Tone chasing is exhausting

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 23705
  • Start date Start date
I have finally gotten to a point where I don’t care about chasing anymore. I have a handful of amps that cover all the sounds I like. Maybe not the most “elite” or fancy stuff, but far from garbage.

I decided a bit ago to not buy something tonally redundant just to have another thing. I remember I lusted after a BE-100 for years. Got one 3 years ago and it’s still an almost daily player. Just love it. A grail amp for me even if you can now get them at SW. 30 year old Jer saw it as unobtanium.

There are definitely cool amps out there like the Wizard stuff that I’d love to check out. Been wanting more time with the Omega stuff. Ultimately, I don’t know anything is going to sound or feel that much different or better than what I have to warrant the cost.

I have thought about getting into offering reamp services and bought a solid stable of mic’s. That’ll likely force me to eat my words… and buy more amps! Lol.
 
Racerxrated said:
Lots of THIS. After all the stock and modded JMPs and 800s, Jubilees I finally bought a totally stock early 70s SuperTremolo. I've owned a few similar JMPs but every one had a MV mod. Honestly, I wish I had bought one totally stock YEARS ago....I would have saved a ton of cash. None of the stock or modded 800s, or modded JMPs (I've had over 50 at this point by most of the known Marshall modders) can touch this 72' tone with just a couple pedals (cheap, less than 100 bucks for both) in front. Not even the Wizard MCI I had sounds as good as this Marshall, for what I like anyway. Now I know why guys loved using these amps with just a pedal or two, cranked. Tone of the Gods.
My desert Island amp, over anything I've owned including Wizards, C+, Camerons, Triple F, Naylor, SLO, anything.
It's the one that will remain if I decide to sell most of my gear.
Click to expand...
You need to be on a desert island to crank that fucker!!! :D
 
pipboy90 said:
Does anyone else feel the same way? I have enough self-awareness to know that I've recently been spending way more time researching and looking for deals on amps than actually practicing guitar.

It's almost like I'm never satisfied? I own an FM3, a Bad Cat Lynx X and I just got Revv Generator MkIII. They all sound great. But even today, I was looking at clips of KSR amps and wondering "Maybe I should've gotten a KSR instead of a Revv..."

I get it to some extent. You can only know so much about an amp from Youtube videos. You have to play them in-person to get an idea of how they feel and sound with your guitar/cab/speakers. Many high-end amps aren't available in most stores, so you either have to buy one yourself, have a friend that owns one, visit the manufacturer (if you're lucky enough to live close-by), or go on hearsay and random forum posts.

I dunno. I remember a simpler time when I was ignorant to all of this stuff and was happy with my $40 Washburn guitar and a Vox VT30.
Click to expand...
I think you need to redefine your vocation. You, and others like you, are not musicians, per se... You are consumers who dabble in music. I know a lot of guys who took-up the art of guitar playing, only to succumb to the witchery of consumerism. You need to find a "voice" that works for you, and stay with it. I don't recommend going back to a VT30, but an AC15 or AC30 (or Marshall Super Lead) paired with a choice overdrive/distortion pedal + slap-back is a great place to start. High gain can sound cool in a bedroom setting... but, as soon as you start playing live gigs, you'll find yourself backing-off the preamp distortion and jacking the midrange. To my ears, a non-master volume amplifier + overdrive/distortion pedal in the preferred recipe for great tone. If you don't like pedals, I recommend securing an old Schumacher powered Boogie Mark IIC+ 60 watt combo w/o EQ. If you're more into Marshall, the older JCM line (including Silver Jubilee) are industry standard. If you're into rack gear, the Boogie Quad preamp and Soldano XR88 are pure gold!
 
It is exhausting. Half of the fun for me is the chase though and I like learning about all the different types of amps. But I had been researching more than playing guitar. I only have 1 drum kit and play the shit out of it--I'm sure there is a moral in there.

Regardless, I kept always googling "amp 1 vs amp 2" and try and figure out which is better or how they are different. I bought basically every amp and rack preamp I could reasonably find that ever interested me at once (30-ish) and sold the ones I didn't love for my style of playing at the end. I Was able to have them in the same room and shoot them out head to head for a while so there were no more doubts. Since then my amp GAS basically died and I have been able to focus on playing a lot more. Not advising to do this of course, because it is insane, but GAS makes us do crazy stuff.
 
My main rig for past 5 years has been a Splawn Super Sport with Helix for affects, OD pedals, etc. For he time being, i am perfectly content... I have no clue how I will feel a month from now. Who knows, I'll prob start rolling tubes again.
 

