Ahh, one of the big arguments among guitarists today. What parameters dictate one's tone? Some say it comes from the hands, others say gear, and others say neither or both. I personally believe that the answer is a mixture of the two, but this matter is definitely subject to opinion, as are many topics covered in this article. But, give someone who's never picked up a guitar a $10,000 Gibson custom shop piece and they won't sound very good. Same thing works vice-versa; give someone like Eric Johnson a $50 starter set and although he'll sound exceptionally good, it'll sound nothing like what he produces with his Strats. The best tones sonically come from a combination of the two, with varying results. I think, though, that a guitarist should pick comfort over all other factors. A player will have much more fun and sound better if they enjoy the instrument's feel. For example, I'm partial to thin necks, so I prefer Gretsch Duo Jets to a vintage '50's Les Paul. I'll play the Les Paul, but would have much more fun and enthusiasm, hence better expression of emotion and tone, on the Gretsch. I do have a love and respect for vintage instruments, but I think the Les Paul would look nicer hanging on a wall rather than strapped in my hands. This goes for professionals as well; Stevie Ray Vaughan had a thing for the '59 Stratocasters because of the incredibly thick neck, and his signiature model sports an equally thick neck. That's his preference, it was the tool he felt best with to chisel his sonic vision. Eric Johnson once had a Strat that he absolutely loved, but accidentally banged the headstock lightly on a coffee table. He sold that guitar a year later, saying it just never sounded the same. Again, it comes down to multiple factors. I judge guitars on three things, feel/comfort, sound, and look. But why is all this important? If you love the instrument you're playing you'll sound better.
I want to emphasize the fact that gear won't make you the best player, and for this I have two anecdotes. Firstly, I have a friend who was playing for about two years, and got a Taylor. Good for him, and he is a great person. However, he isn't the best player in terms of tone, and back then his technical skill and technique were way off. In his hands, the Taylor sounded the same as my $400 Takamine. But, in the hands of others (my friends and myself included), it sounds pure and crisp, just like the sound that made Taylor the name it is today. It's not a matter of gear here, but it's the player; he's decent, but tone is something he needs to work on. There is a reason for refined technique; it helps you sound better, and in the end play better. On the other side of things, some players have the tone and not the gear. Another friend of mine (yeah, I'm surprised I have this many guitar-playing friends too) had a Silvertone knockoff Strat and a Behringer amp. Nothing wrong with those, but they just weren't the right tools for him as a player. Then, two years ago for Christmas, he got a Gibson SG Special and a Marshall tube 50-watt amp (even I was salivating, and it wasn't even mine!). His sound increased tenfold right there, just by using a higher quality instrument. Once again, tone comes from both the gear and the player.
Another thing worth noting is preference; numerous people have asked me, “what guitar EQ should I play on?” or “which guitar should I buy?” Once again, this is (need I say it?) all subjective to personal opinion and preference. You want heavy distortions and low open tunings? Go for it. You want boosted highs and a country twang? Be my guest. Personally, I have my own set of preferences, and I think that each player should mess around with his/her amp's EQ to find what s/he likes best. I (like many other players) also like to experiment; if I want a heavier tone, I roll up the bass for clear lower notes. If I want a Brian Setzer-like crunch, I adjust accordingly. Anything is possible with tweaking. This is why I'm partial to Fender's Cyber-Twin; so much can be changed to get exactly the tone you want. Find what tone you like and run with it.
Okay, here's another question I always get: “How to I get ______'s sound?” Here are some actual question's I've seen and heard: “How do I get the brown sound?” “I've been looking for Randy Rhoads' tone everywhere, any suggestions?” “I want to sound like Paul Gilbert” “What does Steve Vai set his dials to on his Carvin Legacy?” “I want an EJ clean tone, what amps does he use?” To all of these, I respond with saying a guitarist should not seek to play like someone else, but rather play what they feel is right. Sure, you can use these artists as bases, but don't try to become them; that'll get you nowhere (okay, maybe somewhere... but not far enough). This brings me to one of Fender's mottos: “Innovate, don't emulate” (Incidentally, I first saw that motto on a Cyber-Twin). What you can and should do, though, is use your guitar idols as influences to your tone. For example, when I started playing, I listened (and still listen to) a lot of U2, Jimi Hendrix, and Jeff Beck's “You Had It Coming.” To this day, many people say they hear very minor elements of their playing in mine. I've also picked up some nuances from other players, like Johnny Greenwood from Radiohead. I also picked up a lot of different chord formations from Dave Matthews and John Frusciante. But, I only added parts of their playing into the melting pot of my playing, along with other influences like Indian music. All of these make my sound, something unique to me and I can be proud of. Other guitarists may be good and sound good, but I don't want to be them.
But how do you know which players to look for for good tone? I'll answer that with another question: who do you normally listen to every day? If you listen to a guitarist and like the sounds coming out of their amp, use them as an influence. But, as far as players to look for if you don't know where to start, Eric Johnson could be the best. He is known as the “King of Tone” (at least from what I've heard) and is amazingly able to mix that with his technical skill. If you don't like EJ, Eric Clapton is good, too, both in older times and modern-day. His tone on “Badge” live today is probably one of my favorite sonic personalities. These are just stepping stones, though. If you like metal or progressive metal, check out John Petrucci; he's a graduate of Berkley, how much better can you get? His tone today (especially from his solo album) is outstanding, and is the greatest modern tone in my book. Personally, I like the Edge's sound, but a large part of that comes from his pick (more on that in another article). Follow what you like, really; these are just starting squares if you don't know where to begin.
How can you use all this to help your playing? What am I saying (seriously)? You don't have to listen to anything I've said, but I'm simply offering my advice and objective opinions to help you as a guitarist. In general, you want your tone to be exactly what you want; I believe in tone (how a note sounds) is slightly more important than technicality (what you're playing). Gear will help, but only if you've got the chops; otherwise gear will only take you so far. Go for your own tone, tweak it to what you want. Don't try to be someone else. Now, go and have fun with your tone and remember what you like, it'll add to your sound.
by Nikhil Deshpande
