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At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: Twinfan on March 31, 2009, 08:31:58 AM

Title: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Twinfan on March 31, 2009, 08:31:58 AM
I was having a chat about this with 'Malcolm' from YC/DC? last night while listening to a early mix of Powerage.  He's more into the playing than the tone, so he didn't have an answer.  Shame on him  :lol:  For me, my all-time favourite tone is a 'DC one:

The opening chords to "Long Way To The Top" - just Malcolm, his Gretsch and a cranked JTM45/100  :D

Every time I hear it I'm amazed at the power, the clarity and the sheer width of the sound.  Vanda and Young were superb at capturing the 'live' tone of the Young brothers, and in that example you can really hear the subtle impact of the Gretsch and the early Marshall.  It's raw and meaty, and it makes my hair stand on end when I listen to it.

So what's your favourite recorded guitar tone, and why?
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: _tom_ on March 31, 2009, 10:03:29 AM
Either Highway to Hell or Angry Son by Indian Summer :)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Ratrod on March 31, 2009, 11:23:09 AM
There's so many, I can't think of a 'best tone' because they're all so different but equally good.

I agree with Twinfan about the intro to 'It's a long way to the top'. That is awesome.

I'm still trying to replicate that tone. I'm getting close but not spot on. I think the only way to get that tone is by using a real early sixties Gretsch Firebird with heavy gauge strings and high action and a real seventies Marshall JCM stack. And then try to replicate Malcolm's playing. You really need to 'get into it' with that song.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Twinfan on March 31, 2009, 12:05:10 PM
I agree - it's hard to replicate that tone!  Malc would have used his JTM45/100 mid-sixties plexi for that track.  It's an early recording, and that was his favourite recording amp at the time.....
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Roobubba on March 31, 2009, 12:25:01 PM
I have two front-runners:
Meshuggah, Combustion (1st track on Obzen), when the first heavy riff comes in.
Raised Fist, Message Beneath Contempt (on Dedication).

Both very much spine-tingling tracks for me :)

Roo
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: indysmith on March 31, 2009, 01:03:22 PM
A line in the sand by Q and Not U. Seriously give it a listen - PERFECT. (Especially the guitar panned to the left)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Ted 'N' Leo on March 31, 2009, 01:04:39 PM
Probably Duane Allman and Dickey Betts tones on live at Fillmore east. Just wow.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: hamfist on March 31, 2009, 01:18:59 PM
I think my favourite must be Alex Lifeson's general tones on Rush's "A Farewell to Kings" album, but particularly the crunchy NMV Marshall on the track "Closer to the Heart" (comes in at about 1:05 on the studio version).

Good thread Davey boy !!
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: AndyR on March 31, 2009, 01:26:23 PM
I have two main ones, in this order:

1st Rory Gallagher's on Irish Tour 74
2nd Ritchie Blackmore's on Made In Japan

Those were my defining thingies in the late 70s, and I've never changed that much...

But a big +1 to:

Probably Duane Allman and Dickey Betts tones on live at Fillmore east. Just wow.

And while I'm thinking of it:

Paul Kossoff's on Free Live (not too keen on some of his studio tones)
Steve Gaines's strat sounds in Lynnyrd Skynnyrd

... actually most of my favourite tones are on live albums :roll:
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: _tom_ on March 31, 2009, 02:13:29 PM
A line in the sand by Q and Not U. Seriously give it a listen - PERFECT. (Especially the guitar panned to the left)

yep thats a good one :)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: JDC on March 31, 2009, 02:37:32 PM
I have two front-runners:
Meshuggah, Combustion (1st track on Obzen), when the first heavy riff comes in.
Raised Fist, Message Beneath Contempt (on Dedication).

Both very much spine-tingling tracks for me :)

Roo

hey roo, have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOR0hUIGb4Y

I love the meshuggah tone on the nothing re-release but it would literally would be nothing without that bass :)

one thing I never knew until I saw that video is the bassist doesn't down tune so he's playing in the same octave as the guitars
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MrBump on March 31, 2009, 02:46:54 PM
Fave tone is probably Gary Moores tone on  his Wild Frontier album - by fave album, and the one that turned me onto distorted guitars...
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 02:54:34 PM
Dont make me choose!!!
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: phlip on March 31, 2009, 04:25:24 PM
Favorite Due to it's influence on my playing am musical taste, not the best 'TONE'

http://www.mtv.com/videos/the-cult/58886/fire-woman.jhtml
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: dave_mc on March 31, 2009, 04:34:40 PM
Dont make me choose!!!

