how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
- Thread starter appar111
- Start date
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
No worries man! Just too many destroyers of the english language out there on the interwebs. You're misspellings have good reasons though!
No worries man! Just too many destroyers of the english language out there on the interwebs. You're misspellings have good reasons though!
atreidesheir
New member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
Sometimes the new sound works. If the sound makes you smile, it is probably good.
I also find my heroes sound better when they are chasing tail. When they knock up the supermodel, they are usually done.
Sometimes the new sound works. If the sound makes you smile, it is probably good.
I also find my heroes sound better when they are chasing tail. When they knock up the supermodel, they are usually done.
xxxplorer
Well-known member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
It all depends, you have to remember these days the 'endoresment deals' are basically a new standard and a way for these guys to make some money in a ever changing music industry. I try not to bash the sig stuff like I used to and I try and think about if I were in their shoes and hungry... But Metallica, Dream Theatre et al, aren't really hungry.
Petrucci's crunch lab is pretty rad I must say though!
I have always favored 'rawer' 'purer' tones. When a band plays and bleeds and puts it out there thinking about songs and not how a note decays, the songs are better, the conviction stronger and everything's a bit more honest.
It all depends, you have to remember these days the 'endoresment deals' are basically a new standard and a way for these guys to make some money in a ever changing music industry. I try not to bash the sig stuff like I used to and I try and think about if I were in their shoes and hungry... But Metallica, Dream Theatre et al, aren't really hungry.
Petrucci's crunch lab is pretty rad I must say though!
I have always favored 'rawer' 'purer' tones. When a band plays and bleeds and puts it out there thinking about songs and not how a note decays, the songs are better, the conviction stronger and everything's a bit more honest.
YHWH
New member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
... agreed w/ the topic of this thread... also like to add the constant "re-perfection" of artist's signature gear is counterproductive - if you take a guitarist's or bassist's original "signature tone" & compare it to what it supposedly sounds like using their signature gear today... odds are it won't resemble that artist's first signature sound in the least... but will be a different sonic animal entirely...
... re: SRV & "fatter & gainier"... as they get older most guitarists' articulation & dexterity suffers a bit due to age... so to compensate they start playing less single notes & using higher gain amps or use dirt pedals more frequently. I believe before his tragic passing... SRV (R.I.P.) had a custom Soldano SLO-100 amp in the works - so who knows if (he'd lived) he would've kept playing pure Texas Blues or started playing more sustained & higher-gained, minimalistic "Yuppie Blooz" like what eventually came about in the mid-'90s...
... agreed w/ the topic of this thread... also like to add the constant "re-perfection" of artist's signature gear is counterproductive - if you take a guitarist's or bassist's original "signature tone" & compare it to what it supposedly sounds like using their signature gear today... odds are it won't resemble that artist's first signature sound in the least... but will be a different sonic animal entirely...
... re: SRV & "fatter & gainier"... as they get older most guitarists' articulation & dexterity suffers a bit due to age... so to compensate they start playing less single notes & using higher gain amps or use dirt pedals more frequently. I believe before his tragic passing... SRV (R.I.P.) had a custom Soldano SLO-100 amp in the works - so who knows if (he'd lived) he would've kept playing pure Texas Blues or started playing more sustained & higher-gained, minimalistic "Yuppie Blooz" like what eventually came about in the mid-'90s...
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atreidesheir
New member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
What about Yngwie's new tone?
I haven't heard him much with the new sig pickups. I think his archetype tone was freaking amazing.
Has he adjusted his gain down for the new higher output, or is it getting heavier?
What about Yngwie's new tone?
I haven't heard him much with the new sig pickups. I think his archetype tone was freaking amazing.
Has he adjusted his gain down for the new higher output, or is it getting heavier?
gripweed
Jolvisologist
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
When I think of so many of the greats for most of Rock's history, they used stock stuff for the most part. Very little boutique stuff and the tones were great. Boutique gear doesn't necessarily mean better tone, just more choices.
When I think of so many of the greats for most of Rock's history, they used stock stuff for the most part. Very little boutique stuff and the tones were great. Boutique gear doesn't necessarily mean better tone, just more choices.
YHWH
New member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
... a couple years back I heard Yngwie playing through a Boss GP-8(?) or similar- *IMO* Yngwie's tone suffers w/ higher amp gain... it becomes generic Shred Metal... like T-Mac's post-'80s "tone" does w/ the H & K... super-high preamp gain (tube or digital) really doesn't suit either guitarist... Ynwgie needs the cranked-up NMV plexi & in T-Mac's case... a Peavey Classic tube/SS head run clean & an MXR Distortion+... or a Rockman X100...
... a couple years back I heard Yngwie playing through a Boss GP-8(?) or similar- *IMO* Yngwie's tone suffers w/ higher amp gain... it becomes generic Shred Metal... like T-Mac's post-'80s "tone" does w/ the H & K... super-high preamp gain (tube or digital) really doesn't suit either guitarist... Ynwgie needs the cranked-up NMV plexi & in T-Mac's case... a Peavey Classic tube/SS head run clean & an MXR Distortion+... or a Rockman X100...
jmh151
Active member
I disagree in part. I think EVH tone on F@CK with the EBMM/ Soldanos is great- its different, not better, not worse, but a progression of the earlier tones that was better suited for Van Hagar rather than Van Halen- it was more musical, whereas the old Frankenstrat/ Plexi tones are pure rock. I think his live tones with his current setup is the best live tone he's ever had.
