Let's ALL take a reality check....

[Prog_Freak]

Yeah I ADMIT that i'm just as "Gotta buy that Guitar/Amp.Effect: it's got killer tone !!!" as the next guy, but after doing a very similar experiment to this video's I'm starting to re-evaluate the "Gotta have perception".
Check out what I'm yacking about at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Lb3u7-DHI

Just LISTEN and watch with an open mind........

 

[kamello]

gotta find something comfortable to play and that's it, everything else is just a luxuary. Nothing wrong with that though, as if I had the money I would just have a huge load of PRS's, Skervies and EBMM's

here I made a comparison with a friend using an RGA 321 with BKP's, and an RG 321 with stock pickups, both through the same amp sim and impulse, and then completely DI

https://db.tt/1Pccz7zB

 

[TedEH]

I get what this is trying to say, but it doesn't make it's point very well, for the same reason that you can't reliably use Ola Englund videos to tell the difference between amps. It's a heavily produced recording and a signal chain that's set up not to respond very much to different guitars. You could just as easily make the opposite point by using an amp that's more picky, take the boosts and compression etc. out of the equation, and avoid overproducing the tracks.

Some signal chains will sound pretty much the same with most guitars, sure- But not everyone uses that same generic metal sound.

 

[Prog_Freak]

I get what this is trying to say, but it doesn't make it's point very well, for the same reason that you can't reliably use Ola Englund videos to tell the difference between amps. It's a heavily produced recording and a signal chain that's set up not to respond very much to different guitars. You could just as easily make the opposite point by using an amp that's more picky, take the boosts and compression etc. out of the equation, and avoid overproducing the tracks.

Some signal chains will sound pretty much the same with most guitars, sure- But not everyone uses that same generic metal sound.

I understand your point on the "matter" (it's a complete NON-issue, just showing a ALt. perspective on the search for the "Golden Fleece" or magic sound). I'm taking the "claim" of same settings,eq,compression, matering/mixing techniques, etc. at face value, but it does raise a good point, unless you buy a "Chibson or Chibanez" (Chinese knockoffs) guitars a majority of manufacturers have much better QC, and their equipment is made at a much better standard every year, honestly there's gonna be very little if any earth shaking difference that people claim.
If you have a "picky amp" I personally think that the amp has issues.
I may not have a $5,000. "vintage" tube amp but honestly I find there's not much difference between my PRS, JP70 (Crunch/Liquifire PU) tonal wise. While neck/bridge PU select does help the tonal coloration it doesn't make a major diff. Adjusting the Amp settings and effects settings does a much major change in sound more than anything else,it comes down to exactly how a person adds their own "touch/stamp" on playing that makes or breaks the total sound. Seriously a pipe wrench across the stings as a slide sounds the same on a Ibanez G as well as $3,000 guitar, sounds like crap, unless you're good at that stuff. : )

 

[redstone]

- Once you mic a generic high gain amp, the cab/room or cab sim is your tone signature.

- 80% of electric guitars sound almost the same, whatever the wood species. It's just like the IQ, most people have about 100, but the other 20% can really stand out from the crowd. Most players won't buy enough guitars in their life to experience the difference. Use the right pickups for your guitars and they'll be even more similar. A superior sounding guitar really shines when one bends the strings or pinches some harmonics imho, everything else can be faked with proper pickups and EQs.

 

[rokket2005]

I know this all too well. Part of me is saying, "You don't need a VH4, you already have enough stuff," and the other part is saying, "Why aren't you buying a VH4 right now!"

 

[TRENCHLORD]

People definitely get too caught up in the latest greatest gear fads IMO.
Especially when it comes to amps I think people often give up on a model without even trying it with a different guitar, pickups, or speaker/cabs.
It's a helluva lot cheaper to swap pickups or trade cabs then it is to constantly flip amps, unless you're good at flipping used stuff for no loss, but even then there's shipping and new tubes and all that.

 

[Hachetjoel]

You can hear pretty clear differences if you listen with headphones, besides the sound is on a youtube video which is very compressed so the fact that you can hear the differences at all is amazing. and besides its the slight differences that make or break a tone.
also
it matters more how it sounds to you when you're playing it most. when you sound better you play better, so if it sounds better to you and you play better it makes a difference.

 

[Rev2010]

What I took away from that was the G&L Rampage sounded killer and the Agile sounded the worst.

That said, such things are a bit silly to try and compare via a YouTube clip. All of us on here know in person you can hear what you like and don't like. I have two 8 strings that sound wildly different when only being 1/2" scale length different - same pickups, same body woods, only difference is one is mahogany neck and the other maple - and surprise! The mahogany neck one with the 1/2" longer scale length sounds much more clear and less muddy.

EQ and mixing can also make world of difference but before all that is the *raw* sound. Just like a singer needing some reverb (for example) to hear while recording we, as guitarists also want to have a great sound upfront, and that often means we try other gear.

Of course there's the "buy" factor which does what... gives us a short dopamine hit to the brain... is it dopamine? No time to look it up. But it reminds me of of my favorite movie Contact when Palmer Josh says, "We have mindless jobs, we take frantic vacations, deficit finance trips to the mall to buy more things we think will fill these holes in our lives.." It's a real fact we buy things for other reasons.

