i feel noone has ever given the guitar such a fantastically controlled wild beast of a sound!?
comments..

FLUX said:

Sorry man, I have strong belief that in my opinion, Steve Vai has the most fantastically Controlled Wild Beast of Sound.

U should see him Live too.

Both Prince and Steve Vai are awesome branches from the guitar vine.

Speaking of Mr. Vai, there is Steve's 30 hour guitar workout in the April 2004 issue of Guitar World. Which is an update on the 1990 10 hour guitar workout.

cranshaw62 said:

I'm willing to bet that this discussion will end up being a "my favorite guitar player..." instead of "the best tone" because we all like different guitar players, and we all like THEIR tone the most. For me, it's Stevie Ray. Pure tone controlled with fingertips and volume knobs. (most of the time).

Texas Flood live - the tone on that will break bones, I've never heard a guitar sound so huge and "fixin to break an amp"!

But yeah, Prince gets a tone like that too. Steve Vai, to me, is too processed. His reliance on effects and pickups to get the tone is too mechanical. But to be honest, I don't listed to much Vai except for the Attitude Song... and that's what, 25 years old?

otan said:[quote]

cranshaw62 said:

I'm willing to bet that this discussion will end up being a "my favorite guitar player..." instead of "the best tone" because we all like different guitar players, and we all like THEIR tone the most. For me, it's Stevie Ray. Pure tone controlled with fingertips and volume knobs. (most of the time).

Texas Flood live - the tone on that will break bones, I've never heard a guitar sound so huge and "fixin to break an amp"!

But yeah, Prince gets a tone like that too. Steve Vai, to me, is too processed. His reliance on effects and pickups to get the tone is too mechanical. But to be honest, I don't listed to much Vai except for the Attitude Song... and that's what, 25 years old?[/quot

WE'RE ALL INDIVIDUALS.I APPRECIATE ALL COMMENTS .THANKS PEOPLE.LOOK OUT FOR "HOW DO YOU CREATE YOUR FAVORITE GUITAAR SOUND[S].FLUX...

otan said:

In a way your right, but thats what he likes, and its just as much talent to control effects as it is to play direct (just think of it as another art form).

And the reason why he has that reliance on effects is not because he can't get the tone, its because he knows what he's doing and can work with effects, and most ppl Toy around with effects.

And when it comes to the best of whatever, i think theres only a few Rock player exceptions, and Vai to me is one of them.

and the attitude song was played on a shit charvel, with hand made routing under the treme, which is his design, and theres not much there than that.

I'm a very open minded music listener, i listen to everything from Opera to hip hop, and i don't judge with me own Values.

Vai could Play the best shit with his dick.

whether he uses effects or not isn't a big deal (because we're already starting off playing a electric guitar, so the tone is already being generated.), he can control his sound better than anyone.
I mean, he plays so smoothly, no matter how fast or slow he plays.
He never seems to struggle, always looks calm and never looks panic.

And u know, his set up is not much different from a lot of famous players.
He just knows how to use them all and not stand there with his head in his ass.

Sorry if I sound like a Jerk.
Yes i understand this thread has a lot to do with opinions and favorites.

I know NOTHING about guitar.


Sure, everyone will have different likes and dislikes for tone/sound/timbre. The thing about Vai, is that his choice of notes, his expression is what I really like. I'm no Vai expert, he just stands out with his sound, just like Stevie Ray, but also stands out with his seemingly random style of playing. I say that because to me, his guitar playing really seems to speak, or react to what is going on in the music around it.

Prince, I don't know, he changes styles so much because he's so versatile, the only recognizable style he has is the Purple Rain thing, imo. He's more like a chameleon, he's a gemini, so jack of all trades, master of none. Again, I have no idea what I'm saying. I'm just speaking as a person who is looking for a certain guitar sound in my music. I didn't even understand the question really.

VinaBlue said:

Vina your so cool.

Ya The question that was asked is hard in that its hard to talk about sound when sound has a different take when its put into different styles and such.

Vina just described why I love Vai's style, and thats his note placement and he really makes the guitar take on its own personality.

I would say it like this, Vai's guitar style is so amazing, u forget that his instrumentals are instrumentals.

It's mostly cause he has a good left-hand (fingering).

mrdespues said:

Deffinatly, and u can tell over the years as he got older.

When he first toured with Zappa he asked Zappa how his tone sounds, and Zappa said the funniest thing that I wish i could remember, but I'll just say he said it sounded like shit, ha.

But wow, as Vai started getting better, he got so smooth and each note came out more and more flawless.

Jem said:

no, dude, i'm talking about PRINCE!

you obviously like Vai a lot

mrdespues said:

Damn, ha, thats what happens when posts are miss read.

Ya when it comes to music i get a little

sorry

Ya well Prince has a great left and right hand, thats why he's great at multiple instruments.

THANKS EVERYONE RE:PRINCE GUITAR TONE.I WAS REAL INTERESTED TO SEE OPINIONS AS TO STEVE VAI,FRANK ZAPPA,ETC.I THINK THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT "TONE" IS THAT WE COULD SET UP IDENTICAL RIGS FOR BOTH VAI& PRINCE,SAME SETTINGS,GUIT'S,PLECTRUMS... WHATEVER,...AND THEY'D STILL HAVE THEIR OWN SOUND(TONE).THIS I BELIEVE IS A PECULIARITY OF WHO WE ARE,NOT WHAT WE'VE 'GOT'.

