November 18, 200817 yr comment_176522 While seeing the new Bond film this weekend, I was seriously impressed with Jack White's guitar tone on the song during the opening credits. Does he have other songs that have seriously delicious guitar tones? I like everything from ridiculously processed (Isley Brothers -- Who's That Lady; Shotgun Messiah's Violent New Breed; Nine Inch Nails; Landmind-era Ministry; etc.) to some nice subtle compression with maybe a little bit of tube distortion (Tommy Bolin's Savannah Woman; Al di Meola's Ritmo de la Noche; Eric Johnson) to some nice dirty spittle-flying guitar tones (ELO's Ma Ma Ma Belle; godhead's Fall Away) to ...uh, I don't know what to call it -- let's just call it David Gilmour -- his Pigs (Three Different Ones), Dogs, Echoes, Shine On You Crazy Diamond -- heck, even Rob Dickinson pulled off some great guitar tones on Handsome. And yes, of course shoegazer -- Black Metallic, Just for a Day, Loveless. So what are some of Jack White's songs with great guitar tones, and what are some of your favorites? I wanna hear. Report
November 18, 200817 yr comment_176534 Viking by Los Lobos from both the Sopranos soundtrack and the album This Time (which is out on MFSL sacd) Report
November 18, 200817 yr comment_176554 My absolute favorite "raunchy" guitar tone can be heard in Stone Temple Pilots song, Sex Type Thing. Particularly the tone during the chorus. Its full of mids and presence, but it doesn't go so far as to be 'farty'. Its just perfect. The way its pushed up a little bit in the mastering during the chorus gives it a little bit of kick. Report
November 18, 200817 yr comment_176576 Josh Homme's guitar tone on the Kyuss album [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Sky_Valley]Welcome to Sky Valley.[/ame] He played an Ovation jazz guitar through Ampeg bass cabinets, and tuned it down a couple stops. Report
November 18, 200817 yr Author comment_176662 Yeah, Julian Bream is nice, but classical guitars have too much "bloom" for my tastes, I much prefer the new style acoustic guitars that don't have those stupid resonances that are so hard to listen to. I don't know of too many classical guitarists that record with those, though, it's mostly the like of Fripp & co. (League of Crafty Guitarists, etc.) and other contemporary music makers. A couple more: Funk #49 -- Joe Walsh in the James Gang the ultra-bright acoustic guitars on "Life's Been Good" -- Joe Walsh solo the similar ultra-bright guitars on "Fire On High" -- ELO the one-two eargasm of "Witch Hunt" & "Vital Signs" on Rush's Moving Pictures Report
November 20, 200817 yr comment_177322 Pete Townshends SG + Sound City/Hiwatt rig from The Isle of Wight 1970 is almost unbeatable for me; I don't think you fit more rock into each chord than with that tone. I also love Michio Kurihara's totally jarring and insane sound in his solo on Boris & Michio Kurihara - Rainbow's title track: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1z0FGxWi7Q]YouTube - Boris with Michio Kurihara - Rainbow[/ame] Jeff Tweedy has kind of a similar effect on "At Least That's What You Said", apparently he was trying to replicate one of his panic attacks on guitar. Lesse... there's anything by Jimi, especially "Who Knows" off Band of Gypsies, also Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic on the entire album Maggot Brain--totally sweet fuzz/wah stuff. And on the subject of P-Funk, how about their bassists? Not just Bootsy's filters and tons of effects either, check out Rodney "Skeet" Curtis on "Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock?" Beautiful Alembic tone. Cecil McBee, who played alot with Pharoah Sanders and a bunch of guys on Strata East has a really earthy, soulful upright sound. Fred Hopkins of Air (the trio w/ Henry Threadgill, not the french dudes) does the opposite but equally well with his totally grinding, vicious plucking. Rodrigo Y Gabriela probably have my favorite acoustic guitar tone, especially Gabriela's strumming/percussion. As for Jack White, he has some cool whammy pedal stuff on "Little Cream Soda" on Icky Thump, but really anything with him usually has some cool axemanship. Report
November 28, 200817 yr comment_179517 Devin Townsend's stuff, in general, and definitely around the Terria album.. Starts off playing some of that delicious tonality.. more of it at some point in that vid or the second part of it Report
November 28, 200817 yr comment_179540 This is a tough question and I've been considering it for a few days, since I wasn't sure. I've decided that my favorite guitar tone is Wes Montgomery's. Not only for being very personal and easily recognizable, but for being spot on for the music he makes. After all it was the first time I heard Wes Montgomery when I was about 8 years all, on my aunt's Hifi, that I decided that I needed to learn to play guitar and that I needed to investigate that jazz thing. Report
