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Post subject: 'Vintage' VS 'Modern' playing sound and tone
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:30 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I read in many strings here how many players look for a guitar and/or amp setup in order to get a 'certain sound', like 'nailing' some elses' tone. The list is infinite but SRV and Hendrix seem to get named the most.

For me, getting a sound that I like is more important than getting a sound that someone else has made famous.

How important is this to everyone out there as far as your choice of guitars and amps?

For reference, I play MIJ/CIJ '72 Tele Thinlines, the occasional CIJ RI Strat, a CIJ Squier Venus XII, and early '90's Guild Pilot basses. For a darker, bluesy sound, I use Hamer USA Specials. My amps are Blackface and Silverface Bassman heads, with a '65 Vibro Champ for practice. I didn't choose these due to any specific artist. Affordability was as much a factor as anything else, though I should point out that some of this stuff I bought 10 years ago!


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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:41 pm
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Rock Star
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I gave up a long time ago trying to sound like someone else. I buy gear that sounds good to me. I play in a style that makes me happy. For years I tried to be David Gilmour. I guess when your starting out it's good to have someone to emulate, to have sonic goals to reach to help you grow. Eventually though, you have to become your own guitar player.

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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:47 pm
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I don't try to sound like someone else. If I'm going to play I want to sound like me.

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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:51 pm
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Rock Star
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Another good point is that if you're trying to sound like someone else, by the time you master that sound it's obsolete and something new has taken it's place. A kid today trying to sound like Cobain is gonna have a hard time at band auditions since no ones looking for guitar players that sound like Cobain. Be yourself. It's much more satisfying when you make it on your own merits.

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Or is that a sears poncho?
Hmmm...no foolin ...." FZ


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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:54 pm
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cryingstrat wrote:
Another good point is that if you're trying to sound like someone else, by the time you master that sound it's obsolete and something new has taken it's place. A kid today trying to sound like Cobain is gonna have a hard time at band auditions since no ones looking for guitar players that sound like Cobain. Be yourself. It's much more satisfying when you make it on your own merits.


Excellent Point! I agree 100%

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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:44 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Agreed with all!!! I must admit that when I began, I was inspired by what I heard on the radio. I went through a SRV phase and a Slash phase, and while I learned a lot, I quickly moved on to what I liked to do, and what interested me more. I think most players do. However, I try to avoid the 'Blues Box' scale, once I get into it, I can't seem to get out of it!

I think that The Beatles inspired me the most, as their music showed the infinite possibilities that can be had with a guitar and a amp. Certainly not from sounding like them, but from where you can take the music. There's nothing wrong from learning from your influences. There is an old saying (perhaps John Lennon said it, and I may get this all wrong), 'A good musician is a bad thief, they always leave more behind than they take'.

Still, I keep reading about people looking for and/or getting that 'tone' that 'so and so' did. I don't know if it's marketing, preference, or perhaps I'm just getting old.


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Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 5:59 pm
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Yeah, agreeing with the above here.

I love to play with tone and I just play with w/e tone that takes my fancy when I'm just noodling. I like to be able to dial in a good tone for playing certain songs (eg round and bass-y for zep or treble-y for Rush) but all in all it's best to go with what you like.

For me that means a fender Jazz bass growl with LOTS of bass and some mids for clarity - cannot beat it IMO! On a fretless has to be flatties with jaco-esque mids boost, no tone, full bridge, 1/3 neck PUs.

But like I say, depends on my mood :D


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:23 pm
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Well,,, I'm not what you would call
a musician as I've only had three
lessons,,, but I think I've established
my own tone/sound...

Ya see, everyone seems to change
things on their guitar,,, or amp,,, such
as the pickups,,, bridges,,, or saddles,,,
speakers,,, tubes,,, well you get the idea...

I have two electric guitars that will have my
own sound/tone... One is a MIM Tele,,, the
other is a 5120 Orange Gretsch... You see,,, I
haven't,,, and don't intend to change anything
on them... They sound just fine to my untrained
ear... So my sound will be different than all the
others that have changed something on their
gear,,, but theirs may sound the same if they all
made the same changes...

