# Who's tone do you NOT like/hate?



## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Is there anyone who's sound puts you in disbelief that they would record with it, or just turns your off regardless of what they're playing?

I have a couple: 

Diamond Darrell of Pantera
Joe Satriani
and the all time worst in my mind - Those idiots in Twisted Sisters...Sounds like a cheap Marshall MG amp with a $50 fuzzbox. Sounds like everything bad about 80's rock/metal. I've heard better guitar tones in the backing music of karaoke tracks. Makes me sick when Dee Snider attempts to speak as an authority on behalf of metal.


What I think all of these have in common is a tone completely devoid of anything organic. they may as well be playing synthesizers, to me.

How about you?


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I can't stand Hendrix, Page, early Clapton, or Gilmour....blech!!


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

bolero said:


> I can't stand Hendrix, Page, early Clapton, or Gilmour....blech!!


 Wow! So who _do _you like? Chet Atkins?

I can't stand Eddie Van Halen's tone. Anything drenched in chorus and delay usually drives me nuts too.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Eric Clapton's heroin and anti-guitar hero inspired sounds of the 70s.


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## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

Randy Rhoads' tone was pretty bad in my opinion


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Randy Rhoads seems like the obvious first choice to me - but there's also that whole "mid-to-late 80's Rush - drenched in chorus thing" that always makes me chew back a little bit of mouth vomit.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Love Robert Cray's playing ..... but the tones sucks.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Diablo said:


> Diamond Darrell of Pantera



DimeBag....


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## MachineGunMolly (Mar 15, 2009)

Thats a good question to ask,for me i just can stand anything "Marshally-Gainy-Shity"stuff...so that mean alot.
Also all stuff with echos or excessive chorus,that will remind a crying dolphin
should be BURN!
-MGM-


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I have to agree with Clapton's tone in the 70's and 80's. Heck, even his early Cream/Derek/Mayall stuff sounded meh.


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

I love Dime's tone for the music that they played. This Love is perfect.

EVH's early tone was fantastic.

Satch's tone? Not one of the worst but absolutely incredible on Surfing With The Alien IMO.

Kirk Hammett is one that I don't like.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Interesting topic.

To me, two players who somehow mamaged to have weak tone ....... but monsterous sound and feel were Page and Townsend.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Just last night I was comparing the studio versus live tone of Joe Satriani's Surfing With The Alien with a student. The former sucks with over-processing, the latter is killer.

Not fond of any of the big hair rock tones. I wanna hear more guitar and less FX. 

I love Little Feat, but the post Lowell George electric lead tones are a waste (though I dig the rhythm tones) and the acoustic quack unbearable on the live disc.

Peace, Mooh.


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## seadonkey (Feb 9, 2008)

Archer said:


> Randy Rhoads' tone was pretty bad in my opinion


I agree that his recorded tone on 'Blizzard' and 'Diary' were absolutely horrible but I really like his live tone on the 'Tribute' album.


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## seadonkey (Feb 9, 2008)

I always thought that Paul Gilbert's tone was the worst.


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## demon (Feb 20, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Heck, even his early Cream/Derek/Mayall stuff sounded meh.


kksjur

Personally, I'd have to agree with the hair metal bands from the 80's, particulary twisted sister. Their guitarist is actually a vintage collector, believe it or not. I read about his collection in Vintage guitar magazine, it seems like a shame that he can't find a better tone with the best equipment known to man.


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## vanibanez (Apr 15, 2009)

Personally, I liked EVH's early tone and Zakk Wylde's sound from the "No More Tears" album. Slash was pretty good, pretty straightforward. I hate the over-the-top effects signals thrown in on some artists.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

:bow: seems to me the MORAL of this thread is ...

Gosh, lots of hate for people who have sold millions of albums and won more awards that rolls of TP I use in a year; and no mention of Tiny Tim who I expected to top the list. What about any of the house band-backing players for any of the tv commercial jiggles of the 1970's that set hairs up on end? Happy-Dead music for everyone, telling them to eat hamburgers and cheese off plastic plates while spritsing themselves with bug repellent that doesnt discolour their polyester shirts.

I gotta say, the musicians I have not liked are any of the 'corporate' bands of the Boney M fallout. From Milli Vanilli all the way up to J. Simpson and B. Spears (oe should I have listed the B before the J), they all are fails down to their rotting coffens and empty meaningless lives. Not a thing, not a person, not a manufacture of the software or equipment that touched these people/bands has any ounce or aural interest for me. I cannot say really and truly who is at fault, the corporate heads that made the decisions, the players that followed their corporate overlords like lap dogs, or the post producers that, amazingly, also followed their corporate overloards like lap dogs....

Still... while ontop someone did get filthy stinking rich...


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Last year my wife got me a subscription to GP magazine. There were quite a few guys on the cover that although I'd heard of them, I hadn't listened to their music. It's like some kind of "Murphy's Law", just about every one of these guys did nothing for me. Sure they were great players, but their tone, taste and phrasing was awful to my ears. Here's a short list of guys I can't really listen to.

