[Regor]

Originally Posted by Drew

No one's denying that good tone CAN come from expensive amps. Rather, you're saying that good tone HAS to cost a lot.

Nah, I'm saying you get what you pay for.

I've heard guys play through cheap setups who sound awesome, and very expensive ones who sound like shit.

I personally have NEVER heard good tone come from someone playing cheap setups. Ever.

[Rick]

I'm not sure that I really have one. Maybe someone makes really horrible looking guitars (to me, anyway) or the tone sucks but that's really about it.

[sakeido]

Originally Posted by Regor

Nah, I'm saying you get what you pay for.



I personally have NEVER heard good tone come from someone playing cheap setups. Ever.

Well... 5150s are cheap and are the mainstay of a whole genre of metal. Bulb records on a PodXT and the general consensus seems to be he has good tone, and those things are like $200. Porcupine Tree albums have been recorded with PodXTs, music has been recorded on $100 pawn shop acoustics that sound good... I think I'm going to have to disagree with you here, 100%

[Regor]

Originally Posted by sakeido

Well... 5150s are cheap and are the mainstay of a whole genre of metal. Bulb records on a PodXT and the general consensus seems to be he has good tone, and those things are like $200. Porcupine Tree albums have been recorded with PodXTs, music has been recorded on $100 pawn shop acoustics that sound good... I think I'm going to have to disagree with you here, 100%

All I have to say is: "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder"

[ibznorange]

Originally Posted by Metal Ken

I'm the same way with the framus, though i've never played one. I'm sure they play GREAT. especially with those specs, but to me, every framus i've ever seen looks like a cheap chinese guitar that you see on ebay for a 50$ buy it now and 200$ shipping.

ever seen a framus in person?
they are soooo precise. they look flawless. they play that way too.
but to each their own

and i have heard good tone come from a cheap rig on several occasions, but the guys doing it were artists, not just at playing guitar, but at working an amp. You can greatly affect tone with playing, look how many sounds you can get out of an acoustic, playing the same notes. it goes for electric too, just other things also contribute. Clearly a good amp helps, i will grant that. not necessary, but almost.

And good gear can help playing. When my brother started letting me use his super tweaked out RG350 (upgraded with a lo pro, evo, Super 2, fasttrack, refret etc) and his amp ( a nice rivera) my playing leapt forward like you wouldnt believe. Alot of it was how i felt about it. My tone sounded better, so i wasnt sitting there going fuck fuck fuck all the time thinking i sucked. That let me get the confidence needed to try harder and harder, thereby advancing my skill. While the amp and guitar didnt directly make me a better player, they really helped me along the way, mentally more than anything

[Neal]

Years ago I bought a Boss Super Chorus instead of the Flanger that I wanted because the Flanger was pink. Obviously I didn't get th e sound that I actually wanted. Oh well, I was like 16.

[zimbloth]

I'd just like to say that I think the "tone is all in the fingers" thing is laughable. No, it's REALLY not. Its a major factor, just like pickups, amps, strings, etc. It's all an equal factor. Theres some pickups/amps that no matter how good you play, its going to sound like shit no matter what. There are cabs (cough Crate) that will suck the tone and playability out of any head, whether its a cheap solid-state or a $3000 Diezel/VHT.

Everyone should just relax and lose the 'tone is in the fingers' cliche once and for all. Some amps/pickups/etc just flat out DOESNT GET THE JOB DONE. There are several key variables to good tone, technique is a huge one, but not the only one. If Vai or Satriani played through the Crate my buddy has, they'd sound like pure ass too.

I also agree about the "diminishing returns" on amps that are expensive. While it's true you can get great tone from cheaper amps like Peaveys or Marshalls, and while it's true some uber expensive amps are overrated and overpriced, there ARE some amps that do go above and beyond and are worth the price. It's like, yeah there's a lot of awesome mid-priced guitars (Ibanez, Jackson COW, LTDs, etc), but few would argue that a custom shop Jackson or whatever isn't on a whole other level.

It just comes down to if the extra cost is worth it since there are good options for way less.

[WillingWell]

I think you're taking the saying wrong. You can get a tone pretty fargin' close to an artist by duplicating their setup or coming close to doing so, but you're never going to sound like them because their sound does come from their fingers, like it does for any guitarist.

Sure, Vai or Satch might sound like ass through a Crate (look at the video of Vai jamming with Korn), but they're still going to sound just like Vai or Satch, respectively. I always defined a guitarist as virtuoso if you could tell who it was after hearing only two notes, and I think that supports the whole "fingers" thing completely.

[FoxZero]

Originally Posted by zimbloth

I'd just like to say that I think the "tone is all in the fingers" thing is laughable. No, it's REALLY not. Its a major factor, just like pickups, amps, strings, etc. It's all an equal factor. Theres some pickups/amps that no matter how good you play, its going to sound like shit no matter what. There are cabs (cough Crate) that will suck the tone and playability out of any head, whether its a cheap solid-state or a $3000 Diezel/VHT.

Everyone should just relax and lose the 'tone is in the fingers' cliche once and for all. Some amps/pickups/etc just flat out DOESNT GET THE JOB DONE. There are several key variables to good tone, technique is a huge one, but not the only one. If Vai or Satriani played through the Crate my buddy has, they'd sound like pure ass too.

I also agree about the "diminishing returns" on amps that are expensive. While it's true you can get great tone from cheaper amps like Peaveys or Marshalls, and while it's true some uber expensive amps are overrated and overpriced, there ARE some amps that do go above and beyond and are worth the price. It's like, yeah there's a lot of awesome mid-priced guitars (Ibanez, Jackson COW, LTDs, etc), but few would argue that a custom shop Jackson or whatever isn't on a whole other level.

It just comes down to if the extra cost is worth it since there are good options for way less.

[Metal Ken]

Originally Posted by Regor

I personally have NEVER heard good tone come from someone playing cheap setups. Ever.

Thats about as loaded as saying you've never heard someone with expensive gear with bad tone.