What makes a guitar sound 80s?

[BloodRose]

I know the first thing you are thinking is JB! Or, what a strange question.. But here is why I ask..
Maybe its just me, but when I listen to alot of 80s metal, I hear a woody sounding characteristic in the tone.. I have several 80s guitars and they dont really get that. Except one.. My Kramer Focus 6000 has that tone.. It has a slightly larger body, so I dont know if that is it. But if this guitar had the same neck on it that my Pacer imperial has, it would almost be grail..
I dont want to tear up two kramers to swap necks, cuz they may not bolt up the same and may not have the same tonal quality.
Im gonna run it thru the Marshall tommorrow.. Prob be grinning all week.


You Kramer guys know if they would swap? 86 Foci vs 86or87 pacer??

Anyhow, I was just wondering why this thing has "that" sound. My other Kramers do have the 80s vibe by virtue of the JB and such.
I have a Custom8 and Fast Track 1 neck and middle on this Focus

 

[mrturtle_91]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

I don't know for sure, but I think it might be either basswood or maple bodies...to me a super distortion comes to mind for 80's tones.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

I was playing my basswood RG550 a little earlier this evening. It has an all-maple neck, an Edge Lo-Pro trem, and DiMarzio Breeds. My god, does it sound 80's. Thin, bright, yet with a juicy, punchy midrange, and squealing harmonics. I think of Steve Vai in Crossroads when I play that guitar.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Light gauge strings, 8s. TS9/TS808, bad digital delays.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

:lmao:

 

[ErikH]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Both are either alder or poplar bodies. Could be maple but that was mostly used for the Baretta and Focus 1000.

By that time, all the bodies and necks from the American and Focus series were made by ESP. By all accounts, they should be interchangeable. Doesn't hurt to see how the neck plates line up. Just pop the neck off one and see how the screw holes match up with the other.

The way amps are dialed in make a big impact as well. Take those same Kramers and play them through a modern high gain amp and it won't sound very 80's.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

It's much more 80's to play a JCM800 hot-rodded with a Screamer or a Rat.

 

[StalePretzel]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

I used to love Kramer guitars. Focus's i believe have alder bodies while pacers have either maple or alder. I once put a pacer neck on a focus body. Might have to fill in the neck holes and drill new ones, but 2 3/16ths is the standard kramer pocket.

 

[YHWH]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

I know the first thing you are thinking is JB! Or, what a strange question.. But here is why I ask..
Maybe its just me, but when I listen to alot of 80s metal, I hear a woody sounding characteristic in the tone.. I have several 80s guitars and they dont really get that. Except one.. My Kramer Focus 6000 has that tone.. It has a slightly larger body, so I dont know if that is it. But if this guitar had the same neck on it that my Pacer imperial has, it would almost be grail..
I dont want to tear up two kramers to swap necks, cuz they may not bolt up the same and may not have the same tonal quality.
Im gonna run it thru the Marshall tommorrow.. Prob be grinning all week.


You Kramer guys know if they would swap? 86 Foci vs 86or87 pacer??

Anyhow, I was just wondering why this thing has "that" sound. My other Kramers do have the 80s vibe by virtue of the JB and such.
I have a Custom8 and Fast Track 1 neck and middle on this Focus

... guitars are all gonna sound different no matter what decade they were made. There were plenty of dull-flat sounding guits back in the day. :banghead: But to answer your thread question - '80s metal guitar sounds have that "woody-ness" because guitarists (and recording engineers) back then weren't afraid of boosting the midrange frequencies on guitar tracks... :friday:

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

In future generations, youngsters will ask what guitars sounded like in 2009, and we old-timers will just point to the nearest septic tank.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

In future generations, youngsters will ask what guitars sounded like in 2009, and we old-timers will just point to the nearest septic tank.

:friday: Truth!!

Yeah, tommorrow will be JCM800, tubescreamer (dont have a rat) and maybe alil delay for amusement..