Attachments

  • 20210707_110641.jpg
    20210707_110641.jpg
    4 MB · Views: 48
Racerxrated said:
Lots of THIS. After all the stock and modded JMPs and 800s, Jubilees I finally bought a totally stock early 70s SuperTremolo. I've owned a few similar JMPs but every one had a MV mod. Honestly, I wish I had bought one totally stock YEARS ago....I would have saved a ton of cash. None of the stock or modded 800s, or modded JMPs (I've had over 50 at this point by most of the known Marshall modders) can touch this 72' tone with just a couple pedals (cheap, less than 100 bucks for both) in front. Not even the Wizard MCI I had sounds as good as this Marshall, for what I like anyway. Now I know why guys loved using these amps with just a pedal or two, cranked. Tone of the Gods.
My desert Island amp, over anything I've owned including Wizards, C+, Camerons, Triple F, Naylor, SLO, anything.
It's the one that will remain if I decide to sell most of my gear.
Click to expand...
The interesting part about all of this is when something gets into your head. For example, I’ve had loads of late 70’s and early 80’s master volume Marshall’s. None of them lasted more than a few months. I HATED them. It took me years to learn the reason why… EL34’s. Everyone one of them came with EL34’s or were modded for them. I happened upon a 1980 JMP a few years ago (from kurtstuff) and it had a simple bias mod (lone resistor) for EL34’s. I removed the resistor, popped in a set of GE 6550’s and absolutely love the amp. It just has “that” sound. Of course some of it is likely that it’s a good amp sounding amp from the start. The amp is still bone stock to this day.
 
I've had a '69 plexi-panel 1959 that was stock except maintenance stuff, and a '72 metal panel with Classic Tone transformers. Both sounded about the same to my old ears and were fine, but I just preferred the 2204 personally. But that's true of every amp I've had. I've had a lot of 2204s and they pretty much all sound the same to me.
 
pipboy90 said:
Does anyone else feel the same way? I have enough self-awareness to know that I've recently been spending way more time researching and looking for deals on amps than actually practicing guitar.

It's almost like I'm never satisfied? I own an FM3, a Bad Cat Lynx X and I just got Revv Generator MkIII. They all sound great. But even today, I was looking at clips of KSR amps and wondering "Maybe I should've gotten a KSR instead of a Revv..."

I get it to some extent. You can only know so much about an amp from Youtube videos. You have to play them in-person to get an idea of how they feel and sound with your guitar/cab/speakers. Many high-end amps aren't available in most stores, so you either have to buy one yourself, have a friend that owns one, visit the manufacturer (if you're lucky enough to live close-by), or go on hearsay and random forum posts.

I dunno. I remember a simpler time when I was ignorant to all of this stuff and was happy with my $40 Washburn guitar and a Vox VT30.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure every guitarist suffers from this disease to some degree. It's almost like any other technology. Wether it be computers or cameras. Guitar gear is constantly evolving so much and the ads keep stringing you along. With the GC and Sweetwater messages left on my phone regularly and the pay per month ability, it's tough. Personally, I have come to the realization that practice on anything is much more important than gear. I recently sent my twin 7 year olds to piano and drum lessons and have been talking with the school owner/teacher. He plays Fender Squires with single coils through an old small Fender amp when at lessons. I told him I play guitar and showed him some sweep picking I've been practicing for months. He's about 65, 300lbs and a short Italian guy with short fat fingers. He grabbed that Squire, with no pedals and ripped up and down that Mexican Fender neck like EVH on speed. My jaw hit the floor. Sounded great too. I think tone has much more to do with the player and a lot less to do with gear. Granted, the Malmsteen speed run he let loose would have sounded even better with an ESP, some OD and a new EVH head but let's face it, it sounded much better than me on my Charvel through an Orange DT and a 2x12.
 
I went everywhere back in day and got lucky and met Todd Langner/ADA ect....he had the keys to the game and I took them and was off and running. I had a few amps he did, a 71' 100w sl and a 50w Park that was unreal. Still have my 71' the Park is another story. Always had great tone until Todd past away and couldn't find anyone to fix my amps until Cameron. Not into what people have to say about him, he helped me out and will always be grateful to him.

I can say before Mark there was a time that opened up the mesa underworld, the C+ and before that I briefly had a pre 500 chrome dual rec that was magic but it was the parallel loop that ruined it for me. I use racks and should have modded it to a serial path but that is another story...

The IIC +/++ i probably will never sell along with the Langner/Cameron/Monomyth. Speaking of Monomyth, who I have a few it just keeps getting better and better. The original mods and Origin 50 are absolutely crushing and with his unreleased amp one can only imagine how devastating it will be. The tone hunt was easy for me. Connecting with the right people was the hard part in all this. That's life...RIP Todd Langner
 
Last edited:
Beyond Black said:
You need to be on a desert island to crank that fucker!!! :D
Click to expand...
Just gotta wait and bide my time when I'm alone...like TOMORROW! :giggle:

Even with the volumes on 0, it still sounds good...like old school Joe Walsh. More vintage. When it's up, it's in your face ROCK.
 