+1 :lol:
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: gwEm on March 31, 2009, 04:46:42 PM
incredibly hard to say, since i have a favourite tone for each of the different styles i'm into: hard rock, nwobhm, thrash and techno/industrial. some of the tones i pigeon hole with a certain genre are wrong period-wise, but to me it makes sense.

live at leeds, motorhead, zz-top, schenker ufo, early def leppard and early ac-dc have perfect hard rock tones, but very different

singling out witchfynde, diamond head, first sabbath album and mid 70s priest for the nwobhm sort of sound i like - i know priest and sabbath aren't nwobhm at all ;)

ride the lightning has a great thrash tone, and i like the painkiller period priest for that as well, though its very different take on that period, not really thrash. sometimes megadeth pull a nice tone out the back too.

for techno/industrial i'm going with my current favourites rammstein (though they can be a bit too fizzy) and slayer (though again not what most people would associate with those key words maybe)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Fourth Feline on March 31, 2009, 06:03:59 PM
As has already been noted, there is a 'favourite recorded guitar tone' in each seperate genre I listen to . For example ( in no particular order ) :

Larry Carlton's 'Sapphire Blues Band' era.

Micheal Schenker " Strangers In The Night " album.

Joe Pass  on the 'An Evening With Joe Pass' DVD.

Bill Nelson on the ( Be-Bop Deluxe era  )  'Live In The Air Age ' album.

Zakk Wylde - later Black Label Society stuff.

Gary Moore original "Parisienne Walkways"  single.

Marc Ribot sessions on Tom Waits 'Rain Dogs' ( and other T.W. albums ) .

Wilko Johnson on early 'Dr. Feelgood' stuff.

Peter Green on the original 'Need Your Love so Bad '  .

Robin Trower on the 70s album ' Robin Trower Live ' ( Daydream especially ) and cleaner playing on the later 'Long Misty Days' album.

John Mayer 'Gravity ' live version.

Billy Gibbons on 'Blue Jean Blues'

The Hoax , intro to " Swallow My Pride " from the 'Sound Like This ' album .

B.B. King ( many examples ) .

Adrian Ingram 'An Introduction To The Guitar Of '  Studio album.

Jim Mullen's guitar work on the Claire Martin debut album ' The Waiting Game'.

And many more ....    :)

Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Elliot on March 31, 2009, 06:24:02 PM
In terms of tone Richard Thompson's P90'd Goldtop on Tam Lin on Fairport Conventions' Liege and Lief and the really thin dark strat tone of The Chantay's Pipeline.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: shobet on March 31, 2009, 06:26:58 PM
My tastes change regularly, but I like the sounds that guitars make on the whole.

A tone that has always stood out for me is the sound of those first 3 power chords in Bad Company's song Bad Company, just at a minute into the track. Just listen to that 3rd chord, ooh I think I've come just thinking about it.  

Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: mecca777 on March 31, 2009, 06:32:22 PM
Too many great tones to choose a favourite! I can pick three albums:

Gn'R - Appetite for Destruction
Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

...but beyond that, I can't narrow it any further. I also love Kaki King, Robin Guthrie and Paul Gilbert for their tones, but they're not in the same class as those three - when I think "rock guitar sound" I'm really thinking of "Emerald" or "Sweet Child o' Mine", and Hendrix was an encyclopaedia of fantastic guitar tones.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Philly Q on March 31, 2009, 06:49:25 PM
Robin Trower on the 70s albums ' Robin Trower Live '

+1!  :D

But I really can't narrow it down, I have so many favourites, sometimes individual tracks and sometimes whole albums.