John Petrucci
Sonny Landreth
Yengwie Malmsteen
Allen Holdsworth
Robert Fripp (Fripptronics?!?! what an a$$hole)
Steve Howe
Al Dimeola
Steve Vai
Satriani
etc.

Shawn :smile:


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Rugburn said:


> Last year my wife got me a subscription to GP magazine. There were quite a few guys on the cover that although I'd heard of them, I hadn't listened to their music. It's like some kind of "Murphy's Law", just about every one of these guys did nothing for me. Sure they were great players, but their tone, taste and phrasing was awful to my ears. Here's a short list of guys I can't really listen to.
> 
> John Petrucci
> Sonny Landreth
> ...


Really, Sonny Landreth? That's one dude I hadn't heard of til I saw him live at a Bluesfest and he knocked my socks off!


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

bolero said:


> I can't stand Hendrix, Page, early Clapton, or Gilmour....blech!!



Wow. There is something you don't hear everyday. Although Hendrix, Page and Clapton don't excite me with their tones Gilmour is what strat tone is all about.
I'd have to say for me a tone I absolutely hate comes from a guitar player I like if that makes sense. Danny Gatton has got to have one of the ugliest tele tones I've ever heard. Although he is a great player. And although I haven't listened to Roy Buchanan much I hear quite a few complaints about his tone. From the little I've viewed on youtube I'd have to agree.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> Really, Sonny Landreth? That's one dude I hadn't heard of til I saw him live at a Bluesfest and he knocked my socks off!


He's a great player, I just can't get into his sound. Of the list I made he's easily the least offensive. Friends and web sites/mags that I respect seemed to be head-over-heels for this guy. He was just a big disappointment for me. I think live he would be more interesting for me, but I really dont like his song writing. I've posted a link to the album that everyone was raving about. It just sounds like bad new country music to me for the most part.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3vfyxzejld0e

Shawn


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

ha, I was just being obnoxious...hwopv

those guys are my heros


most '80's music grates on me, and the gtr tones as well.

robert cray & jimmie vaughn have annoying gtr tones to me


saw Steve Vai live at Massey Hall, front row seats....that ibanez gtr & those randall (?) amps & all those FX sounded horrible. 

great musician though


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## MachineGunMolly (Mar 15, 2009)

Rugburn said:


> Last year my wife got me a subscription to GP magazine. There were quite a few guys on the cover that although I'd heard of them, I hadn't listened to their music. It's like some kind of "Murphy's Law", just about every one of these guys did nothing for me. Sure they were great players, but their tone, taste and phrasing was awful to my ears. Here's a short list of guys I can't really listen to.
> 
> John Petrucci
> Sonny Landreth
> ...


Hello!
I dont know alot about those..but do you know what kinda gear they use?
Is Clapton and Page use Marshall amp during there "bread sucking period".
Thanks
-MGM-


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Clapton's best tone was nailed with the LP (Beano Album) and with his ES335 (Cream - Crossroads, 1994 video -ES335 - Have you ever loved a woman)


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

guitarman2 said:


> And although I haven't listened to Roy Buchanan much I hear quite a few complaints about his tone. From the little I've viewed on youtube I'd have to agree.


Here's one from his Alligator Records period. It's a sad, raw, angry and squeaky Tele sound, but I love it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5BKlzStJwk&feature=related

Shawn :smile:


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

MachineGunMolly said:


> Hello!
> I dont know alot about those..but do you know what kinda gear they use?
> Is Clapton and Page use Marshall amp during there "bread sucking period".
> Thanks
> -MGM-


I'm not big on Clapton, but I think he used Vox's and Marshalls during his more celebrated period. I'm not sure about Page's "bread sucking period" lol, but he used Marshalls and Supros with Zeppelin. He likely used Fenders now and again in the studio, especially the later records like "Presence" and "In Through The Out Door". 

Cheers Shawn


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## snacker (Jun 26, 2008)

all shredders and metal players


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## icronic (Jul 31, 2006)

Despite the fact that I love their playing...
Eric Clapton (newer sound)
Robert Cray
Hendrix (the live stuff anyway)


Gotta ask though, what's with the hate for Satriani's tone?


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Robert1950 said:


> Clapton's best tone was nailed with the LP (Beano Album) and with his ES335 (Cream - Crossroads, 1994 video -ES335 - Have you ever loved a woman)


As much as I love the Beano album, I find his tone to be annoying on that one, but that might be the overall mixing/mastering of the album more than anything.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

icronic said:


> Despite the fact that I love their playing...
> Eric Clapton (newer sound)
> Robert Cray
> Hendrix (the live stuff anyway)
> ...


For me, like someone else said, his earlier stuff just sounds over processed. Kind of like a cheap action movie that gets ruined by too much obvious use of CGI.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> As much as I love the Beano album, I find his tone to be annoying on that one, but that might be the overall mixing/mastering of the album more than anything.


