Who wasn’t using a Marshall??

[Bob Zaod]

I think what a lot of these posts prove is that you don't need a Dumble or a Marshall stack to kick a$$.

 

[Bob Zaod]

I never got his tone except for a few songs. Sounds small.

I am paraphrasing but I once saw an interview with Dave Mustaine who said something to the likes of "Jimmy Page is proof you can have $hit tone, and be a guitar God". I agree.

 

[la szum]

Haha!! Mustaine is being ignorant!! Jimmy's live tone was like a lot of other guys live tones at that time. Hit and miss.

What is an inarguable truth, though, is that Jimmy laid down some of the most iconic tones ever put on 2" tape----and across
all spectrums---from clean to jangly, from slide to alternate tuned acoustic, from mandolin to 12 string. Not to mention producing
an entire band while he was doing all that. Yeah, Dave ain't winning that battle. Sorry, Dave.


Enjoy that Twat Tortex!

 

[Bob Zaod]

Haha!! Mustaine is being ignorant!! Jimmy's live tone was like a lot of other guys live tones at that time. Hit and miss.

What is an inarguable truth, though, is that Jimmy laid down some of the most iconic tones ever put on 2" tape----and across
all spectrums---from clean to jangly, from slide to alternate tuned acoustic, from mandolin to 12 string. Not to mention producing
an entire band while he was doing all that. Yeah, Dave ain't winning that battle. Sorry, Dave.


Enjoy that Twat Tortex!

I never got to see Jimmy live but most of the studio stuff I have heard I never liked his tone but love his playing and his songwriting. I feel the same way about Randy Rhoads.

 

[KingsXJJ]

I never got to see Jimmy live but most of the studio stuff I have heard I never liked his tone but love his playing and his songwriting. I feel the same way about Randy Rhoads.

A bridge too far. Randy’s tone was great IMO. Just needed a bigger bottom and more refined top end but his writing and technique overshadowed those shortcomings to me.

 

[Bob Zaod]

A bridge too far. Randy’s tone was great IMO. Just needed a bigger bottom and more refined top end but his writing and technique overshadowed those shortcomings to me.

Right. Randy Rhoads was arguably the greatest metal guitar player ever. I worshipped him. Never liked his tone.

 

[KingsXJJ]

Right. Randy Rhoads was arguably the greatest metal guitar player ever. I worshipped him. Never liked his tone.

I’ll bow to that…

 

[Rocco Crocco]

Ted Nugent used Fenders.

 

[James Freeman]

George Thorogood, cranked Fender amps.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Right. Randy Rhoads was arguably the greatest metal guitar player ever. I worshipped him. Never liked his tone.

Well then definitely don't listen to it isolated!

 

[la szum]

Jimmy Page didn't have a tone. He had tones. A plethora of them! World-class, timeless, will always be remembered
tones.

And live he had to try and replicate the intense production, layers, and arrangements of the records... and with
tech that was light-years behind what we have access to know. And still people can't approach what Jimmy Page
did.

But hey, it's so fun bagging on legends. So fun even a guy who has accomplished as much as Dave has can't help but do it.

 

[KingsXJJ]

Jimmy Page didn't have a tone. He had tones. A plethora of them! World-class, timeless, will always be remembered
tones.

And live he had to try and replicate the intense production, layers, and arrangements of the records... and with
tech that was light-years behind what we have access to know. And still people can't approach what Jimmy Page
did.

But hey, it's so fun bagging on legends. So fun even a guy who has accomplished as much as Dave has can't help but do it.

I don’t think any one is bagging on Mr. Page besides Mustaine. He made great music. But like the Beatles, guitar tones weren’t always the greatest. I might get beat up on this, but I feel the same way about Jimi. Incredible music just not tones I would shoot for. A few times each of these examples nailed the tones for certain songs though and that’s part of the reason they created classic tracks.

songwriting, technical ability, technique and production are all very different things IMO. I can make people sh!t their pants with some power chord riffs that have jaw dropping tone. But am I a great guitarist? No.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I think what a lot of these posts prove is that you don't need a Dumble or a Marshall stack to kick a$$.

Yes, that’s true. All you need is a Mesa Boogie Badlander.

 

[Bob Zaod]

Yes, that’s true. All you need is a Mesa Boogie Badlander.

