posted, SD SH-6 through a JCM800 is "standard issue" for 80's guitar tone.

BTW, (cheese or not?) you might wanna listen to Winger's "Seventeen" and figure out the time sig on it. Rod Morgenstein (drummer) has a nice little "twist" on things.

Jeff Seal

ya that was a monster 80's track. I bought that album new in the late 80's.... i still listen to that tune once in a while...

It was the era of the power ballad and the yes the Floyd Rose seemed to be on every solo.. But to be honest those guys in those acts of the 80's had talent... the singer had to have a great range, the guitarists had to have some serious chops, and the rest of the band had to be top notch and like a machine... Some of the videos and the looks of the 80's bands are plain crazy looking now. But there was some nice rockin stuff too... Ya i was 17 in 1987... so i lived it, so i guess i had some serious exposure to this stuff at a young age..

Like it or not there was serious musicians on some of those tunes....

 

[Jeff Seal]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

Well for us who lived through it....damn
There was some baaaad sappy stuff
Winger...yeah they could play and then some...but I do not remember one tune by them now?!?
And I still remember when the first 800's came, the words buzzy thin and way to gainy
Hehe nothing new under the sun!
But lots of fun was the keyword through those times, and I liked the radio back then, lots of catchy wellmade stuff, plus alot of seventies music as well, not anymore, not much music that is in the radio today is much fun or very good.

True enough!!, but are you gonna make anything worth listening to, or just be content to have "been there, done that"???... I ask this because I continually ask myself this...

Jeff Seal

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

I have few things that I did not like when I was kid, I like them now
Hehe and a few things that I did like, but not anymore.
And I still hear alot of stuff from back then, as it is a part of my life where music
had a big impact.

 

[Axl H]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

LOL Warrant still rocks in my opinion as does Pretty Maids.

But there was alot of good stuff back then

Lets not forget Guns'n'Roses! They kicked ass,.

 

[Stratovarious]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

omg I cant believe Accept has been mentioned, they are so fudgin AWESOME.


I think those "harsH" mids and chorus are part of a big 80's sound

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

All this talking got me thinking about tones that I did like from the era.

Found two acts that I didn't listen to for a long while now-
Kingdom come
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tvY9IaWy6I
Thunder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCMoDiUclpo

Yep, I guess I'm more into the Gibson and "British" hard rock tone...

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: 80s guitar sound (what are the characteristics?)

Wow
I'm looping those two songs since I've made the last post.

My head is going to explode and I'm going to jam when I'll finish working...