AxeFiend said:
I'm pretty sure every guitarist suffers from this disease to some degree. It's almost like any other technology. Wether it be computers or cameras. Guitar gear is constantly evolving so much and the ads keep stringing you along. With the GC and Sweetwater messages left on my phone regularly and the pay per month ability, it's tough. Personally, I have come to the realization that practice on anything is much more important than gear. I recently sent my twin 7 year olds to piano and drum lessons and have been talking with the school owner/teacher. He plays Fender Squires with single coils through an old small Fender amp when at lessons. I told him I play guitar and showed him some sweep picking I've been practicing for months. He's about 65, 300lbs and a short Italian guy with short fat fingers. He grabbed that Squire, with no pedals and ripped up and down that Mexican Fender neck like EVH on speed. My jaw hit the floor. Sounded great too. I think tone has much more to do with the player and a lot less to do with gear. Granted, the Malmsteen speed run he let loose would have sounded even better with an ESP, some OD and a new EVH head but let's face it, it sounded much better than me on my Charvel through an Orange DT and a 2x12.
Click to expand...
Make no mistake though, that great player will sound great through anything....but when he plays through a 65 Fender and a pedal he will sound vastly different through a 74 Superlead and a pedal.
The gear you play through makes a big difference in your sound.
 
you don't know how exhausting it is until you're flipping all the shit that you just "had to try for yourself", especially before the you tube era. packing tube heads and all size speaker cabs, and lugging them into the drop off location, a few times a week. or taking apart 3 cabinets at once, and swapping all those speakers around to try different configurations, driving hours to meet people to buy gear from, etc. it is physically exhausting for sure.
 
Another reason for selling off almost everything and committing to going digital.
I can 'flip' now as much as I want without spending any cash. (y)

qc.jpg
 
realized years ago a plexi style or JCM800 style amp and boost is all I need. I did get a 6505MH for some rhythm tones, so I’m set, except for my current attenuator search to replace the one Ive used for 15+ years. Much happier just focusing on my playing and writing/recording.
 
Exo-metal said:
I went everywhere back in day and got lucky and met Todd Langner/ADA ect....he had the keys to the game and I took them and was off and running. I had a few amps he did, a 71' 100w sl and a 50w Park that was unreal. Still have my 71' the Park is another story. Always had great tone until Todd past away and couldn't find anyone to fix my amps until Cameron. Not into what people have to say about him, he helped me out and will always be grateful to him.

I can say before Mark there was a time that opened up the mesa underworld, the C+ and before that I briefly had a pre 500 chrome dual rec that was magic but it was the parallel loop that ruined it for me. I use racks and should have modded it to a serial path but that is another story...

The IIC +/++ i probably will never sell along with the Langner/Cameron/Monomyth. Speaking of Monomyth, who I have a few it just keeps getting better and better. The original mods and Origin 50 are absolutely crushing and with his unreleased amp one can only imagine how devastating it will be. The tone hunt was easy for me. Connecting with the right people was the hard part in all this. That's life...RIP Todd Langner
Click to expand...
Interesting
 
Bob Gjika and I both arrived at Mullard long plate 12AX7’s and JJ KT77’s being the master valves. Everything else doesn’t matter without them.

All of my amps please me perfectly now. It’s over, save one more Mofo and a 10n quarter stack. Happy to be satisfied these days.
 
Racerxrated said:
Make no mistake though, that great player will sound great through anything....but when he plays through a 65 Fender and a pedal he will sound vastly different through a 74 Superlead and a pedal.
The gear you play through makes a big difference in your sound.
Click to expand...
Definitely. I agree 100%. I've been playing for 28 years. What I've seen the most of though is guitarists who can't play chasing tone and buying thousands of dollars worth of guitars and amps. TBH I'm guilty of it too. I guess it keeps the musical instrument business full of revenue and therefore nice new products. It's just kind of like the weight loss pill everyone wants. The truth is it's years of practice that makes the tone and player stand out. Some of my fav guitarists have said they'd lock themselves in a room with a metronome for 8 hrs a day regularly as a kid. Skipping other activities. It's mostly dedication and hard work.
 
AxeFiend said:
Definitely. I agree 100%. I've been playing for 28 years. What I've seen the most of though is guitarists who can't play chasing tone and buying thousands of dollars worth of guitars and amps. TBH I'm guilty of it too. I guess it keeps the musical instrument business full of revenue and therefore nice new products. It's just kind of like the weight loss pill everyone wants. The truth is it's years of practice that makes the tone and player stand out. Some of my fav guitarists have said they'd lock themselves in a room with a metronome for 8 hrs a day regularly as a kid. Skipping other activities. It's mostly dedication and hard work.
Click to expand...
Also, I find in any sport or skill, from surfing to guitar, once you've really put the time in on the entry level gear, that is when the more elite gear makes the difference. Wether it be a fun shape board or my terrible GTX Strat i first had, you first have to stand or play. My cousin always had the best gear to start with. We'd go to guitar lessons together. I had this terrible GTX Strat that would never stay in tune. He started out with a sunburst Fender American Strat. I was jealous and I remember my guitar teacher calling my guitar a "pig bastard" because he had to keep tuning it. But the funny thing is, I'd play the shit out of that pig bastard GTX and my cousin never got past the Sweet Child Of Mine intro. When I finally got my coveted 94 American Strat in midnight blue, I cherished that thing. Still do. That's when I learned that all the gear in the world won't make a difference if you don't put in the time. In fact, having that pig bastard made me a better player. I knew the difference and felt it when I played my Fender. My cousin never did. Cool thing is people like my cousin are great because you can always pick up a hardly played gem from people like that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top