That Focus is middy and woody thru both my jcm 800 and my PV ultra plus. Yes, it does sound alil diff thru the Ultra channel.

Erik, I wish I could tell for sure the woods of my Kramers. None feel as heavy as maple. The 6000 is prob the lightest. The Japanese Bluesbreaker (stagey), the Baretta and the pacer is prob the heaviest..
Id like to be able to get my set up dialed in just for 80s tones, so Im working on that..
Ive just been suprised by the natural tone of this guitar.

 

[Diego]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Low strings, too much distortion, too much delay and reverb, too much uninspired whammy use. That's 80s for ya.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Low strings, too much distortion, too much delay and reverb, too much uninspired whammy use. That's 80s for ya.

Sure, if you want to discount everything that was done tastefully in that decade. It's a lot like saying that 70's music was just disco. People are always going to pigeonhole musical decades like that.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Im not looking for the horrid part of it. Let me start by saying Im a bender and not a diver.. Way back when, I sang in a coupla bands.. I wanted to play guitar, but didnt dedicate to it. I knew 3 chords, used tons of distortion and abused the bar.. I got married, llost all my gear for 17 years and started playing again with a squier strat.. I now cant use a whammy bar and make it sound right..
So, I want the catchy hooks, the guitar focus and fun of the 80s music. Ive grown out of the Excesses.. :naughty:

 

[El CHupacabra]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Just remember, the 70's had Zeppelin, and the 80's had Van Halen (although his live stuff was hit-and-miss, his studio stuff was phenomenal IMHO) and Guns N Roses. Bam.

For what you're describing, I'd send you a burned CD of Van Halen 1. That EVH shreds it up like any metalhead but sounds like he's enjoying himself for a change. Try playing those licks on a kramer, and you can't go wrong. Although personally I have a sordid history w/ Kramer, so you won't catch me recommending any.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

So, I want the catchy hooks, the guitar focus and fun of the 80s music. :naughty:

There you go. It looks like the Focus 6000 is your calling. I had a Focus 1000 that I loved. It was so much fun. I almost never played it, though.

The best 80's guitars do have a woody resonance. I kinda feel sorry for people who think it's all about floating trems and multi-effects.

 

[El CHupacabra]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Let me start by saying Im a bender and not a diver..

Hmm... I wonder if...?

 

[Diego]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Sure, if you want to discount everything that was done tastefully in that decade. It's a lot like saying that 70's music was just disco. People are always going to pigeonhole musical decades like that.

I think I read "cheesy 80's sound". It didn't say that and I just noticed. :banghead: Considering that I play an Ibanez RG that would be a bit hypocrite... not that I sound too much 80s.

Well... I guess that a good 80s sound has indeed something with a maple, alder or basswood body with a hot pickup like a Distortion or a JB, a tastefully applied dose of delay, lots of pyrotechnic playing, and a really hot Marshall flavor, very trebly and slightly fuzzy. Also a hint of phaser will take you to the ballpark.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Just remember, the 70's had Zeppelin, and the 80's had Van Halen (although his live stuff was hit-and-miss, his studio stuff was phenomenal IMHO) and Guns N Roses. Bam.

For what you're describing, I'd send you a burned CD of Van Halen 1. That EVH shreds it up like any metalhead but sounds like he's enjoying himself for a change. Try playing those licks on a kramer, and you can't go wrong. Although personally I have a sordid history w/ Kramer, so you won't catch me recommending any.

Thanks! I have every Pre Sammy VH disc tho.. I cant play non of it, but love it! :banghead:
Im a hack.. Im working on looks that kill now..

 

[El CHupacabra]

Re: What makes a guitar sound 80s?

Just learn the easy stuff from VH1 (har har) like "You Really Got Me" and "Jamie's Cryin" and all the favorites. Those riffs are pretty fun to play and they have that playful energy of the 80s that you are looking for. Ultimate-Guitar.com has a buncha tab written on Van Halen, that oughta loosen the gears.