What Is The Best Tone You’ve Heard? - Page 3

SpruceTop · #31 11-20-2021, 01:56 PM

The following guitars I currently have in my stable may have the best tones I've heard: 2017 Huss & Dalton TD-R, 2015 Taylor 618e, 2020 Adamas I 2087GT-8, 2019 Emerald X20, 2020 Larrivee C-03 TE Tommy Emmanuel, 1983 Adamas II (long gone, and this model has a featured article in the December 2021 Vintage Guitar Magazine). The Adamas I 2087GT-8 really lit up today after I changed the factory-installed strings, which I always heard as sounding dull from day one, for a set of D'Addario EJ-16. The guitar now sings with that wonderful Adamas tone! Frankly, any of the seven Martin HD-28 axes I've owned, including my current one, have sounded wonderful too!

BrunoBlack · #32 11-20-2021, 02:11 PM

To my mind and taste there are simply too many fantastic guitars that I classify as “outstanding among equals” for me to ever choose a best guitar. There are some special guitars for sure, but after a certain point it’s about what a player can do with the instrument. For my money, the “best tone” comes from a great guitar in the hands of a great artist. Richard Thompson playing his signature Lowden is pretty outstanding.

OPJ77 · #33 11-20-2021, 02:58 PM

I’m surprised at how many of you own the best guitar you’ve ever heard. I’m sure that non many can make that claim. The best sounding guitar I’ve ever played is an old Hummingbird at GC. The best live tone I’ve heard is Chris Cornell. My favorite recorded tone is probably John Mayer’s OM. I really fancy that guitar.

SalFromChatham · #34 11-20-2021, 03:05 PM

I have owned about 30 different acoustics in the last twenty years. Most were really good, but five were exceptional...

A sitka topped Martin D-18 that I ordered (really a standard but with a different neck).

A Martin M21 Steve Earle.

A Gibson Hummingbird Vintage from 2016ish.

A Gibson 2010 J45-TV.

A Gibson J-50 Modern Classic from 2012

Funny thing is how blessed I have been to play these fine instruments, and yet they are kind of wasted playing Tom Petty and Jackson Browne.

There are a lot of great guitars out there and we don't necessarily need the best I suppose.

Br1ck · #35 11-20-2021, 03:18 PM

1939 J 35. 1965 D 18 1928 00 18

It's the J 35 that haunts me. It was by far the most busted up guitar I've ever seen for sale. Probably 20 major repairs.

FLRon · #36 11-20-2021, 03:26 PM

During a very difficult time in my life and I was guitar-less for a while, someone loaned me an older J-45 for about a year. Hands down the best all around sounding guitar I can remember hearing. One day I came home from work to find he had come by to get it. To say I was heartbroken would be a huge understatement.

warfrat73 · #37 11-20-2021, 03:32 PM

I played a Santa Cruz Vintage Artist many years ago that has haunted me... didn't have the cash for it, bought my Bourgeois instead.

My friend Bruce has a 1950s J-45 which is just wonderful.

Those are the two that I've played that really stand out to me. And then a couple of Kent Everett mini jumbos.

In terms of recorded tone, I can't get over this Bourgeois:

And this Dudenbostel:

There's surely some magic in the recording rig at TNAG.

Glennwillow · #38 11-20-2021, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Interestingly, I attended a workshop with him some years ago, where he did exactly the opposite. He started with full mic, then showed how a soundhole plug tightened up the mic sound, then he said he'd bring in just enough pickup to add some punch. Probably varies over time, or maybe venue or even song.

Yes, the soundhole plug makes a lot of difference, especially because Tommy plays with fairly loud stage levels.

As far as the proportion of mic that he adds to the piezo sound, the workshops I attended were in 2006 and 2007, so I can imagine that Tommy keeps making adjustments over time. He may well use a lot more mic today than he did 15 years ago. I would guess that this formula varies with who is his soundman at the time, and I know he's had three or four since I have been paying attention.

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #39 11-20-2021, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmasters

The best sounding guitar I ever played was a Collings D3 just like this, Adi top, BRW back and sides, and it had this combination of warmth and brightness. A truly exceptional guitar, one that I do not own.

- Glenn

Brucebubs · #40 11-20-2021, 03:46 PM

Many beautiful guitars in recordings .. like Will Ackerman playing his Froggy Bottom.

My 2020 Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 has just turned 1 year old and is sounding superb.

Sugar Bear · #41 11-20-2021, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPJ77

I’m surprised at how many of you own the best guitar you’ve ever heard. I’m sure that non many can make that claim.

Well, to put things into perspective, I've been playing for fifty-three years. In that time, I've owned and played many, many guitars.

After all that time, I know that the sort of guitar that is most likely to put a big grin on my face is going to be a Gibson Jumbo-shape made of spruce and mahogany.

And I have a bunch of them like that. So it's not really surprising that my Gibson that I mentioned previously is my favorite of all time.

But that's me. It's what I like. Somebody else might play it and say, "It's all right. But I like my Adi and rosewood Martin better.

What it comes down to is years of playing and knowing what you like. There was a time when I really didn't even know what I liked. But I homed-in on it over the many years that I've been playing.

bufflehead · #42 11-20-2021, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugar Bear

What it comes down to is years of playing and knowing what you like. There was a time when I really didn't even know what I liked. But I homed-in on it over the many years that I've been playing.

Same here. For me you can't get better tone than a D-18 with Retro strings.

smic28 · #43 11-20-2021, 04:57 PM

I make a distinction between live sound and natural acoustic guitar tone.

Live sound involves at least a pickup and probably other sound enhancements/modifications, so in my mind it does not really reflect the true sound of the guitar. Nothing wrong with that. I have done it many times. Nils Lofgren gets a great sound in "Keith don't go". That is a live sound I have strived for (but never achieved).

For natural sound, I am extremely happy with my Collings OM-1 Traditional (Mahogany). I don't think I have played a better sounding guitar for my style.

RussL30 · #44 11-20-2021, 05:01 PM

My stepdad’s ash body Guild D46. There’s just something so fantastic about the way that guitar sounds.

Kh1967 · #45 11-20-2021, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SalFromChatham

I have owned about 30 different acoustics in the last twenty years. Most were really good, but five were exceptional...

A sitka topped Martin D-18 that I ordered (really a standard but with a different neck).

A Martin M21 Steve Earle.

A Gibson Hummingbird Vintage from 2016ish.

A Gibson 2010 J45-TV.

A Gibson J-50 Modern Classic from 2012

Funny thing is how blessed I have been to play these fine instruments, and yet they are kind of wasted playing Tom Petty and Jackson Browne.

There are a lot of great guitars out there and we don't necessarily need the best I suppose.

Tom Petty and Jackson Browne are worthy of fine instruments, as are you.