The only thing I did to the Tele,,, and will do to
the Gretsch is have a set-up done by someone
that knows what they are doing...

==================================

Rasputan2


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:47 pm
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Hobbyist
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not important to me.i just crank it up and make it roar!


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:49 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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To Rasputan 2: That sounds like a great rig to start out with! What amps are you using?

A P.S. to all, I definitely don't mean to imply that younger players are the only ones that try to get 'that tone' that someone else did (they're probably more inventive than us old timers)-I've seen plenty of posts here from people who say they have played for 20+ years, and that their guitar (vintage, Custom Shop, whatever) gets THAT 'SRV sound', and I wonder: what else are you doing? It's not meant as a criticism, but I would think that there has to be more to someones' tone, sound, and playing than that. Or is there? And that is the question.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:06 pm
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twangee wrote:
That sounds like a great rig to start out with! What amps are you using?

I definitely don't mean to imply that younger players are the only ones that try to get 'that tone' that someone else did (they're probably more inventive than us old timers)-I've seen plenty of posts here from people who say they have played for 20+ years, and that their guitar (vintage, Custom Shop, whatever) gets THAT 'SRV sound', and I wonder: what else are you doing? It's not meant as a criticism, but there HAS to be more to your tone, sound, and playing than THAT. Or is there? And that is the question.


I'm not what you'd call a younger player,,, as
I'm 64...

I have three amps,,, well two really,,, cause I'm selling
the third one,,, a Fender 15R...

The two that I'm keeping and keeping stock are the
new SCXD,,, and a FM212R... I use the SCXD with
the Tele,,, and the FM212R with the 5120... That
gives me the sound/tone that I'm happy with...

Of course that's how I feel now,,, maybe if I really
learn to play things may change,,, but till then...

=========================================

Rasputan2


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:14 pm
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Oops! Sorry Rasputan 2-I should have said NEW players! Sounds like you've made nice choices, best of luck with that! It's all in the fingers...


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:35 am
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I'm in the odd position of being sort of a hired gun. I make music for advertising and shows, and my clients say things like "I want something that sounds like Mellencamp," or "I want a hip-hop feel for this" or "Can we do sort of a cross between jazz and country here?"

A recent client, a woman who owns a carpet store, knocked me out by saying, "I want something that reflects my personality... upbeat, fun, sexy... you know, like Prince." :shock:

So I guess I don't have a personal "tone." I play guitar to fit into a feel or sound I'm trying to get to.

As for choice of guitars and amps, that's the amazing thing. I've recorded hundreds of tracks in the widest range of styles you can imagine with a Strat-style partsocaster and a POD Pro. A bit over a year ago I started started using NI's Guitar Rig (awesome effects sounds), a cheap PRS with P-90s and a 5-watt tube amp (a tweed Princeton clone) that I can really crank for that instant Larry Carlton thing (I don't use the POD for lead parts anymore).

Tone and style really is largely "in your hands:" note choice, timing, pick attack and attitude are much more important in "nailing" a sound that what guitar or amp you use. Word to your mother.


Last edited by Gravity Jim on Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:52 am
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Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:35 pm
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Location: New South Wales or Wisconsin
cryingstrat wrote:
I gave up a long time ago trying to sound like someone else. I buy gear that sounds good to me. I play in a style that makes me happy. For years I tried to be David Gilmour. I guess when your starting out it's good to have someone to emulate, to have sonic goals to reach to help you grow. Eventually though, you have to become your own guitar player.


+1


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:23 am
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It's funny how at some point in time we all want to try to sound like someone else, then we just go for our own sound. That is the beauty of music, YOU make it sound like YOU want to. I try to stay away from effects pedals and try to get my main sound from stock guitars and amps. Man, you can get some crazy sounds from a 65 Twin R/I and Tele. 8) Let us all rock on!!!

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