It does have a nastiness to that you usually don't associate with an LP and PAFs. But I really like it. Part of it too is a 21 year old Clapton who seems squeeze every last piece of nasty out of that LP/Marshall combination.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> As much as I love the Beano album, I find his tone to be annoying on that one, but that might be the overall mixing/mastering of the album more than anything.





Robert1950 said:


> It does have a nastiness to that you usually don't associate with an LP and PAFs. But I really like it. Part of it too is a 21 year old Clapton who seems squeeze every last piece of nasty out of that LP/Marshall combination.


Another thing to bear in mind is that this was right around the time that players starting _*cranking*_ loud tube amps and trying to record that tone. I remember reading an article about the recording of this album and how the engineers (probably wearing cardigans and smoking pipes!) were struggling to find techniques to record amps at that kind of volume. 

On the flip side, that tone is frequently referenced as "God like" by many of the Les Paul/Marshall worshippers over on the Les Paul forum.


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

All those shitty shredder with flashy guitars and too much reverb and gain like Vai, Satriani, Gilbert, Malmsteen etc etc I hate them! For me there's nothing worst than technic without feeling. Put a computer with Guitar pro and the sound is the same.

Haaa I feel better now, sorry for you shredders lovers!


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## Oakvillain (Mar 7, 2008)

Steve Vai. It makes me shake. Just use the natural tone of the guitar stay away from all the funky extraneous junk would ya Steve....


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## icronic (Jul 31, 2006)

Ti-Ron said:


> All those shitty shredder with flashy guitars and too much reverb and gain like Vai, Satriani, Gilbert, Malmsteen etc etc I hate them! For me there's nothing worst than technic without feeling. Put a computer with Guitar pro and the sound is the same.
> 
> Haaa I feel better now, sorry for you shredders lovers!


*sigh*

This has no emotion?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQA4359xbkA&feature=related

or this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IrWyZ0KZuk

And if those don't then explain to me how this does
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71nt_HXMc0c

I admit, I couldn't find anything from Yngwie that wasn't purely technique though, so I'll give you him 

I despise the old argument of Shred vs Emotion. I can't figure out why people don't realize that you can have your cake and eat it too. There's plenty of emotion in there, plenty of "themes" that you just won't find in other music. The thing that really gets me is SRV often plays as fast as if not faster than a lot of shredders out there.


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Regardless of "emotional" content or even the player for that matter, I greatly prefer the guitar's TONE in the last clip (post #36) over that heard in the first clip. My 2 cents...


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

It's those "themes" that put me off. I would never say those guys aren't deeply into what they're doing.....but simply put, I'm not. This thread will likely have lots of staunch opinions, but that's half the fun.

Shawn


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

icronic said:


> *sigh*
> 
> This has no emotion?
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQA4359xbkA&feature=related
> ...


I gotta agree with you, it seems some musical genre prejudice is sneaking in here. The topic is TONE. Shredding has nothing to do with it. You can shred with great tone, or not. Shredding is a style of play. Tone is an aural quality. I suspect when people are saying they dont like shredders tone, they really mean high gain tone with chorus and delay.
Your Youtube examples are great. Rude Mood has great tone, although the playing is TERRIBLE! It sounds like he merely practicing scales and riffs just to see how fast he can get them. Zero soul. But SRV does have great tone. 
IMO the biggest con ever on guiatarists is the "slow hand" myth. i.e. play something mundane as slowly as you can and people will instantly assume you're putting some extra feeling or emotion into it 
Now lets get back to TONE!


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Well guitarists like to have their cake and eat it too. If "tone is in the hands" then we can't blame the equipment. If one the other hand gear is key, then we should be able to go down to L&M and get that sound we want. The truth obviously lies somewhere in the middle. The kind of gear that Vai and the like use isn't something I would likely find too inspiring. On the other hand a late 50's Strat through a Blackface Fender Super or Dumble Steel String Slinger would be Nirvana for me. Genre prejudice and tone prejudice may not be mutually exclusive.

Shawn :smile:


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## StevieMac (Mar 4, 2006)

Rugburn said:


> Genre prejudice and tone prejudice may not be mutually exclusive.


You may be right. It likely comes down to a matter of _preference_, which can neither be right nor wrong. Unless, of course, you try to convince me that Peter Green had some awful tone...which, as we all know, is just plain wrong. :smile:


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## icronic (Jul 31, 2006)

Rugburn said:


> Well guitarists like to have their cake and eat it too. If "tone is in the hands" then we can't blame the equipment. If one the other hand gear is key, then we should be able to go down to L&M and get that sound we want. The truth obviously lies somewhere in the middle. The kind of gear that Vai and the like use isn't something I would likely find too inspiring. On the other hand a late 50's Strat through a Blackface Fender Super or Dumble Steel String Slinger would be Nirvana for me. Genre prejudice and tone prejudice may not be mutually exclusive.
> 
> Shawn :smile:


That's a good point, which bring an interesting question to mind.