Clapton also had a few progressions- from John Mayall, to straight Les Paul/Marshall, to SG/ Fuzz face, to Strat, to Sig Strat/ Soldanos, and on and on. His best tones I think are the Soldano as well as his Boss HM-2 tones.
Santana sounded best at Woodstock. Richie Blackmore sounded best at the California Jam concert, IMO they never progressed
Clapton also had a few progressions- from John Mayall, to straight Les Paul/Marshall, to SG/ Fuzz face, to Strat, to Sig Strat/ Soldanos, and on and on. His best tones I think are the Soldano as well as his Boss HM-2 tones.
Santana sounded best at Woodstock. Richie Blackmore sounded best at the California Jam concert, IMO they never progressed
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
Yeah but if your talking history boutique is a new phenomenon. Boutique gear simply wasnt available. Its better talked about in the current scene.
Yeah but if your talking history boutique is a new phenomenon. Boutique gear simply wasnt available. Its better talked about in the current scene.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
While its the same basic tone they have messed with the formula a bit. From Wizard and Mesa amps to Jaydee guitars its been tweaked just not as radically as others have.
But I agree that they probably do get sick of hearing the same thing night after night.
I also cant help but that enthusiasts covet certain guitar tones cause they are associated with eras. If VH1 was recording with the tone from For unlawful would people still worship VH1 tone? I get the feeling they would
While its the same basic tone they have messed with the formula a bit. From Wizard and Mesa amps to Jaydee guitars its been tweaked just not as radically as others have.
But I agree that they probably do get sick of hearing the same thing night after night.
I also cant help but that enthusiasts covet certain guitar tones cause they are associated with eras. If VH1 was recording with the tone from For unlawful would people still worship VH1 tone? I get the feeling they would
eschoendorff
New member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
The word is your.
The word is your.
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
Vai sounds like Vai =evolving though I liked his Marshall tone better. or the Carvim x100B Demo
Satch needed to stay with the basic Marshall tone
Lynch needs to record with a Randall and play live with Warren Dimartini's amps and quit ****ing around.
VH just needs to go back to his original rig
Mainly George Lynch just needs to go back to the basics
Vai sounds like Vai =evolving though I liked his Marshall tone better. or the Carvim x100B Demo
Satch needed to stay with the basic Marshall tone
Lynch needs to record with a Randall and play live with Warren Dimartini's amps and quit ****ing around.
VH just needs to go back to his original rig
Mainly George Lynch just needs to go back to the basics
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
Blackmore has also evolved. I loved his tone of the late 60s, early 70s w/stock Fender Strats and Cranked Marshalls. He kept experimenting, and his tone kept changing, but regardless of gear, when you close your eyes, you could tell when Blackmore was playing. I, myself being a Blackmore fan, don't particularly care for his Engl Amp tone. He claims that to him the only great tone out of a Marshall was when it was maxed out, and I guess with age, he didn't want to play that loud anymore, so he wanted an amp that sounded great at lower volumes. Unfortunately to my ears, he just sounds better through the Marshalls. He also got tired of the single coil hum, and kept searching for the same sound in stacked humbuckers. The closest he found are the Gold Lace Sensors. I, again find that to my ears, the stock Fender pups just sound much better.
So we see that they both progressed, just not in what I would consider a great way. That doesn't mean I don't like to hear them now. I just prefer their older stuff and sound.
Both Santana and Blackmore have progressed, in different ways. I don't know what amp Carlos used in Woodstock, but by Abraxass, he was using Mesa Boogie. In Woodstock he played Gibson SG, and in the 70s was playing Les Pauls. I don't particularly care for his PRS tones, but his musical style has definitely changed. The stuff he is playing now doesn't even come close to sounding like the old Carlos (think of Black Magic Woman vs Smooth). He sounds like he has gone back to his latin roots vs Rock & Roll.
Blackmore has also evolved. I loved his tone of the late 60s, early 70s w/stock Fender Strats and Cranked Marshalls. He kept experimenting, and his tone kept changing, but regardless of gear, when you close your eyes, you could tell when Blackmore was playing. I, myself being a Blackmore fan, don't particularly care for his Engl Amp tone. He claims that to him the only great tone out of a Marshall was when it was maxed out, and I guess with age, he didn't want to play that loud anymore, so he wanted an amp that sounded great at lower volumes. Unfortunately to my ears, he just sounds better through the Marshalls. He also got tired of the single coil hum, and kept searching for the same sound in stacked humbuckers. The closest he found are the Gold Lace Sensors. I, again find that to my ears, the stock Fender pups just sound much better.
So we see that they both progressed, just not in what I would consider a great way. That doesn't mean I don't like to hear them now. I just prefer their older stuff and sound.
JohnnyGuitar
New member
Re: how many of your favorite guitarists sounded better w/ off the shelf gear?
Well, some of them were tweaking from the start - EVH with his guitar designs and Dave Murray with his modded Strat, Clapton with frequent gear changes (he sounded best with ES 335s and Strats IMHO, with all due respect to the Beano album), Page and Townshend also changed a lot of guitars...
And of course there were players who sadly didn't get a chance to tweak - Hendrix and PAul Kossoff come to mind. It's an interesting question, but I'm not sure how to answer it.
Well, some of them were tweaking from the start - EVH with his guitar designs and Dave Murray with his modded Strat, Clapton with frequent gear changes (he sounded best with ES 335s and Strats IMHO, with all due respect to the Beano album), Page and Townshend also changed a lot of guitars...
And of course there were players who sadly didn't get a chance to tweak - Hendrix and PAul Kossoff come to mind. It's an interesting question, but I'm not sure how to answer it.