Blackmore on Made In Japan
Dave Meniketti on Y&T's Black Tiger album
Marty Friedman's solo on "Addicted To Chaos"
Robben Ford, especially on the Blue Line albums
Ronnie Montrose on the first Montrose album
Gwin Spencer on The Mother Station's Brand New Bag album
Bruce Franklin and Rick Wartell of Trouble on every single second of the Manic Frustration album
Whoever did the solo on "Shades Of Blue" by The Family Stand
Ty Tabor on the first four King's X albums
Michael Schenker on the Michael Schenker Group album
Chris Whitley on Din Of Ecstasy
Def Leppard on High'N'Dry
Rick Derringer on "Jump, Jump, Jump"
Tony Iommi on "Johnny Blade"
Martin Barre on Stand Up
Frank Hannon and Tommy Skeoch of Tesla on The Great Radio Controversy (especially "Makin' Magic")
Leslie West on "Nantucket Sleighride"
Lita Ford's solo on "Gotta Let Go"
Angus and Malcolm Young on "Hell's Bells" and "Touch Too Much"
Larry Gillstrom and Raymond Arthur Harvey on "Dreamin' About You" from Kick Axe's Vices album
Andy Powell and Laurie Wisefield on "F.U.B.B." (and everything else!)
Eric Gales on the first Eric Gales Band album
Vivian Campbell on the Holy Diver album
Carlos Santana on Santana 3 and most of their '70s albums

I'll stop now, but they keep popping into my head!


Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 07:05:04 PM
Right

This should be pretty metalicious

In no order, and I may change my mind within minutes

Sylosis - coaa
Metallica - ba
machine head - tmtc
origin - antithesis
Isis - panopticon
Bloodbath - nmf
Nile - aotw
Byzantine - tfc
CoC - wiseblood
Cannibal Corpse - kill
Russian Circles - enter
Pelican - austrilasia
Extreme - pornograffiti

That'll do for now.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Will on March 31, 2009, 07:08:05 PM
I have been enjoying Zakk on No more tears and No rest today, but to pin it to one song...
Def Leppard: Rock Rock - thats the spine tingler for me
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Ian Price on March 31, 2009, 07:20:38 PM
My tastes change regularly, but I like the sounds that guitars make on the whole.

A tone that has always stood out for me is the sound of those first 3 power chords in Bad Company's song Bad Company, just at a minute into the track. Just listen to that 3rd chord, ooh I think I've come just thinking about it.  



I'll probably get shot for saying this but I had never heard the song until today. I've listened to it a few times and after 1:00 all I have is a vision of you doing stuff in your pants  :? It is good stuff though and I may need to buy some.

I love threads like this as it get's me listening to music that I had never listened to or would not have even known about. Youtube is great for some things!
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: noodleplugerine on March 31, 2009, 07:23:15 PM
Right

This should be pretty metalicious

In no order, and I may change my mind within minutes

Sylosis - coaa
Metallica - ba
machine head - tmtc
origin - antithesis
Isis - panopticon
Bloodbath - nmf
Nile - aotw
Byzantine - tfc
CoC - wiseblood
Cannibal Corpse - kill
Russian Circles - enter
Pelican - austrilasia
Extreme - pornograffiti

That'll do for now.

What's with all the acronyms? Now I have to look up half these albums on wiki - well I would if I didn't know most of them.. But for those who don't.. Good choices btw. Specially Pornograffiti and Antithesis.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 07:23:46 PM
Albums. Less typing.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 07:27:46 PM
Right

This should be pretty metalicious

In no order, and I may change my mind within minutes

Sylosis - conclusion of an age
Metallica - black album
machine head - the more things change
origin - antithesis
Isis - panopticon
Bloodbath - nightmares made flesh
Nile - annihilation of the wicked
Byzantine - the fundamental component
CoC - wiseblood
Cannibal Corpse - kill
Russian Circles - enter
Pelican - austrilasia
Extreme - pornograffiti

That'll do for now.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: shobet on March 31, 2009, 07:30:34 PM
I'll probably get shot for saying this but I had never heard the song until today. I've listened to it a few times and after 1:00 all I have is a vision of you doing stuff in your pants  :? It is good stuff though and I may need to buy some.

I think you should rephrase that ducky!
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Ian Price on March 31, 2009, 07:33:43 PM
I'll probably get shot for saying this but I had never heard the song until today. I've listened to it a few times and after 1:00 all I have is a vision of you doing stuff in your pants  :? It is good stuff though and I may need to buy some.

I think you should rephrase that ducky!