Can anyone thing of anyone who's playing they hate, but tone they love?


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## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

Starbuck said:


> DimeBag....




He was Diamond before he was dimebag


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Any tone that seems to been have recording in Nashville..


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

icronic said:


> Can anyone thing of anyone who's playing they hate, but tone they love?



most of Eric Johnson's stuff!!


and John Mayer

Steve Howe had an amazing sound in old YES, but his '80's solo albums sound absolutely HORRID, in my opinion.....but you know what they say about opinions


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## seadonkey (Feb 9, 2008)

hollowbody said:


> Really, Sonny Landreth? That's one dude I hadn't heard of til I saw him live at a Bluesfest and he knocked my socks off!


I watched Eric Claptons Crossroad GuitarFest just last night and up until then I had never heard of Sonny. I was blown away!


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## happydude (Oct 15, 2007)

Most modern pop punk/mainstream alternative like The Offspring, Blink-182, and Green Day pre-American Idiot. Don't get me wrong I like the songs but there's not really much in the tone department going on...


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## TaylorGA8 (Mar 17, 2009)

+ 1 Hendrix.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Rugburn said:


> It just sounds like bad new country music to me for the most part.
> 
> http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3vfyxzejld0e
> 
> Shawn


Kind of agree with you.


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## ESP992 (Mar 1, 2009)

QUOTE_I can't stand Hendrix, Page, early Clapton, or Gilmour....blech!!_

OK somebody pass that bong over here!


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

hollowbody said:


> Really, Sonny Landreth? That's one dude I hadn't heard of til I saw him live at a Bluesfest and he knocked my socks off!


I bought one of his albums years ago when he was featured in guitar player. The playing was great, the tone wasn't. Maybe live is different.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

I'm probably going to get flamed for this but... RUSH. The sound of their recordings makes me angry. I cannot stand their tone.

Also pretty much anyone that thinks the Boss Metalzone is great distortion pedal. Yes, lets take out all the bass, and then max the gain, ok now turn up the treble some more. There ya go. Oh those are some great sounds there. *sarcasm intended*

In addition, SRV's tone was awful in my opinion. I can't stand listening to him. Hell of a player, but man, what a lousy blues guitar sound. Worst part is that he spawned a whole genre of imitators.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

ESP992 said:


> QUOTE_I can't stand Hendrix, Page, early Clapton, or Gilmour....blech!!_
> 
> OK somebody pass that bong over here!


+1 on that....i mean comeone..Seriously!...guess his idea of a good tone is a solidstate peavey with 100 effect on it with gain to the max..


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## Bruiser (Oct 23, 2008)

*Satriani Tone?*

Satriani?
Are you kidding me? This guy is the master of tone. He's one of those guitarists who spends thousands of hours experimenting to find that right tone for the right moment. Me thinks you got tinnitus or something. Listen to Flying In A Blue Dream album with good quality headphones and tell me there aren't a million tonal variations in there that most players would kill for.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> In addition, SRV's tone was awful in my opinion. I can't stand listening to him. Hell of a player, but man, what a lousy blues guitar sound. Worst part is that he spawned a whole genre of imitators.


Ouch. IMO SRV is one of only a few people who make a Strat sound the way a Strat is _supposed_ to sound. To each their own though.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Bruiser said:


> Satriani?
> Are you kidding me? This guy is the master of tone. He's one of those guitarists who spends thousands of hours experimenting to find that right tone for the right moment. Me thinks you got tinnitus or something. Listen to Flying In A Blue Dream album with good quality headphones and tell me there aren't a million tonal variations in there that most players would kill for.


Just because he spends hours looking for the right tone, doesn't mean he finds it. I think Satch's sound is pretty lifeless and too studio-clean sounding, but then again, I don't really dig his music to begin with, so that definitely has an adverse effect on my opinion


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## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Just because he spends hours looking for the right tone, doesn't mean he finds it. I think Satch's sound is pretty lifeless and too studio-clean sounding, but then again, I don't really dig his music to begin with, so that definitely has an adverse effect on my opinion



I agree, spending hours and hours looking for tone does not mean that the end result will be great. 

I like Joe and think that for what he does his tone works.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Sometimes John McLaughlin's electric tone grates me the wrong way.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

There are plenty of players whom I respect immensely but who also make me mumble "What the hell were you *thinking*, buddy?" from time to time. Browsing through this thread, I find many of them listed. Sonny Landreth? An absolute monster. I stood 20 feet away from this guy when he played Bluesfest, and looked and looked and looked, and none of those notes live on any of my guitars. So I buy the "Grant Street" live album, and I can rarely sit through more than 4 songs from it before I feel the urge to put something else on. Hendrix? Adored him since I first heard "Are You Experienced" in my friend's basement in '67. But in any live recordings I've heard, the guy was agonizing to listen to. I love Billy Gibbons' swagger and sweat, but 5 songs later I'm goin' "Didn't I just hear this?". 

