Does a crap tone leave you "uninspired" to play?

[vklobucar]

See here's the story....

A while back I had put together a monster rack that ran stereo through two 4x12's.

The guts of it was a Marshall JMP1 with some awesome effects processors including a much cherished, rare and deeply missed Loft analogue chorus/flanger unit. Think Baracuda by Heart....

It sounded like heaven and don't just take my word for it. A few semi pro friends were blown away not only by the various tones but also the clean and perfect wiring in the back as well.

Long story short, the wife moaned and groaned that it was to costly, to big, blah blah....

Fast forward to 2008...

Wife is now ex!!!!!!

Monster rack was sold

In it's place I picked up a Line 6 Spider II with FBV pedalboard. Cool, I thought to my self the fisrt time I played through it. But I have now realized that it is so sterile and so uninspiring that I do not even want to play anymore.

Don't get me wrong. There is no shortage of great guitars to choose from. From a killer PC1 to a new black Charvel SD1 as well as a few others. But the amps tone just leaves me well blah!!!

I just plugged in the PC1 and played all of what three minutes before yanking the cord out in disgust!

I simply gotta put a serious rack together again. Even at low volumes that 4x12 tube setup just made me want to play more and more. You know that tone that just has you slamming power cords for the first few minutes because it just sound so good and huge!

This time I think that I will really go all out with my new rack. Some things floating through my mind are a JMP1 with a Lexicon PCM71, a TC Electronics Chorus unit into a VHT2150 power amp running two 4x12's......

....and I will send a pic to the ex with some plastic blonde bimbo posing (topless?) on the effects rack!!!!

[jgcable]

I have to have good sound or I am totally uninspired.

[jacksonpc1]

I agree...how are you going to play to your full potential if you are unhappy with your tone. I couldn't play & would not want to for that matter.

[m2pmd70]

I don't think I've ever played with a good-sounding tone... maybe if I get a good amp I'll play more and actually learn something other than the same old stuff I keep banging out.

[thetroy]

With the band I will play with anything but anywhere else if it sounds bad I just don't play.

[Robert Burns]

You tell me? LOL !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6nk9JpfsxM&feature=related

[horns666]

I have to have good sound or I am totally uninspired.

Yes, absolutely. I don't even want to play these days if my amp's tone didn't call to me!!

Some days I think my playing sucks..but at least my amp will sound good.

Agreed!

[m2pmd70]

You tell me? LOL !!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6nk9...eature=related

Nice Warrior.

[themisfit138]

I am the same way, I need an tube amp with great tone.

[UFORocks]

Totally, tone means a lot. I've been in the endless search for the "right tone" for years now.

[Endrik]

different tones (wether they are from amps, pedals or guitars) and effects make me play and write differently.
sometimes I dig playing with small, shitty SS amp but I'd play with it differently than with a marshall full stack.
sometimes it's fun to mess around with that kind of shit... pretty cool for doing some kind of 60's style fuzzy garage rock.
but nothing beats a great rig with a great tone... you can bang a couple of simple open chords for hours without even noticing it.

[HugoLC]

Yesterdays I was at the bar and people there wanted me to come make a solo , so I get on the stage and looked at the rig ....Digitech .....the most digital thing in the world ...to told you I play a JCM 800 2203 nothing's more pur than this..so I get on the stage began to played and ...it was awfull ...pure shit haha with a 300 $ Ibanez and a Digitech through computer speaker nothing sounds good hahah

[markD]

truthfully, if i am not playing an EL34 loaded rivera, i am uninspired to play. some "tones" will excite me for about a minute, but then htere is something that sucks the soul out of my playing.

[horns666]

cut n paste from another thread.
.........................................

You know I was kinda blown away today. I went to GC and there was a B-52 half stack for $699. I thought it was new but it was used. So, WTF I tried it ..I was suprised that fucker actually sounded that good. I went right to the mean channel and it was thick and tight with plenty 'nuff gain. It was the price that made me check it out. For a half stack that you could find for $600 bucks..I gotta say its a great bang for the buck. They been around for several years..and this one worked just fine. I didn't get it up too loud but I don't assume that wouldn't be a prob.

It could be my kid's first halfstack...we'll see. He wants a PS3..but I'd rather get something like this for him..because he sure the fuck can't barrow my Uber!!!

Sorry to get off topic..but I really was taken back..it certainly didn't sound like crap!

[Aaronharmon]

I've said it in other threads. I will say it again. The Randall RM100 is the answer to all your prayers.

IMO it is the best head ever made. You can get any sound that you want out of it and it's all tubes.