Whoops  :o Obviously I meant buy some Bad Company stuff!
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: AndyR on March 31, 2009, 07:48:59 PM
Right

This should be pretty metalicious

In no order, and I may change my mind within minutes

Sylosis - conclusion of an age
Metallica - black album
machine head - the more things change
origin - antithesis
Isis - panopticon
Bloodbath - nightmares made flesh
Nile - annihilation of the wicked
Byzantine - the fundamental component
CoC - wiseblood
Cannibal Corpse - kill
Russian Circles - enter
Pelican - austrilasia
Extreme - pornograffiti

That'll do for now.

Thanks MDV - noodle was right about the acronyms...

But, alas, I was still none the wiser :lol:

I've heard of Metallica (I've even heard the Black Album!) and Machine Head, and Extreme... but... er... that's it...

However, gulp, via spotify, I've been listening to Cannibal Corpse's Kill now - and all my hair has suddenly turned white!!  :o

(um... I like the guitar tone though :lol:)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 07:55:58 PM
Yeah, you may have gone for the deep end there :lol:
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: AndyR on March 31, 2009, 08:09:57 PM
Yeah, you may have gone for the deep end there :lol:

:lol:

Actually, since posting, I've been listening to Byzantine (spotify doesn't have the album you mentioned, but they have "Byzantine" by "Julian Sarkes Byzantine" - this the same guys?) - and I've just realised I've heard four tracks now, over 20 minutes in... and I'm actually enjoying it :o (completely ARSE snare sound though :lol:)

Just put the headphones on the missus to explain to her why I wasn't responding to "can you put the pasta on dear?", and also why my eyes have glazed over... and she "quite liked it" as well! That really surprised me!

Looks like we might some Warpigs in this house after all...
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MDV on March 31, 2009, 08:13:09 PM
Nope, not the same guys!

Byzantine have done
- the fundamental component
- ...And they shall take up serpents
- Oblivion beckons

Its just "Byzantine", and its all pretty good to awesome. "Jeremaid" might make a good starting point.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: il˙ti on March 31, 2009, 08:48:28 PM
I think I'm gonna have to devide it into categories here, otherwise there's no way.

Clean: neck humbucker on a big fat guitar. Think Wes.
Light gain / overdrive: Al Di Meola in the 90s (before switching to PRS)
Rock/metal rythm: Jon Schaffer anno 2007 and onwards. No contest.
Lead: Shawn Lane on Powers of Ten Live.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: CaptainDesslock on March 31, 2009, 10:52:44 PM
Hehe,

This isn't that hard for me, and anyone who knows me shouldn't be surprised :)


Matthew Bellamy playing "Blackout" at Wembley Stadium: Mississippi Queen through a Fuzz Factory with Delay
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: blue on April 01, 2009, 01:15:40 PM
i agree that it's hard to pick just one tone.  ones that immediately come to mind though...

the Wildhearts: Return To Zero   massive rythm guitar sound, just awesome.

Def Leppard: High'N'Dry      i'm not the first to mention it in this thread, and that is one great sounding album.

Brian Setzer on the Rumble In Brixton live album.  i'm sure he's had many great tones over the years, but this is the only one i have!  love it.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Philly Q on April 01, 2009, 05:33:51 PM
Brian Setzer on the Rumble In Brixton live album.  i'm sure he's had many great tones over the years, but this is the only one i have!  love it.

 :o  I think I've got that on DVD, but never watched it.  I must dig it out, God knows where it is.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: 38thBeatle on April 01, 2009, 07:30:44 PM
I would have a hell of a job answering this because my choice would change. One day I might go for Roy Buchanan, another day perhaps B B King and then maybe Jimi. *


* this time I noticed the singular "tone" but nevertheless managed, with a good degree of legitimacy I feel, to express more than one favourite.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: HTH AMPS on April 01, 2009, 10:01:52 PM
the opening chords to 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' can't be beat imo - raw, growly tone like a rottweiler mauling your bellbottoms.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Twinfan on April 01, 2009, 10:06:20 PM
Great choice Ian.  I love that one too  :D
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on April 02, 2009, 12:06:29 AM
Right now - Matthias Jabs on the Scorpions Blackout & Love at first Sting LP

Michael Schenker on the early MSG albums and UFO's Walk on Water

George Lynch on Dokken's Under Lock and Key and maybe Back For the Attack

Mick Mars (Motley Crue) on the original (Indie) Leathur label release of Too fast For Love - so raw

Mark Kendall on Great White's First Bitten and Twice Shy albums
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: nfe on April 02, 2009, 12:29:47 AM
Awfully, awfully hard to answer, obviously.

