Do Jacksons sound worse than ESPs?

[tedtan]

“Tone is in our hands” is a nice platitude and all, but it’s demonstrably false. The same person playing through two different rigs/guitars will have two different tones. Technique is in the hands, and it’ll obviously impact how what’s being played is translated, but the essence of the tone is in the gear.

Yeah, but can give two different players the same guitar and rig and they’ll sound different, too. The overall tone is a combination of the player and the gear.

 

[Dr. Caligari]

So my thought would be that you try shimming the Floyd nut before you trade it/sell it, or maybe get it Plek'd? I'm not going to deny that Jackson has put out some dogs but I don't think that's the case here.

Hm I might look into that, thanks!

 

[Giest]

“Tone is in our hands” is a nice platitude and all, but it’s demonstrably false. The same person playing through two different rigs/guitars will have two different tones. Technique is in the hands, and it’ll obviously impact how what’s being played is translated, but the essence of the tone is in the gear.

Tone is in the hands the same way a good musician can make good use of any instrument. Look at Dimebag's tone. It's god awful, dude rocked it though. Look at Eric Johnson, also god awful just in a different way. Dude rocks it, though.

Also if you're ever quit for years to do life and stuff, you'll realize VERY quickly that literal tone is empirically also a huge factor of the hands regardless of musical context.

 

[xzacx]

Maybe it's just semantics, but to me, the sounds conveyed through attack/etc are different than tone. Two players through the same gear sound like two different players with two different techniques, but essentially using the same tone.

 

[B.M.F.]

trolling?

SS.org has a really bad BS-detector. Not the first example. This dude is blatantly pro-ESP anti-Jackson, for whatever reason. You guys feed the trolls ALL the time.
Here's an idea, more time spent practicing how to actually play = less time worrying over stupid gear-related crap like this. There are infinite variables among thousands of guitars, which you cannot quantify in one video (facepalm.)

 

[jaxadam]

Here's an idea, more time spent practicing how to actually play

What if you're already happy with your setup and how you play?

 

[B.M.F.]

What if you're already happy with your setup and how you play?

Taking my comment out of context, I’ve never met another guitar player that was 100% happy with their playing. Taking my comment back into context, gear insecurity is a real thing and this thread is 100% proof if it is not trolling.

 

[nickgray]

What if you're already happy with your setup and how you play?

That is just not possible.

 

[jaxadam]

I’ve never met another guitar player that was 100% happy with their playing.

Well now you have!

 

[Crash Dandicoot]

Construction, hardware etc. makes a difference to the tone. This I am 100% sure about.

How could you actually, empirically prove that? Where does your 100% certainty come from? If you're an engineer I know you don't rationalize things that have objective metrics with anecdotal experience and 'feel'.

I agree with you, to be clear. However I think in the context of an amplified, electric guitar scenario those elements make up maybe 5% or your 'tone'. The amount of demonstrable variables at play on the electronics side of things is so vast in comparison to the wood they're attached to the contrast is sharp and very apparent.

You'll get a pretty consistent echo-chamber here, though. You'd be better off over at TGP if you wanted to discuss the merit of 'construction influencing tone' concepts. They're a bit more receptive to that stuff.

 

[B.M.F.]

Well now you have!

And the point of that to the conversation was… ?
What a weird bunch around here.

 

[jaxadam]

And the point of that to the conversation was… ?
What a weird bunch around here.

Just a branch and sequel to your “here’s an idea…” comment. I figured you may have an additional seguay taking that into account from which to expound upon, but what a weird bunch.

 

[Emperoff]

And the point of that to the conversation was… ?
What a weird bunch around here.

His point was that he can probably outplay 99% of this board. So yeah, he might be happy with his playing

 

[jaxadam]

His point was that he can probably outplay 99% of this board.

I doubt that... Fred Durst is a member here!

 

[High Plains Drifter]

Game changer for me was when I upgraded the truss rod cover on my JS11. Sounded just like a USA Horizon II after that.

 

[Dr. Caligari]

Maybe it's just semantics, but to me, the sounds conveyed through attack/etc are different than tone. Two players through the same gear sound like two different players with two different techniques, but essentially using the same tone.

For what it's worth, I agree with you.

SS.org has a really bad BS-detector. Not the first example. This dude is blatantly pro-ESP anti-Jackson, for whatever reason. You guys feed the trolls ALL the time.
Here's an idea, more time spent practicing how to actually play = less time worrying over stupid gear-related crap like this. There are infinite variables among thousands of guitars, which you cannot quantify in one video (facepalm.)

I already replied to a similar comment but: I spend so much time on music that I can easily use some of it to think about gear.

How could you actually, empirically prove that? Where does your 100% certainty come from? If you're an engineer I know you don't rationalize things that have objective metrics with anecdotal experience and 'feel'.

I agree with you, to be clear. However I think in the context of an amplified, electric guitar scenario those elements make up maybe 5% or your 'tone'. The amount of demonstrable variables at play on the electronics side of things is so vast in comparison to the wood they're attached to the contrast is sharp and very apparent.

You'll get a pretty consistent echo-chamber here, though. You'd be better off over at TGP if you wanted to discuss the merit of 'construction influencing tone' concepts. They're a bit more receptive to that stuff.

I'm not an engineer by profession, I engineer my own music. So... I can say what I want without worrying about empiricism

 

[eaeolian]

Well now you have!

 

[xAtRx]

Tone is in the hands the same way a good musician can make good use of any instrument. Look at Dimebag's tone. It's god awful, dude rocked it though. Look at Eric Johnson, also god awful just in a different way. Dude rocks it, though.

Also if you're ever quit for years to do life and stuff, you'll realize VERY quickly that literal tone is empirically also a huge factor of the hands regardless of musical context.

If by awful you mean Godlike! LOL Everyone I know who chased Dimbag's tone never came close including myself. People forget that technique is also a huge contributor to tone. I played guitars from every production guitar manufacturer that i loved and hated. The most important thing is how the guitar feels, plays, and sounds when it is in your hands.

 

[kmanick]

I've owned dozens of USA Jacksons over the years and Dozens of Prestige /higher end /J custom Ibanez.
I don't think I've ever had two of the same model that sound exactly the same, even with the same pickups in them.
you could do this comparison with any brand each instrument is uniquely it's own s is each pickup.
OP sounds like a troll to me

 

[5dollarbrownie]

Like others have explained thoroughly, electronics make a big difference. Not only that but electronics configuration.

Tuning stability and intonation is a finer point that comes to mind as well. You can have the best guitar in the world, but if it's set up by an ape anything you play on it will sound like butt.

My ape luthier would like a word with you.