Steve Vai's Tone Sucks.

[guitarzan_josh]

First I'll say that Vai is my absolute FAVORITE guitarist... BUT,

I find myself listening to his music (especially the later stuff) and really wishing that I could twist the knobs on his amp. I just cant figure out what it is. My guess is that it is just over processed or eq'd???? Early stuff.. like Flexable and the DLR solo albums sound great to me though.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

[tgreensl1]

Anything pre '95ish was awesome, after that his sound changed

[VitaminG]

Early stuff.. like Flexable and the DLR solo albums sound great to me though.

back when he was using Jacksons & Charvels?

[loki: god of chaos]

i think PAW sounds good tonewise

[Axewielder]

Yeah he does get up into that wah pedal pretty hard of late

[atomic charvel guy]

First I'll say that Vai is my absolute FAVORITE guitarist... BUT,

I find myself listening to his music (especially the later stuff) and really wishing that I could twist the knobs on his amp. I just cant figure out what it is. My guess is that it is just over processed or eq'd???? Early stuff.. like Flexable and the DLR solo albums sound great to me though.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

No sir, i'm on the same page. He's such a ridiculously great player that he can play through anything,
but even Eat 'Em and Smile i thought could have had a better tone too. And maybe it's just because my ears hear it that way,
but I would love to have him plug in, and let me dial in his sound -lol
Seriously, i am with you on this , i never liked his tone, at least when it came to the hard rock stuff.

[Grim]

Ibanez.


You may now lock this thread.

[VitaminG]

Ibanez.


You may now lock this thread.

I like Andy Timmons' tone. And George Benson's...

[atomic charvel guy]

I like Andy Timmons' tone. And George Benson's...

So do I G.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I saw him live in the late 90's I think and he sounded great...

I can't honestly say I've ever heard anything he's recorded since Flexable. :think:

[shreddermon]

Awesome player. Love Vai. One of the worst tones in rock guitar, though, IMHO. And I consider myself reasonably forgiving when it comes to famous guitarists' tone.

I think Zappa might've said it best to him: "Your playing is really great, but your tone sounds like an electric ham sandwich".

Amazingly, his tone still sucks all these years later.

[Newc]

But then it's his tone. Maybe he hears it differently than we do, or any mic known to man, or any recording engineer. Hell, maybe that's the best tone that works with Eventide gear.

At least he has a unique tone.

[toejam]

At least he has a unique tone.

I always thought he sounded very similar to Joe Satriani.

[markD]

nah, to me satch is more "nasal" whereas vai has more "fluidity". personally, i stopped listening to vai after "alien love secrets," but i love the tones on "passion and warfare."

[toejam]

IDK, I've only got two Satch CDs and a lot more Vai, but I think Fire Garden was the last thing I got from him. Haven't listened to either in awhile, but I remember certain things of theirs sounding very similar.