YES!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bruce]

I never got to see Jimmy live but most of the studio stuff I have heard I never liked his tone but love his playing and his songwriting. I feel the same way about Randy Rhoads.

I’m sorry but the tone on Blizzard of Oz was awful. Just my opinion. Those same songs played on the tribute album live were just light years better. RR played with so much heart I’d have loved him if he were playing a kazoo. I sadly was only 9 when he died and didn’t discover his playing until ‘88 or so. It’s what made me decide I wanted to play the guitar. I’m not even sure how I got the record. I had Cindi Lauper, Hall and Oates BBB, Springsteen and Randy Rhodes Tribute and a couple other non metal barely rock records.

 

[jay mitchell]

But like the Beatles, guitar tones weren’t always the greatest. I might get beat up on this, but I feel the same way about Jimi. Incredible music just not tones I would shoot for.

Out of curiosity, what guitarists from that era created tones that you do like? Which recordings of theirs had those tones?

I can make people sh!t their pants with some power chord riffs that have jaw dropping tone.

Why don't you describe your idea of "good tone" and provide some exemplary links?

 

[Bruce]

I don’t think any one is bagging on Mr. Page besides Mustaine. He made great music. But like the Beatles, guitar tones weren’t always the greatest. I might get beat up on this, but I feel the same way about Jimi. Incredible music just not tones I would shoot for. A few times each of these examples nailed the tones for certain songs though and that’s part of the reason they created classic tracks.

songwriting, technical ability, technique and production are all very different things IMO. I can make people sh!t their pants with some power chord riffs that have jaw dropping tone. But am I a great guitarist? No.

The best songs dont typically have earth moving tone. Or players. Nothing will stop an unstoppable song. There really isnt such a thing as an unstoppable tone in my opinion. All of it being subjective, there’s good tone and not so good tone. What people care about is the song.

The guys you mentioned made music in a time that will probably never happen again the same way. There was no mold to follow and they made stuff up as they went along. Pan all the drums to one side? Sure! Close mic a guitar cab? Why? Ok lets try it.

If you wrote Satisfaction today you’d have 1000 forum guys telling you how to make it better. It didnt need to be better. It was what it was for when it was and that is the whole point for why it is what it is!

 

[KingsXJJ]

Out of curiosity, what guitarists from that era created tones that you do like? Which recordings of theirs had those tones?


Why don't you describe your idea of "good tone" and provide some exemplary links?

First point. Toni Iommi specifically Paranoid. Maybe Mississippi Queen. ZZTop. There are others I’m sure. Anything not thin, harsh or to jangly that has a full sound with a fair amount of gain. Jimi’s remastered tracks sound better today but the many of the originals blew chunks IMO. Same with some Page stuff too IMO.

Second point. Like the infamous “what is pornography question”. I’m not going to describe it but I know it when I hear it or play it.
It varies according to the song I am listening to and also to what song I am covering…is the tone a close match or a “better” version with my playing style? If so, then it’s good. If one of my originals is it faithful and pleasantly accompany what I am trying to produce so it matches the vision and sound in my head? Then it’s good tone. Ty Tabor has good tone. Jerry Cantrell has good tone. Dire Straits has good tone. Boston had good tone. Gilmour, Brian May.

But anything that sounds neutered or on the other end of the spectrum.. grating… isn’t good tone IMO. Others are free to feel differently.

 

[DrewJD82]

Hahahah I used to hate Zep because of Page's tone, I thought it sounded just like Plant's voice when he got in his upper register, thinned out and screechy.

My perspective on what makes me love a tone has changed incredibly since I was 14 and while I still don't dig a lot of Page's tones on their own, what makes a great tone for me these days is one that best supports a song to let the song be the song it's supposed to be. More shocking than that, there's a lot of early Gilmour tones I don't dig either, mainly the recorded ones as live I dug 'em more, but it wasn't until Animals that I dug Gimour's recorded tones. I think that's when he switched from the Fuzz Face to the Big Muff and started using a Flanger for a chorus effect, regardless, it was thin and sh*tty before.

I love Plant's voice now, I just had to become a singer first. Dude was an outstanding singer and I even dig his voice with the more recent stuff I've heard him do.