That Perfect Tone

[unclerico]

Hey Guys...

I'm just wondering, what you guys use for your sound. I am searching for that perfect tone. I currently have a Boss Gt-6 with an Ibanez Toneblaster 100W. I try to have a lot of sustain and presence, but the sound ends up being really fuzzy, and what I play isn't clear the way I want it to be.

I was thinking, of using a Mesa's Distortion, then maybe using additional effects, just delay, or w/e. What do you guys use to perfect your tone, the way you want it. I am already trying to get a Petrucci, then after that get my dream setup, something really close to Petrucci's sound, (without spending the thousands).

Thanks.

 

[Ponch]

Yo man, I think the best way to get good tone is look up some reference of your fav musicians/guitarists rigs. But unfortunately sometime we can't afford to get all those fancy equipment like em.

IMHO Tone is similar to life process, we can achieve the best tone after some experiment or some accident? .. some people say that Tone it's in our fingers, but some other say it's in pedals and guitars. well i don;t have the exactly answer either . for right know i just using bb preamp , boss delay, a couple of line 6 pedals modulations and some Russian tube pedals for live gig, it may vary though depends on what kind of music that I play. for recording sometimes i use some pedals or maybe just direct using line 6 toneport ux2.

i have some crappy guitar demo on my www.myspace.com/ponco account, on those demos i just using Korg 1000 ax and Zoom 606. If you have time you can check out my music sometime.

I wish you all the best with your Tone quest my friend.

 

[petruccirocks02]

Hey Guys...

I'm just wondering, what you guys use for your sound. I am searching for that perfect tone. I currently have a Boss Gt-6 with an Ibanez Toneblaster 100W. I try to have a lot of sustain and presence, but the sound ends up being really fuzzy, and what I play isn't clear the way I want it to be.

I was thinking, of using a Mesa's Distortion, then maybe using additional effects, just delay, or w/e. What do you guys use to perfect your tone, the way you want it. I am already trying to get a Petrucci, then after that get my dream setup, something really close to Petrucci's sound, (without spending the thousands).

Thanks.

I have my Mystic Dream JP6 (fully loaded) on the way, and I currently use a Mesa Roadking. I like pedals, depending on what they are. When I used to have my Mesa Mark IV, I used an MXR EVH Phase 90 (for some swirly lead tones), a Dunlop Rack Wah, and a Boss DD-20 Delay.

-Phil

 

[unclerico]

Thanks Ponch, I'll check it out now

 

[Rossie]

Hi unclerico,
I agree with Ponch, you really need to spend quite some time tweaking your stuff to arrive at the tone that you truly comfortable with.
I've been using the PODxt LIVE for around 2 and a half years, and I've spent the first two good years in tweaking it. After I think I have a good tone, I'll keep it the settings, but will always tweak it a little if any comments come my way, that was how I arrived to my current tone, tweaking it little by little.
Here are some examples (most notably the "after" and "Under the Influence" clips):
4shared - free file sharing and storage - share folder - My 4shared

 

[gerry d]

Perfect tone....mmmmm... well it's a tough one because everyone is different.... my best friend has in my opinion the best live guitar tone I've ever heard.... a few weeks ago he asked me to come up on stage and have a little jam with his rig... and I could not make it work for me.... their are so many variables that you could never get the definative answer... my advice is find what works for you and stick with it....

 

[rickjohns]

I am pretty happy with my tone. Check out my rig below. It works for me, but I really had to tweak my stuff, almost all of my pedals are modded, and I changed various parts out in my Marshall to get my tone. I was very unhappy with my amp head, it was really shrill until i changed the capacitors out in the lead channel, it really came alive. I have been playing for 22 years now, and I have just recently found my sound. I tried all of the digital stuff, and I found myself tweaking it all of the time to get the right tone, and never being happy, so I got the real thing. I'll never go back. My Axis helps out alot too.
You can check out my sounds here:
myspace.com/frictionbroadcast

 

[Danserrano]

i've been thru alot of different rigs, my latest and hopefully greatest is.....