ANYONE WHO PLAYS KNOWS WHAT I'M SAYING,& WHAT A SENSITIVE THING AN ELECTIC & ACOUSTIC GUITAR IS.SORRY TO RATTLE ON ,AND I RECKON THAT MOST INSTRUMENTS & THEIR PLAYERS PUT A PIECE OF SOUL & PHYSICALITY INTO THE END RESULT DEPENDENT ON WHAT IS IN THEIR HEAD & THE WAY THEIR BODY PHYSICALLY EXPRESSES THESE SOUND THOUGHTS.BLOODY INTERESTING , IFF NOT TOO DAMMED ESOTERIC.
FUNK...!!! JUST 'DO IT' . FLUX.....

THANKS EVERYONE RE:PRINCE GUITAR TONE.I WAS REAL INTERESTED TO SEE OPINIONS AS TO STEVE VAI,FRANK ZAPPA,ETC.I THINK THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT "TONE" IS THAT WE COULD SET UP IDENTICAL RIGS FOR BOTH VAI& PRINCE,SAME SETTINGS,GUIT'S,PLECTRUMS... WHATEVER,...AND THEY'D STILL HAVE THEIR OWN SOUND(TONE).THIS I BELIEVE IS A PECULIARITY OF WHO WE ARE,NOT WHAT WE'VE 'GOT'.

ANYONE WHO PLAYS KNOWS WHAT I'M SAYING,& WHAT A SENSITIVE THING AN ELECTIC & ACOUSTIC GUITAR IS.SORRY TO RATTLE ON ,AND I RECKON THAT MOST INSTRUMENTS & THEIR PLAYERS PUT A PIECE OF SOUL & PHYSICALITY INTO THE END RESULT DEPENDENT ON WHAT IS IN THEIR HEAD & THE WAY THEIR BODY PHYSICALLY EXPRESSES THESE SOUND THOUGHTS.BLOODY INTERESTING , IFF NOT TOO DAMMED ESOTERIC.
FUNK...!!! JUST 'DO IT' . FLUX.....

i liek the Brian May tone very much, i am not the biggest queen fan, but i love that tone.

7salles said:

HEY, 7salles ;did you know that Brian May actually made that guitar of his out of a piece of wood above his fire place.Classic (SOUND & STORY).I,m not ahuge fan either of Queen but Brian's sound IS amazing,&unique.....FLUX.

And i have a friend who plays any steve vai song note for note with similiar tone, and i never sawa anyone with a tone like brian may, so... i don't think it's very difficult emulate steve vai tone, because with a ibanez guitar and a goood gutiar processor nd a good ampli he sounds almost exactaly like steve vai. And he is 19 years old. I doubt he could come up with brian may tone with the same gear.

Never said Vai has the best or most unique tone. theres people who can emulate it. I was just talking about his style and the sound he created.

Vai may be great, but I'm always disappointed when HE does a solo on a Zappa record, because I just love the stuff FZ did! (listening to Them or Us right now)
Vai on Crossroads though... man, that's incredible.

I'm so glad someone mentioned Stevie Ray Vaughan's tone. It was so honest, huge and fetching. The man was able to switch from delicate crystal to searing twang, in the bat of an eye. Clapton's "woman tone" would be a close second. I just love the sound of a good Strat. Ain't nothin' like it. Vai and Prince used too many processors, for me. Too many layers.

SRV and EC's tones are just gorgeous translucence. Love it.

I think I'm going to go listen to "Little Wing" from The Sky is Crying. Let it lull me to sleep.


'night all.

I gotta mention two absentees from here

Jimi Hendrix - the master and controller of sound - no-one used feedback and controlled every nuance of sound better than he, and he probably has the coolest picking and strumming hand in the universe

Eddie Van Halen - the Brown sound is tight,,,the 5150 tone even tighter...I'd look no further for Rock/Metal power tones- you can hear every single note he plays clearly, but its piled up with masses of drive...



Prince's tone is great...he's really tuned his effects to produce a perfect tone for him...it just sounds really impressive, especially the drive sound, with tons of delay and reverb. And clean...he's made that tight, trebly scratchy tone his own

With Guitar tone such a sujective thing, I don't subscribe to the whole ultimate tone argument.
So, I'll just offer a list of a few guitarist who's tone & playing that I like.



I no particular order:

1. David Torn
2. Wes Montgomery
3. Dave Fiuczynski.
4. Eric Johnson
5. Albert Collins
6. Allan Holdsworth
7. Roy Buchanan
8. Ty Tabor
9. Dr. Know
10. Jeff Beck


As far as Prince is concerned any of his material up to & including Purple Rain.
I liked his dryer less mondo-distorted lead tone. More bite less buzz, I personally think that the playing overall was more tasteful. Prince has a really great natural finger Vibrato, why alll
this waffling with the Floyd Rose bar , as I saw in a live clip of Prince performing Bambi.
The whole whammy bar thing is played out by now unless you're applying it in some new way.

Great gear doesn't always equal great tone, I feel the majority of your tone is in your hands.
So, for the guitarist that listen with their eyes, don't turn you nose up to some one who's rig isn't your idea of what help makes great tone. Regardless of what you use, they are tools & only a means to an end.


Peace.....



-K-

Rowdy said:

If you're going to talk ROCK pure tone - Angus Young man! ANGUS! A gibson straight into a marshall. NO effects! No tuner! Those are for sissies!!
\oo/

I always preferred Malcolm in AC/DC - no frills...pure crunchy rhythm

his tone's so stripped down, I reckon he doesn't even bother with strings

Rowdy said:

WORD! Malcom RULES. Gretch into Marshall, no neck pick up, just an old 60's Filtertron. HEAVEN for pure tone. I always tell people I want to sound like the Youngs- Malcom for rhythm and Neil for lead. (But playing funky, of course!!)

And yes I've got a tele w/ a Filtertron in it!!

Great for some things!!