I think the most important thing though that I've learned, and I'm 41 now, is yeah you might still buy crap for a while but when you nail a certain thing most people stop. I've never even considered another amp since the day I bought my Mesa Triple (which I'd always known I'd wanted having played them before, and all cop out purchases never filled the gap. My effect unit? I use a Boss GT-10, zero reason to keep looking for more. I do have a POD HD for direct recording and love it - though I will admit I've been eyeing a Kemper for a more accurate Mesa tone but I'm not willing to drop 2K *yet*.

It's all relative really, but I think once most people have been satisfied in a certain area they're good and many stop looking. Just sometimes takes a while to find that perfect piece of gear. Either that or most of us are all overgrown kids that just keep wanting more toys.


Rev.

 

[leftyguitarjoe]

I thought I was hearing differences. Then I closed my eyes and couldnt tell when the guitars were switching.

I've always told people that your amp is what makes 99% of your tone. The guitar is almost inconsequential, save for huge differences like single coil vs. humbuckers.

 

[Hachetjoel]

I thought I was hearing differences. Then I closed my eyes and couldnt tell when the guitars were switching.

I've always told people that your amp is what makes 99% of your tone. The guitar is almost inconsequential, save for huge differences like single coil vs. humbuckers.

just tried again with my eyes closed, could tell.

 

[simonXsludge]

- Once you mic a generic high gain amp, the cab/room or cab sim is your tone signature.

I have to agree. I recently profiled some amps/cabs with the Kemper for the first time and the cabs made the most dramatic difference by far. All of the three amps we profiled had their own character, but I'm sure with some in-depth tweaking, you could make them sound extremely similiar, to the point where you definitely wouldn't hear much of a difference in a mixed track.

The cabs we used were a Mesa Rectifier Oversized 4x12 and an Orange PPC412 - both were loaded with V30s, but sounded nothing alike, despite the exact same amp settings. Compare for yourself:

Mesa:
[SC]https://soundcloud.com/sludgestudios/5150-iii-mesa-boogie-recto[/SC]

Orange:
[SC]https://soundcloud.com/sludgestudios/5150-iii-orange-ppc412-merged[/SC]

I have a bunch of pickup shootouts on that same Soundcloud and can tell you that their impact on the tone is definitely more sublte than the difference the amp/cab combination makes. Not to say they're not important, those sublte differences have an impact of their own.

But anyways, the cab making the biggest difference in the signal chain is just my latest observation. I like trying all of these things and you can say what you want, but at the end of the day, there's always some gear that sounds and/or feels better to you.

 

[Prog_Freak]

Mesa , triple"..... damn I'm so freaking jealous... i have a 'poor mans mesa" a B52 LAWL

 

[Prog_Freak]

Well guess my ears can't pick up the subtle differences people say their hearing ( could childhood illnesses like Tube sin ears, Measels, etc.. be a factor ??).
Yeah "tweeking" the EQ can make anything sound the same, but I believe in the saying "Jimi Hendrix playing a cheap guitar STILL sounds like Jimi Hendrix.
In the end it all comes down to what makes you happy and not put you in bankruptcy LAWL

 

[Hachetjoel]

Proof the cab makes the biggest difference. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GalJHr4EOEk

 

[Rev2010]

Mesa , triple"..... damn I'm so freaking jealous... i have a 'poor mans mesa" a B52 LAWL

That's exactly what I'd bought at first, the B52 with the rectifier tubes. Never really liked it all that much because deep down inside I wanted the Mesa and the tone just wasn't getting me there. Eventually I caved in and bought the Mesa and used Guitar Centers two year no interest deal. Paid it off within a year.


Rev.

 

[JohnIce]

When you're playing big, open riffs at a moderate tempo, with moderate gain, and your drummer isn't going nuts behind it, the differences are more apparent. Mostly in how much "thump" you get and how pinch harmonics respond rather than just EQ. The riffs in the video are very fast and trashy with a ton of drums and don't really highlight any of that stuff.

Having just gone through all my guitars sound checking for our album recordings I noticed pretty huge differences, since big, medium tempo riffs with as little gain as possible is pretty much what we do

 

[right_to_rage]

The differences are so subtle that you can hardly tell. That being said there are subtle differences and think thats sort of the point behind having different guitars, everything gives a slightly different flavour.

My favourites were the Gibson SGJ tobacco sunburst and the Ben Wienman signature, least favourite was the Schecter Solo 6. I didn't think the Agile got a fair section to judge because it wasn't double tracked.

 

[Laimon]

I do agree with the point of the OP: I always had the impression that in most cases you can take any 2 guitars and tweak to the point they sound very similar, expecially with distortion and in a mix.
However:
a) there are parts in the video in which the tone is actually and notably inferior (ahem...Agile?)
b) while to external ears the difference might be imperceptible, that's a whole different story for the player, who is dealing with a real time response to his playing. Believe it or not, I've tried hi-end guitars that completely put me off with this - they were great sounding, but they responded in a way that confused me. And that's much more important for your playing ;-)

 

[Andromalia]

Some signal chains are way less dependent on the guitar tone than others. I own a dozen guitars with very varied specs and if some sound close to some others, some are vastly different.
If oyu use a signal chain that ends up only keeping a narrow band of guitar frequencies, well, yes, all you're going to get are those frequencies. Same with dynamics if you're heavy handed wth the compressor.

If you're piling on a tube screamer, a noise gate and an EQ somewhere in the loop you've already gone a long way to minimise the guitar tonal differences.