While I was driving into work this morning, I was thinking about all the things I've learned about guitar tone over the 25 or so (!) years I've been playing. The money I've spent, the gear I've used, the people I've spoken to, the magazines I've read etc, and I wondered what my top 10 'wisdoms' would be. I made a mental note of a few, and over a coffee break this morning I've come up with the rest. I thought I'd share them and see what you guys think. Obviously these are all just my own opinion, and your opinions may well vary! :)
1 ) Great tone is all about the combination of guitar + effects + amp + speakers. Some elements just 'work' with others, and some just don't. Very few things work universally well with all other bits of gear. In the words of Paul Reed Smith - "everything affects everything else".
2 ) Your amplifier is as important, if not more important, than the guitar you use. Play through as many different models as you can before choosing which one to buy.
3 ) Anything expensive is nearly always worth the cost, unless it's specifically designed for collectors. In which case it isn't. This now applies to vintage gear, which should be left to the aforementioned collectors.
4 ) Some bits of gear, especially guitars, just won't suit you no matter what you do to them. If it's not over 90% 'right' as standard, sell it and buy something else. You can't polish a turd.
5 ) As tyres for your car are the link between you and the road, speakers are your tone's link to your ears. Like amplifiers, try as many different types as you can and buy the best you can afford.
6 ) Old valves are not worth buying any more as they're either worn out, rejects or ridiculously expensive. Use new JJs, especially the Gold Pin versions, as a default option.
7 ) ClearTone cables (
www.award-session.com/cleartone_cables.html ) are tonally transparent, high quality and incredibly well priced. Do not get sucked in by marketing.
8 ) Speaker cabinets should be made of birch plywood as this gives strength to the box and prevents the speaker sounding 'loose'. Cheap cabinets, made of chipboard, sound cheap and thin - regardless of which speakers are used.
9 ) Superb valve amp tone at low volume is very hard to achieve. Master Volumes only work if the amp's preamp tone alone sounds good. Power Scaling has a cut off where the valves just aren't cooking enough. Attenuators can colour your tone too much and they cook valves quicker. You have to find which option works best for you, as there is no universally 'right' answer.
10 ) At the end of the day, you will always sound like you. Use this to your advantage and chose the gear that suits you, and not what suits someone else. Use your ears!
