I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

Jeff_H

Dean Hardtail Fanologist
If this is not appropriate in this forum, let me know and I will zap it.

Went down to hang with Sweet_Lou last night in Columbia, and we went to see a local cover band. Really a bunch of talented guys. They covered everything from the Beatles to Metallica....and a bunch of stuff in between. The primary reason for my comment on the band, other than having as much fun as I can remember in a long time listening to live music, was the tone this band got, specifically the primary guitarists.

He was playing a dual channel Marshall....looked to be either a 2205 or a 2210...couldn't get a close enough look. Also, his primary guitar was a Wolfgang or and Axis with a Floyd. Anyhow, this is the guitar he played all night with the exception of one song, and was somehow able to morph his sound to really fit the original intent of the song. Was each tone spot on, probably not. But it sure was close enough that from 30 feet away thru the PA that it would have been tough to tell the diff without comparing recordings.

The thing that boggled me even more, was that he never touched the settings on his amp all night. Songs ranging from All Right Now, to Enter Sandman to Mamma I'm Commin Home to Stroke Me to Jamie's Cryin....all the same guitar, same amp settings, but the tone was wicked. Clarity, harmonics flying, nice low end, nice mids, highs were never piercing. All out of one guitar and an apparently static amp setting. I know he had some pedals, but it couldn't have been a huge array due to the small size of the stage....the monitors were blocking the view.

Long story short, all of us here tend to obsess about pickups, certain type of guitars and woods, amps, tube, ect....and here's a guy with one guitar and one amp covering the gamut.

Time for me to shut up about gear and just practice. I was inspired by this guitarists tone.
 
Re: I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

with other words a tone ninja =)

maybe he had the PODxt Live
 
Re: I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

Further proof that it's all in the hands.......and maybe a little help from some good OD's and knowing how to work a volume control.
 
Re: I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

Jeff_H said:
Long story short, all of us here tend to obsess about pickups, certain type of guitars and woods, amps, tube, ect....and here's a guy with one guitar and one amp covering the gamut.

We tend to obsess about that kind of stuff because we are searching for the one combination that will be universally appealing. Not just versatile... like the combo will sound good no matter WHAT music/song you're playing. Something with a multifaceted voice that transcends labels and stereotypes. Something that is less of an instrument and more an extension of yourself.

Looks like this guy found what works perfectly for him. He talks to it and it talks back.
 
Re: I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

Yep these guys are great. I see them about one a month. It sure does get me practicing. I was fun seeing Jeff get all cranked up he wouldn't put my Strat down when we got back. I got treated to a second show Jeff can play :cool3:

Oh yeh to make you feel really bad I stopped by the Sim's Music to say hey to Brad the lead guy on my way home. He plays a Music Man and he didn't know what pickups were in it. He said"I don't know I think thier stock" :smack:

Brad teaches at Sim's and has a Long wait list.
 
Re: I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

I hardly ever get the chance to live concerts (exams, these holidays I'm planning on going ape :p), so I don't have much experience with live tone.

Although, I can imagine how inspiring it would be.

Bee
 
Re: I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

sweet_lou said:
Oh yeh to make you feel really bad I stopped by the Sim's Music to say hey to Brad the lead guy on my way home. He plays a Music Man and he didn't know what pickups were in it. He said"I don't know I think thier stock" :smack:

Brad teaches at Sim's and has a Long wait list.

Even further proof that it's practice and feel, the tone's in the hands. Some of the nicest live guitar tone I've heard.
 
Re: I Heard Some Great Tone Last Night

Cool thread, and very true. I saw a band this summer at a homeless shelter (I was working there and this band plays at prisons and shelters a lot) and the lead guitarist was playing a Strat through a Boogie Subway model and somehow he sounded just like Duane when they played "Stormy Monday." Pretty amazing and a real reality check.
 
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