December 24, 200817 yr comment_187721 I'm gonna have to go with Stevie Ray. Other than that, I think Dimebag Darrell sounds pretty amazing on his solid state shit, and Buckethead has some moments here and there, when he's not making weird robot noises. Report
December 24, 200817 yr Author comment_187729 's'truth. Electric Tears and The Big Eyeball in the Sky have some stupendous tones, but he can get pretty bizarre, too. Report
December 24, 200817 yr comment_187763 I'm right with you on Jack White. His tone is also phenomenal live. So far as I can tell, it is produced solely by mid-60s guitars manufactured for Sears through a digitech whammy and then straight to two Fender twin reverbs. In other words, really basic shit. Nonetheless, he makes that thing sing. Report
December 24, 200817 yr comment_187789 My favorite guitar tones come from Mark Knopfler and Junior Brown. Report
December 24, 200817 yr comment_187805 "Catch The Rainbow" by Blackmore/Rainbow...not sure if this in of out of topic... Report
December 28, 200817 yr comment_188600 Shawn Lane on "Time is the Enemy" Buddy Guy on "Stone Crazy" Devin Townsend on "Terria" But all-time favorite has to be Steven Wilson on "Up the Downstair" and "Voyage 34." NOT the shitty remasters - the originals. Don't get the remastered - which is actually re-recorded - Up the Downstair. It's a travesty. Most of it is re-recorded and all of the original emotion is gone. Get the original instead even though the production sucks. Report
December 28, 200817 yr comment_188632 I love many of the guitar tones from Claptons second box set; Crossroads 2 .... Live In The 70s. Try some Rodrigo_y_Gabriela [ame=http://www.metacafe.com/watch/777594/rodrigo_y_gabriela_orion/]Rodrigo Y Gabriela ? Orion - Video[/ame] [ame=http://www.metacafe.com/watch/779982//]Rodrigo y Gabriela ? Tamacun - Video[/ame] Report
December 28, 200817 yr comment_188636 Clapton playing Old Love in Unplugged is just fantastic... Report
January 2, 200917 yr comment_190365 My Morning Jacket on Run Thru. Again really basic tone but there's nothing wrong with that. Report
January 3, 200917 yr comment_190462 I've really been digging the tone on Isis' Oceanic and Panopticon. I can't decide which I like more... The thick cruch on Oceanic or the abrasive edge on Panopticon. It seems to vary listen to listen. Report
January 3, 200917 yr comment_190731 I would kill to get Derek Trucks live tone, not the slide tone but his picked tone. He uses his fingers like Jeff Beck instead of a pick I love that fat overdeiven tone. Report
January 4, 200917 yr comment_190761 Well there's the shoo-ins like SRV, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King and the other Blues greats. Take them out of the picture and it gets more interesting. Michael Timmins from the first Cowboy Junkies album, when they were still a garage band. A quick sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttYSs27FlGU Blue Rodeo also scored a nice one on 5 days in July Report
January 21, 200917 yr Author comment_197871 Okay, I have to add Timeout Drawer (specifically the album Nowonmai) to my list of favorite tones. When they go into full on rock mode, I just get these wonderful little feelings of bliss. Cases in point, "Blue-Eyed and Full of Horror" and "What Looked Like Morning was the Beginning of Endless Night" and the track that can be found on their MySpace and a bunch of other places, "Bursting with Tears, I Commit to Destroying You". I think they're doubling the guitar with some Moog, that's part of why I heart so much. Report
January 21, 200917 yr comment_197874 I know I'll get flak for this, but I'm Canadian and I love the tones in Tom Sawyer. Report
January 21, 200917 yr Author comment_197877 the one-two eargasm of "Witch Hunt" & "Vital Signs" on Rush's Moving PicturesThose are my favorite two, but the whole album is good. Some of the stories from that album are particularly interesting -- Alex standing on a boat in the middle of a lake to get that just right wind-whipped sound during "Red Barchetta" is a favorite. Report
April 8, 201016 yr comment_342483 I'd like to add two of my absolute favorite rock guitarists to this thread. Andy Latimer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJmMr1Io8wY&feature=PlayList&p=C088EBC395C27E48&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=16 Steve Rothery: (wonderful solo at 2:45) Report
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.