So why do those monster players that we worship, who use high-gain settings, turn up so frequently among those listed here? I think it's because of the tonal monotony. ALL of us love the gronky tone of a guitar amp pushed too hard, but not all of the time. And that's the secret. Vary your tone to suit the tune and the notes. That's one of the reasons why I love Jeff Beck. That guy gets some of the absolute worst homeliest please-stop-playing-that-my-head-hurts tones, and uses them only for as long as he needs to. Then he puts them down and moves on.

ALL tones are luscious when they are useful, and none of them are very pleasant when they have outlived their usefulness. My wife got me the Brad Paisley "Play" album, and there are lots of great tones on their. Lots of *different* ones that each suit the tune they are embedded in.

Probably the only guy I've heard of any repute whose tone I consistently do NOT like - and that may be because I don't like the material itself - is Slash.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Good popint about John McLaughlin. I really do think he's great and love the first two Mahavishnu albums. The latter two MO albums and the Shakti stuff is tonally grating at times. His 80's "Trio" stuff with the Roland guitar is awful to my ears. Miles Davis' "Jack Johnson" and "Bitche's Brew" are his best IMHO.

I've got some great live Hendrix and some live stuff of his I rarely listen to. In his case I would blame bad recording practices/technology and the spirited, drug addled times for some of those recordings. I like Band of Gypsys, but I admit it's a little murky at times. The LA Forum concert and the Berkeley shows sound great. I have the Rainbow Bridge double CD. The playing at times is beyond belief, but does suffer from poor sound. At one point you can hear security/police walkie-talkies coming through the PA. Stuff like that likely wouldn't happen nowadays. Poor Jimi, his last live recordings are practically 40 yrs old!!

Shawn :smile:


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

All shredders. Tone isn't everything, but guys like Alexi Laiho have some pretty godawful live tone.


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## sbowman128675 (Feb 27, 2009)

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN

bleghhh

like his style, but hate his tone


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2009)

Tone, such a subjective element. I know what I like:

1. The opening of Judas Priest's "Grinder".

2. Most, if not all Black Crowes.

3. Van Halen's "Drop Dead Legs" opening.

4. Unknown Hinson.


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## Soldano16 (Sep 14, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Really, Sonny Landreth? That's one dude I hadn't heard of til I saw him live at a Bluesfest and he knocked my socks off!


+1 on Sonny. Sonny can be very special, especially live.


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## Soldano16 (Sep 14, 2006)

Rugburn said:


> If one the other hand gear is key, then we should be able to go down to L&M and get that sound we want. The truth obviously lies somewhere in the middle.


If one is into the tone of the first wave a great LP players, I think it lies more on the side of the gear if you want THAT tone. At least that has been my experience as I have moved to the actual gear that was used in the "golden years". So my guitar is made from the same woods as the originals, I have original PAFs and I'm playing through a '72 Super Lead.

Everything else I've ever tried has been lacking. This lacks nothing. 


On topic of those with bad tone:

1) Clapton for the last 35 years
2) Warren Haynes with ABB - lose the gain, get some clean tones. The tone works for Mule but Mule isn't ABB.
3) 99.98% of processed stuff sounds terrible to me but then again EVH does nothing for me tone wise.


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## Soldano16 (Sep 14, 2006)

konasexone said:


> 2. Most, if not all Black Crowes.


Ya man!!!!!


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## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

I'll probably get flamed for this but the tone I can't stand the most is anything involving Eric Johnson. No doubt he's a fine player, but his tone is thin and lifeless IMHO...After seeing him play 10 feet in front of me, this confirmed it. Why the hell would you play guitar if you spend all your time trying to get the guitar to sound like a violin. Play violin then! lol


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Samsquantch said:


> I'll probably get flamed for this but the tone I can't stand the most is anything involving Eric Johnson. No doubt he's a fine player, but his tone is thin and lifeless IMHO...After seeing him play 10 feet in front of me, this confirmed it. Why the hell would you play guitar if you spend all your time trying to get the guitar to sound like a violin. Play violin then! lol


Jebus...what were we smoking in those days. I remember thinking Uzeb were a killer jazz fusion group around the same time period. I heard them about a year ago...."Club Uzeb" the album.....YUCK!!

He's the Kenny G of guitar. I can't get into it at all. BTW I sincerly hope your username is in reference to what might just be my favorite episode of The Trailer Park Boys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnqpOFcBiMM 

Shawn :food-smiley-004:


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

Samsquantch said:


> I'll probably get flamed for this but the tone I can't stand the most is anything involving Eric Johnson. No doubt he's a fine player, but his tone is thin and lifeless IMHO...After seeing him play 10 feet in front of me, this confirmed it. Why the hell would you play guitar if you spend all your time trying to get the guitar to sound like a violin. Play violin then! lol


Agreed, I don't really like Eric Johnson. Not just his tone, but his style of playing. Actually I don't like any of the "virtuoso types". Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Yngwie...they all bore me. I don't like them because their music is so one-dimensional. It sounds like one spotlight-hogger wanking to a backing track, it doesn't actually sound like a "band" if you catch my drift.