I'd be tempted to say it's those on the latest Enslaved record, Vertebrae. But maybe it's those on Dopethrone by Electric Wizard. Then it might be Blast Tyrant by Clutch. Hell, it could be lots of things.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Twinfan on April 02, 2009, 08:28:23 AM
Interesting reading!

I found it really easy to pick a favourite, whereas a lot of other folks like more variety.  I wonder if that's indicative of our own personal 'tone hunt'.  I have a very definite idea of what I want my tone to be like, others maybe like to mix it up a bit more?
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Johnny Mac on April 02, 2009, 09:30:52 AM
This is tough, so many choices.

Jimi Hendrix on Killing Floor, Live at Monterey

Jimmy Page on Over The Hills And Far Away, How The West Was Won.

Dan Auerbach, The Black Keys on Grown So Ugly.

AC/DC Highway To Hell, Whole Lotta Rosie, Loads of their stuff has good tones on.

Steve Jones On Holidays In The Sun, Never Mind The Bollocks here's The Sex Pistols.

John Sykes on The Still Of The Night.

Zakk Wylde on Ozzy's No Rest For The Wicked.

Eddie Van Halen, Drop Dead Legs, 1984 & Mean Street, Fair Warning.

Larry Carleton, On Steely Dans' Kid Charlemagne and Josie.

Joe Walsh on The Jame's Gangs, The Bomber, Mama Says & Funk #49

Scott Ian, Finale, State Of Euphoria

Yeah that'll do, I've probably missed loads.




Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: _tom_ on April 02, 2009, 01:52:08 PM
Another great one is Michael Schenker on Strangers in the Night :)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: MDV on April 02, 2009, 03:20:21 PM
Necrophagist, Onset of Putrification

Not so keen on the songs (less still on the "Lyrics" and "Titles", if they so be), but muhammeds tone on there is STUNNING.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Catalyst77 on April 02, 2009, 04:40:31 PM
I'd go for Jesus just left chicago or Blue jean Blues from ZZ Top.

Bluestastic :P
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Plexi Ken on April 02, 2009, 08:12:10 PM
Not a very original choice but... Live at Leeds,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g30nwCpyaA

My older brother bought the album in late 70s and it's what got me interested in learning guitar.
The strange thing is, this is my favourite tone and I've never owned an SG w P90s !?
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: gwEm on April 02, 2009, 09:33:18 PM
Right now - Matthias Jabs on the Scorpions Blackout & Love at first Sting LP

Michael Schenker on the early MSG albums and UFO's Walk on Water

George Lynch on Dokken's Under Lock and Key and maybe Back For the Attack

Mick Mars (Motley Crue) on the original (Indie) Leathur label release of Too fast For Love - so raw

Mark Kendall on Great White's First Bitten and Twice Shy albums

great tones jonothan :)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: gwEm on April 02, 2009, 09:34:35 PM
Another great one is Michael Schenker on Strangers in the Night :)

i love his UFO period tone, its simply pure flying v.
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Frank666 on April 02, 2009, 09:35:32 PM
My favourite is deep purple machinehead. Love that tone
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: Fourth Feline on April 02, 2009, 09:50:52 PM
Brian Setzer on the Rumble In Brixton live album.  i'm sure he's had many great tones over the years, but this is the only one i have!  love it.

 :o  I think I've got that on DVD, but never watched it.  I must dig it out, God knows where it is.

I should have mentioned Brian on my 'list' - as I have the excellent  Brian Setzer Orchestra " Dirty Boogie" C.D. ( even the cover is cool ) - and heartily recommend the Brian Setzer Orchestra  'Live In Japan' DVD.   8)
Title: Re: What's your favourite recorded guitar tone?
Post by: PPPMAT on April 03, 2009, 08:38:45 AM
Double crossing time - Clapton Bluesbreakers (jtm45 an treble booster)
Queen - Live at the Opera - Death on 2 legs (Vox ac30 and treble booster)
Pinball wizard - Pete Townsend and a Sound City - crunchy yet meaty
Gimme a bullet - ACDC
Appetite for destruction - Slash and the mythical SIR

If I was pushed I would say Claptons tone was my favourite and i don't care what anyone says he used a treble booster to get that sound  8)