Guitarists with the WORST tone

[Robert Burns]

Yeah monster in your face shitty tone!

You may like it - I don't.

Way too processed. Vai uses the whole kitchen sink when it comes to processing. I just think it destroys the natural sound of a guitar.

I like gain and reverb and thats about it. I like players who work on using their fingers and picking attack and vibrato to get tone - harmonics, overtones, etc...

IMO some of the very best tone ever to come out of a guitar was done by Michael Schenker. Listen to the song Save Yourself sometime. Simply awesome tone.

I know I know - Schenker uses a wah pedal and runs his guitar through it which gives him much of his tone. And it does sound great. But its not like his is running through an Eventide and TC Delay and the other stuff.

Saw Satch 3 or 4 times. Very cool. But again super processed. Lots of squeals, shrills and whatever else you want to call some of those sounds.

I like a more unprocessed sound and a player who uses his technique to create dynamics in the sound.

Yeah, i see your point... and i like Schenker too... (plus i love overprocessed TcElectronic/Eventide Tone too!

[Robert Burns]

Youtube is blocked at work, but if the Yngwie video is him at the Fender booth at NAMM '07, I know it. I'm a YJM fan, and think his tone is great, but it sucked there. I started looking closer at the videos for a Marshall and couldn't see one. I have a feeling Fender made him play through a Fender amp (maybe the Metalhead?). And it sounded like shit!

*** I wish everything Malmsteen had ever done, was like this pentatonic shredfest! Good tone here?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SzW8fi8z5C8

[Robert Burns]

But with the crushing bass...it's perfect imo
Plus with George...does he ever play anything lower than
the D' string? :ROTF:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CWntxpcq9FI

[Robert Burns]

Here ya go... now this is Tone in my book. Marcel Coenen...
check out his facial expressions! He knows he's a bad ass! :ROTF:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vCl9Ve67JO4&feature=related

[nhspike]

Here ya go... now this is Tone in my book. Marcel Coenen...
check out his facial expressions! He knows he's a bad ass! :ROTF:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vCl9Ve67JO4&feature=related

Oh my... He's just playing with us, isn't he?

[Trem]

(( That reminds me.... tar and feather me...but Beck's Tone SUCKS!
Always has been thin, and weird imo. I know he's supposed to be
a God and all that but imo his playing style is disjointed (i know, this
is probably the only reason he stands out) and has no melodic
content! There i said it! Lately he's gotten better...(jennifer Batten is
with him!!!!!!!

Blow by Blow???
surley you jest..

[Bodomhc]

Alexi Laiho

[GinSonic]

Even though this thread hasn't been responded to in 2 1/2 months, I had to get in on this.

There's so many variables that constitute good tone to one's ears. It's really individual taste, and I'm sure I repeated what someone probably said already in here.

I remember when all the hair metal bands were flooding the market; I was so sick of hearing another high gain whammy bar infused solo with right hand tapping. Don't get me wrong though, i loved what was going on at the time, but no one was standing out.

I recall when I first saw a young Death Angel band for the first time on "Power Hour" I thought, " Wow! There is absolutely no body whatsoever to their guitar sound!"

I agree that good tone doesn't necessarily make someone stand out, nor does a unique style, but I will say the combination of the two make for recognizable players.

As mentioned already;
Carlos Santana, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, Brian May;
I would add to this list;
Michael Schenker, Ritchie Blackmore

I would agree that that a couple of the above mentioned artists' tone don't do it for me, but they're interesting and recognizable, nonetheless.

True. Satch does lack pure oozing feel as far as tone goes, but he has some great moments. Mostly when he slows it down. Eric Johnson? I get sick of him pretty quickly. Same with Carlos, but at the same time, I love and appreciate what they all do.

Some others with great tone;
Gary Moore, Steve Lukather, EVH {on the first album}

What about some lesser known players?
Ronni Le Tekro, Brad Gillis, Adrian Vandenburg.....

I'm not too familiar with anyone newer. The bands, but not the names of the players. I do like the evolution of the electric guitar sounds that's going on. Alot of this insane, over the top distortion in newer bands really appeals to the metal head in me. Just not the gutteral vocal styles, but that's another thread.
Cheers!
G.

[atomic charvel guy]

Changing the negative "tone" of this thread here-
Favorite tones for post 1975- Boston-( Sholz- I've never heard a sound like that before) VH1-(still haven't heard anything like that before) Invasion of Your Privacy-Warren is a stud.
Hippie, you're giving way too much credit to Slayer-lol Amplitude Modulation is way better, but that's cuz I may love Motown tunes as much as any other kind of music.

[savage]

Are you kidding? The guys in Slayer make about the worst possilbe sounds you can make with a Marshall. Fuck they sound terrible. They're like this really loud AM radio without the clarity and crispness of AM radio.

yeah man they have the worst tone for solo's and the fact that they cant play solo's for shit makes it EVEN FUCKIN WORSE!
OH MY POOR EARS SUFFER LISTENING TO THOSE SOLO'S!
hey kerry and jeff you guys do know it is 2008 right?
it is about time you LEARNED how to fucking play and dial in a good tone

[savage]

Here ya go... now this is Tone in my book. Marcel Coenen...
check out his facial expressions! He knows he's a bad ass! :ROTF:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vCl9Ve67JO4&feature=related

isnt that kyle gass?
DAMN HE GOT GOOD!!!!
must have been after he beat satan in the rock off

[megamike]

love his playing but crappy tone .... STEVE VAI

[Learn Guitars]

Malmsteen could be running through a kazoo for an amp and I would still dig his shit. HEHEHHE. That last vid was killer for sure. Although, his tone would be better with out the leather pants.

[AfterForever]

Here ya go... now this is Tone in my book. Marcel Coenen...
check out his facial expressions! He knows he's a bad ass! :ROTF:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vCl9Ve67JO4&feature=related

I has some guitar lessons by him! Great guy, great tone indeed.

I also likes this version he did of the Dutch national anthem: http://youtube.com/watch?v=owt2adu9_cg&feature=related

As for bad tone, I never liked Loomis' tone much..

[GinSonic]

Songs with great tone???

Gary Moore - The Loner
Michael Schenker Group - Into The Arena
Whitesnake - In The Still Of The Night
Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
Black Sabbath - Supernaut
Vinnie Vincent - No Substitute

to name a few!
G.