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## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

Rugburn said:


> BTW I sincerly hope your username is in reference to what might just be my favorite episode of The Trailer Park Boys.
> Shawn :food-smiley-004:


Indeed it is. :rockon2:


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## wayne (Apr 8, 2009)

When I read the subject of this post, two fellow Canuckians came to mind.

Neil Young (on Rockin in the Free World)

David Wilcox (I'll edit later if I remember which song, but there's one from the 80s that makes me cringe every time)

W


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

wayne said:


> When I read the subject of this post, two fellow Canuckians came to mind.
> 
> Neil Young (on Rockin in the Free World)
> 
> ...


Neil's kind of a no-brainer for this topic, but I also feel like he doesn't deserve to be mentioned because his tone is intentionally abrasive. So I guess I sort of agree.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

wayne said:


> When I read the subject of this post, two fellow Canuckians came to mind.
> 
> Neil Young (on Rockin in the Free World)
> 
> ...


There was a time in the late 70's, when Wilcox had one of the most to-die-for tones on the Canadian landscape. Folks who saw him at the Groaning Board, El Mocambo, and similar places around the GTA can probably attest to the genius they regularly witnessed. He could squeeze stuff out of that sunburst Strat that was simply gorgeous. Then, somewhere in the early 80's, he got himself a Supro, which I saw him play at a gig in Edmonton, and all the suppleness of his playing seemed to be replaced by blatty farty sounds. Not to diss Supros at all, but whatever it was that made him change horses seemed, to these ears anyway, to draw out the worst in his playing.

As for Neil Young's tone, your distaste for it is a head scratcher. I can't think of anyone who has done more to promote interest in the Fender 5E3 circuit that Young, precisely *because* of the tone he gets. I'm not saying *you* have to like it, but a lot of people _do_.


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## bluesmostly (Feb 10, 2006)

the tone of these players mostly makes me cringe and it is often not at all a reflection of their playing:

hendrix, clapton, page. 

one of my fav guitar players was Ritchie Blackmore, great chops but I never really liked his tone. funny thing, he was very fussy about his tone of course, and I used to think "I can't believe he works so hard to sound like _that_!". having said that, Ritchie's tone on the Live in Japan album is one of my fav guitar tones of all time... 

Most good players are big into how they sound and I am sure they don't care what we think. I know that most players don't care for my sound, that has to be true because they don't sound like me, and I don't care if people don't dig my tone.


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## Soldano16 (Sep 14, 2006)

bluesmostly said:


> I know that most players don't care for my sound, that has to be true because they don't sound like me


That's an interesting thing to say. Got clips?


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

mhammer said:


> As for Neil Young's tone, your distaste for it is a head scratcher. I can't think of anyone who has done more to promote interest in the Fender 5E3 circuit that Young, precisely *because* of the tone he gets. I'm not saying *you* have to like it, but a lot of people _do_.


Yeah, the Deluxe is a huge part of his raspy, snarly tone. Toss in some microphonic pickups and you're pretty much there. I read somewhere (Shaky, maybe?) that Neil has over 400 Fender Deluxes


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## bluesmostly (Feb 10, 2006)

Soldano16 said:


> That's an interesting thing to say. Got clips?


My tone isn't that unique, and it varies quite a lot depending on what I am doing. but I see your point. just because they don't sound like me doesn't necessarily mean that they don't like the way I sound... if that is your point... I often like another player's tone, even if it wouldn't suit me... and no I don't have clips.


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## BrianA (Mar 1, 2009)

I generally avoid these sorts of threads because they're just an excuse to go trolling... but that said, tone appreciation is a very personal thing and I don't expect everyone has my good taste. :smile: There is one artist who's tone was worshiped by many a Tele player that I just never got... Roy Buchanan


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## sproul07 (Jun 23, 2007)

I've been waiting for this thread for a while lol. There are several who I cannot stand for many different reasons. Robbie Robertson, Neil Young, Jimmy Page, Roy Buchanan


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

sproul07 said:


> I've been waiting for this thread for a while lol. There are several who I cannot stand for many different reasons. Robbie Robertson, Neil Young, Jimmy Page, Roy Buchanan


It's funny how tastes can differ so greatly when it comes to tone. Page's tone on the Stairway to Heaven Solo and his overall tone on Achilles Last Stand are my personal "holy grails" of electric guitar tone.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

noobcake said:


> It's funny how tastes can differ so greatly when it comes to tone. Page's tone on the Stairway to Heaven Solo and his overall tone on Achilles Last Stand are my personal "holy grails" of electric guitar tone.


