Kings of Clean Tone?

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Mark Knopfler is a killer classic example, Jimi Hendrix also have a beautiful clean tone sometimes as did Stevie Ray. I am also a fan of Joe Perry and Brad Whitfords clean tone from the early days, but of my most favorite clean tones comes from a guy thats much more known for a real nasty/thick and often fuzzy distortion tone...I am talking about Billy Gibbons! Listen to the clean tones on Blue Jean Blues, Manic Mecanic, Fool for your Stockings, Asleep in the Desert...those songs all have some killer clean
tones!

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Mark Knopfler is a killer classic example, Jimi Hendrix also have a beautiful clean tone sometimes as did Stevie Ray. I am also a fan of Joe Perry and Brad Whitfords clean tone from the early days, but of my most favorite clean tones comes from a guy thats much more known for a real nasty/thick and often fuzzy distortion tone...I am talking about Billy Gibbons! Listen to the clean tones on Blue Jean Blues, Manic Mecanic, Fool for your Stockings, Cheap SunglassesAsleep in the Desert...those songs all have some killer clean
tones!

The Rev does have excellent clean tones......hell he sounds good with all different kinds of gear.

 

[joelap]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

John Frusciante has always been the be-all-end-all of ideal clean tone to me, especially off the By The Way/Californication albums of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I also love the tones off of "A Crow Left of the Murder" album by incubus, but they arent 100% clean, there's a bit of breakup to it.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

One that I think of right away......Keith Richards. When those Fenders he's using are dialed in for good clean, it's awesome. He has what I call a "loud clean". It can be in your face but clean as a bell.

Big +1 on Knopfler too.

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

THE HELLECASTERS!

Listen to "Almost Dawn" and "Passion"... just can't get any better, In My opinion!

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

I'd say Mark Tremonti, Albert Collins or Larry Carlton.

 

[slash857]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

i love the clean on by the way. i also love mark knopfler. one of my favorite sounds is the clean strat sound of los lonely boys - senorita. i know its probably mostly due to the recording clean up, but that sound is awe-inspiring.

 

[B Bent]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Chet Atkins

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Jerry Garcia had some sweet clean tones ( No, Not the crap you hear on the radio) I'm talk'in his Live performances. I'm not sure what he used for a Amp in the 80's? But in the 70's (The Europe 72' tour for example) He used a Strat and a tripod of Fender Twins.

 

[flank]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

i'm gonna have to go with Pete Townshend and those Hiwatts....big,clear,woody,chimey british clean tone

The Edge also has great clean tones

 

[marvar]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Don't know his name, but the guitar tones on "Big Log" by Robert Plant are just short of awesome- one of those that just sends shivers up my spine.

 

[Corbic]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Mark Knopfler, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan have my favorite clean tones. Chimy and lush clean tones, or (in Knopfler's case) twangy and flowing clean tones. I'm not a big fan of British Cleans, but as far as those go, Pete Townshend got some amazing clean sounds on Tommy, Who's Next, and the live albums from that era. In some parts of Spoonful by Cream there is a great clean sound as well. D!ck Dale has some great clean sounds as well. But my favorites are the three at the top.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Mark Knopfler gets my vote.

Good call...

Ry Cooder gets a great clean tone.

Wes Montgomery comes to mind too. Stellar tone.

Lew

 

[CaptainCrunch]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Always have loved EJ's clean tones, especially on Avia Musicom. Saw him recently play thru 2 Deluxe Reverbs, I was standing at the edge of the stage right in front of him and it was the best I've ever heard, stunning actually. Funny, I love his recorded lead tone, again especially on Avia Musicom but live it just mushes out too much and kind of becomes a muddy mess to me live. Maybe my ears just can't hear all the frequencies they used to be able to?

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Yup, Eric Johnson and Mark Knopfler fo shoe!

Although I really like Shawn Lane´s clean tone :smokin:

 

[tone4days]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

+1 for EJ

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Eric Johnson, Edge, John Rzeznik, John Frusciante. The band Splender has some of my favorite tones as well (both clean and overdriven).

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Pat Metheny had some great cleans, and so did Knoffler but the greatest clean sound I think I've ever heard WAS that Chris Isaac song--his first hit, can't think of the name. Alex Lifeson also got some awesome clean tones.

EDIT: Wicked Game is the name of the song.

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

Peter Green. Hands down the best clean tones I've ever heard.

 

[bvc310]

Re: Kings of Clean Tone?

my vote goes to jimi on little wing hands down... just a great clean tone...