eb jp 07 LE and redburst
egnater mod 50 (just ordered, get it in about 8 weeks)
keeley ds-1
BB preamp
mxr 6 band eq
and tc g system

plenty of more to come i'm sure......lol

 

[roburado]

Danny, I'm glad that someone else has discovered the Egnater Mod 50. Having played through one of them with many of the modules, I have to say that it's the best sounding amp I have ever played. They're definitely pricey, but really...I think they're worth every penny. I think I could spend the same amount of money or more on some other tube amp (e.g. Mesa Road King or Roadster), and I wouldn't be completely satisfied. With the customizable nature of the Mod 50, my problem would be which modules to get next and which ones to start with. Which modules did you get?

Back on track, if one's going to spend money on Mesa's, personally I like the non-Rectifier Mesas the best. I really like my F-30 for its dirty tone. Clean? Well, let's say I'm 90% satisfied with the clean. I imagine the Express series would be something I'd like too. I'd like to try a Mark IV again. Effects? Well, I bought a Lexicon Alex on EBay for about $50 plus shipping. I put that in the effects loop with a volume pedal as something of an expression pedal. I use the Alex mostly for delay and chorus. That's about it.

 

[rickjohns]

I played an Egnator50 once, it was very cool, great tone. My band opened up for another and I played their guitarist's rig. It was great.

 

[Enc3f4L0]

I use EBMM - Mesa Boogie Mark IV - TC G-Force.
I'm really happy with the sound I'm getting. It isn't a cheap setup but still very affordable compared to those huge rigs major guitarrists have.

 

[Danserrano]

hey rob, i've yet to decide which but i'm leaning towards the twin deluxe and the sl-2 or eg5 mods.....jeff at egnater told me i can tell him once the head is rdy to be shipped. They're class acts over there.....And i def see where ur coming from with the mods becoming an addicition.

As for ur non mesa comment i agree its the reason why i gave up on mesa's the recto tone wasn't doing it for me anymore, but i think the lonestars r amazing amps

 

[Codyyyn]

I get all of my "perfect" tones out of my rig - only thing missing is an EBMM, specifically a JP7

Setup in signature!

 

[Danserrano]

i regret never playing a mark IV -- ive heard awesome clips from guys not just jp he,he. Thiago has some grt ones on utube if u havnt checked them out.....

 

[Codyyyn]

Oh, and not to 'plug' my Carvin V3 too much, but it's a relatively cheap tube head that really has tone up there with the best of them.

I was playing around with a Framus Cobra in a guitar store a few weeks ago, and I simply could not get it to sound better than my Carvin. Given the Cobra had more gain, but both amps really have more than I would ever need, even though I consider my sound a rather high gain one.

 

[beej]

Find a great amp. Your tone is out there somewhere ... just keep looking. I found mine when Tommy introduced me to the Guytron. Recently I've picked up a Suhr Badger and that bad boy gets me there too.

 

[dwells]

practice practice practice its all in the fingers and yeah a mark4 head would help
cheers

 

[Jimmyb]

My tone is in Pete's fingers

Into a nice clean Hiwatt, really does it for me....

 

[Tone?]

after 20 years of playing its in the fingers as well as in your gear.

of course you need a good instrument to help with expressing yourself as well.
The thing is that i have seen really good musicians make a **** guitar sound good and a great guitar awesome. On the other hand i have seen **** musicians make great guitars and amps sound like total crap. The best amp and the best guitar will sound like complete and i mean complete doo in a bad guitarists hands. but a crap amp and a crap guitar can be made to sound good in a good guitarists hands.

so..........fingers are more important.

getting a good tone or perfect tone is only up to you to find out. You perceive things different than anyone. so one mans mesa is gold and to anothers it sucks.

search and practice.

thank god these things are a lifes journey or things would get boring fast!

 

[Jonny Dubai]

Just found my new tone. Got a Marshall vintage modern head. Just what i have been looking for. Adding a Mesa 2x12 cab, Sobbat drivebreaker 3, JD origional wah and thats all.

J