And differ with age of player and listener.


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## ericprsse (Apr 24, 2009)

bolero said:


> most of Eric Johnson's stuff!!
> 
> 
> and John Mayer
> ...


...scratches head. I'm shocked that anyone can dislike mayer's tone. It's understandable that some may dislike HIM because of his girly-pop backround, but I think more and more guitarists are now starting to agree that he's basically one of the only true great young blues guitarists. check these vids... great blues tone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jhmXSncOL0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Por...E0595C6E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=19


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32GZ3suxRn4

Eric johnson's tone is nice.. i would never go for it myself. I find it lacks oumph, but I would never call him out on having anything near bad tone.

As far as my opinion on guys with ear blocking tone:

Jimmy Page
Jimmy Vaughan
almost any punk/emo guitarist
neil young's electric tone
buddy guy's live tone (but man is he great live! what a performer!)
other's i'm forgetting

And the unquestionable tone master (IMO, of course): Andy Timmons


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## bluesmostly (Feb 10, 2006)

these types of discussions are usually pointless, but often fun, because like I said earlier, why would any successful player who has worked hard to craft their sound worry about whether anyone else likes it or not, ... maybe some do care, but that is another topic altogether...

I did want to add however, for entertainments sake of course, that shouldn't this thread be in the 'amp' section? 9kkhhd


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## raptordigit (May 6, 2009)

Interesting 'negative' topic. I'll admit this is my taste and I can't claim to have 'good taste'. None of these performers will suffer royalty declines because of me. 

I don't like the following. I will turn the car radio dial if they come on (or 'would turn' if they still had dials).

Santana 
Anything by Paul McCartney post Beatles 
Eric Clapton
Jimi Hendrix

Now the shocker since I love the blues.... I don't like BB King

I don't know much about popular music since 1980 or so.
P.S. Chet Atkins is BORING


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

IMO the worst, as in it makes me gag, hate his playing, voice and writing, is Bruce Springsteen. OOOOH, I just threw up a little in the back of my mouth just thinking about him.


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## Gear Pig (Mar 25, 2007)

I remember reading an interview with Tom Morello where he was asked about the drastic change in his tone with Audioslave from Rage Against the Machine, and he openly admitted he thought his tone with Rage was unbelievably horrible, unfortunately they couldn't find a tone that fit the band he liked so he was stuck with it!! I always thought it was lacking too, the 'Metal Zone' syndrome if you like. Agree also with Hammett, his tone seems to be lacking life with every passing album, his playing too. Seems almost like he is losing interest, technically still there, but lacking imagination, sounds 'stock' as they refered to everything on the dvd!


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

ericprsse said:


> ...scratches head. I'm shocked that anyone can dislike mayer's tone. It's understandable that some may dislike HIM because of his girly-pop backround, but I think more and more guitarists are now starting to agree that he's basically one of the only true great young blues guitarists. check these vids... great blues tone
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jhmXSncOL0
> 
> ...


I agree with you about Jimmy Vaughan-lousy tone,lousy playing,lousier haircut..


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## AxeAddict (Feb 12, 2009)

Jimmy Vaughan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton (for the most part), Tom Morello on certain days,


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## danbo (Nov 27, 2006)

Diablo's.. kkjuw


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## sysexguy (Mar 5, 2006)

I can't wait for the "which supermodel would you refuse to date" threadhwopv

OK my $0.02, it's nothing personal but your chorus pedal is masking any finger tone/ vibrato: Mike Stern, John Scofield, Daryl Stuemer, skinny tie Rush, etc.

Andy


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Jimmie Vaughn!!! It sounds like a 6 year old taught him how to play and then dialed in his amp for him. He makes expensive gear sound cheap. I HATE JIMMIE VAUGHN!

:sport-smiley-002:


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

JimiGuy7 said:


> Jimmie Vaughn!!! It sounds like a 6 year old taught him how to play and then dialed in his amp for him. He makes expensive gear sound cheap. I HATE JIMMIE VAUGHN!
> 
> :sport-smiley-002:


If you are going to hate the guy, at least spell his last name right.

(though his signature guitar is good value for the $$$)


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## raptordigit (May 6, 2009)

sysexguy said:


> I can't wait for the "which supermodel would you refuse to date"
> Andy


Any one who is male or claims to be female but needs to shave every morning.

"I'm too sexy for my shirt...."


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

AxeAddict said:


> Jimmy Vaughan, *Neil Young*, Eric Clapton (for the most part), Tom Morello on certain days,


Agreed, but I think Neil Young likes to have bad / abrasive tone. Then again, who listens to Neil Young for tone? It's all about the passion :smile:


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

danbo said:


> Diablo's.. kkjuw


You and me both, brother!


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

noobcake said:


> Agreed, but I think Neil Young likes to have bad / abrasive tone. Then again, who listens to Neil Young for tone? It's all about the passion :smile:



I LOVE Neil Young's tone. Passion probably accounts for at least half his sound.:smile: The leads get a little forlorn, but that's what he's after. I like those big nasty chords like in "Powderfinger" or "Ordinary People".

Then:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obfci1CIqq8&feature=related

& Now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT5Vs4Kngvo&feature=related

Shawn :smile:


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Jim DaddyO said:


> IMO the worst, as in it makes me gag, hate his playing, voice and writing, is Bruce Springsteen. OOOOH, I just threw up a little in the back of my mouth just thinking about him.



...i love virtually everything about the boss, but i have to agree with you when it comes to his guitar tone.

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

sbowman128675 said:


> YNGWIE MALMSTEEN
> 
> bleghhh
> 
> like his style, but hate his tone


...finally got to watch g3 in denver.

yngwie can play. and shred. and his tone is not that bad.

but his "rock star" schtick is a major turn off. the humility of vai and satch shone by comparison.

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

noobcake said:


> Agreed, I don't really like Eric Johnson. Not just his tone, but his style of playing. Actually I don't like any of the "virtuoso types". Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Yngwie...they all bore me. I don't like them because their music is so one-dimensional. It sounds like one spotlight-hogger wanking to a backing track, it doesn't actually sound like a "band" if you catch my drift.


...yup. please accept my sincere condolences.

:smile:

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...you and others are missing a wealth of great music but, hey, to each his own.

personally, i try to listen to everything and anything, the only exception being mainstream pop, which i've always tended to avoid.

-dh






Rugburn said:


> Last year my wife got me a subscription to GP magazine. There were quite a few guys on the cover that although I'd heard of them, I hadn't listened to their music. It's like some kind of "Murphy's Law", just about every one of these guys did nothing for me. Sure they were great players, but their tone, taste and phrasing was awful to my ears. Here's a short list of guys I can't really listen to.
> 
> John Petrucci
> Sonny Landreth
> ...


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## scottomy (Sep 20, 2006)

For me, its Tommy Iommi. It sounds like blown speakers to me.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

david henman said:


> ...you and others are missing a wealth of great music but, hey, to each his own.
> 
> personally, i try to listen to everything and anything, the only exception being mainstream pop, which i've always tended to avoid.
> 
> -dh


Frankly, what the hell do you know about who or what I listen to? You don't care for pop, I don't care for shredder heavy metal virtuosos. This thread is about tones we *don't* like. I don't see it as an invitation to make judgements about the perceived shortcomings of forum members' tastes.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

Great tone is certainly subjective as I happen to think that many folks mentioned on this thread have excellent tone (i.e Neil Young, Iommi, Hendrix, Page).

That being said, one name that always pops up on this type of thread is Jimmie Vaughan...he definitely gets my vote for a tone that I don't particularly care for. Don't really like his playing either for that matter :smile:


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## bryguy9 (Jul 13, 2007)

Ohhhhhhh, I tried so very hard not to get in on this thread.

But in the end I give up and throw in my $0.02.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say I hate anybody's tone. Clearly there are some player's tone I like less. And certainly there are some players themselves, I like more or less than others.

Some people don't like the chorus/echo effects sound. I like Andy Summers, and always thought he was an example of effective use of effects (lol). Not such a big fan of Neil Schon.

Some people don't like the emo/post punk/power grunge sound. I like Ian Thornley - excellent use of the Mesa sound, but not so much Chad Kroeger.

Some people don't like the Gibson/Marshall cranked sound. I love what Angus Young does with it. Slash, not so much.

Some people don't like shredders or hair metal sound. Well I am with them on Yngwie. But what about Glenn and KK from Judas Priest or the boys from Iron Maiden. Talk about defining sounds!

Quite a few folks said they didn't like the album sound but liked the live sound of a player. Or vice versa... Seems to me that is more about the recording engineer/soundman not getting it right than the player.

Last thing... and this thread finally gave me the courage to come out and say it... 

I never liked Jimmy Page or Led Zeppelin. That's not about tone though... 

B:smilie_flagge17:


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

david henman said:


> ...yup. please accept my sincere condolences.
> 
> :smile:
> 
> -dh


No thank you, I don't think I have to defend myself or accept any condolences for not molding to your opinion of what good musical taste is.


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## Greg Ellis (Oct 1, 2007)

I saw a band play at my local bar a couple of months back.

One of the guitar players plugged his electric guitar into a Digitech multi-effects pedal (RP50, maybe? One of the really low-end ones), and from there straight into the PA. He played the whole set like that.

It sounded terrible. Like, beyond awful.

That guy? I don't like his tone. Sorry, don't know his name.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

noobcake said:


> No thank you, I don't think I have to defend myself or accept any condolences for not molding to your opinion of what good musical taste is.


...well, both you and rugburn missed the point completely.

hint: it had nothing, whatsoever, to do with my "opinion of what good musical taste is"...

in fact, i have no idea what good musical taste is.

-dh


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