Which affects tone most?

R

robboster

New member
-Guitar body wood
-Guitar top wood
-Guitar Neck wood
-Fretboard wood
-Guitar Wiring
-Pots and stuff (like resistors/rheostats)
-Pedals
-Amplifier

If you're gonna ask why I listed most of the parts of the guitar, it's because I'm wondering if they're changed for cosmetic purposes only, or to change the tone of the instrument :P
 
for me it'd be

1. amp
2. pedals
3. pups
4. type of wood on various parts
(i dont know but for me individual parts dont make a big diff in tone for me for eg the fingerboard and stuff)
but with that said try to think of how the little think would carve to an ideal sound, i mean it'd be absurd if i were to say that a single change on the guitar would make give you a totally different sound...

haha anyway im currently trying to play around with tone too haha im kinda new too so yea correct me if im wrong :/
 
robboster said:
Other than fingers... like stuff you can change...
Click to expand...
Got money everything also can change...

But anyway you can't compare parts of the guitar to external things like pedals. With pedals you can make your guitar sound like a violin or a spaceship or a dying cat... obviously affects tone on a different level than the various wood parts.
 
Other than the most obvious answer which is ur fingers. I would say the most impt thing would be knowledge n understanding.

Its not just the gear n ur skill only, but understanding wat tone is about, n wat tone u r after... From there, u can start building ur gears, instead of gear chasing!!! I have seen ppl who buy the gear that is super hyped of the moment, n buy it without knowing what it does or cant do, n expect it to fit into their rig... N they get angry n disappointed cuz they dun like it, n then they complain abt the thing being over rated. I noe of ppl who buy amps n later ask me why it sounds like that, n can i mod it!!! Im like wth, u paid more than a grand for a new amp, n now u wanna mod it n void the warranty, n u really think the mod will make it sound like u want it?? Mods do have its limitations, unless u r really changing the circuits, but thats really more like building another amp. So in short its like, u want a fender get a fender, n a marshall go get a marshall... Or like u get an amp thats supposed to do both, but then u realised its not really a marshall or a fender... Likewise for guitars, u want a les paul tone, or u want a straty tone.... Dun buy something hoping to make it sound like another...

Its not just about buying a new gear, plug n play n it will sound magical to wat i have alr, but how does it incorporate with my existing gears. I think its hard to answer which affects most, like body or neck or paintwork... etc

But my answer would be what is the weakest link in ur chain? Change that first, cuz ur only sound as gd as the weakest link. N also, be realistic n know about limitations.

Oh n u missed out on guitar speakers, cuz it make SO MUCH MORE DIFFERENCE than we expect
 
Weiht said:
Oh n u missed out on guitar speakers, cuz it make SO MUCH MORE DIFFERENCE than we expect
Click to expand...

Can you explain this? I've always been wondering why different brands have different speaker cabs for different amps, when the only obvious difference is the speaker wattage, other than the name of the speaker.
 
robboster said:
Can you explain this? I've always been wondering why different brands have different speaker cabs for different amps, when the only obvious difference is the speaker wattage, other than the name of the speaker.
Click to expand...

Different brands cab have different speakers in-built and their workmanship on the cab as well and choosing between a closed or open back cab. Different speakers have different characteristics to them. You cant just mix and match the amp and cab you want. Everything must be clear to you.
 
robboster said:
Can you explain this? I've always been wondering why different brands have different speaker cabs for different amps, when the only obvious difference is the speaker wattage, other than the name of the speaker.
Click to expand...

Hahaha.. Speakers play a HUGE role. You're better off doing your own research. Its way too much to type here
 
Its very hard to explain actually, but u can go onto eminence speakers site n listen to the different clips to give u an idea why dif speakers sound different. In simple terms, u buy a cheap earphone n gd one n u can tell the difference in quality, u can buy 2 gd ones at the same price, but they sound different... that is why the are many models along the same price range, cuz they serve a different purpose. Some nicer for cleans, some nicer for blues n southern rock, some best for metal...

I just speaking about speakers for now, not cabs. U can buy the same cab, but one fitted with greenbacks, n one with v30s n they sound so different. Then we have lower wattage speaker at 25-30w in a 4X12 cab, n when playing a 100w head, u can get the speakers break up as well. On the other camp, some prefer higher wattage speakers. Then there is also the different magnet used in them, which i think is unnecessary to get into now.

There's a reason why certain guitarist only use certain speakers.

One of the nicest tones i've heard is a tele straight into an old ac30 with alnico blues.
 
Different speakers exhibit different frequency responses and sensitivity levels. Frequency response is how a speaker would react to a particular frequency of the output signal. The sensitivty level is the sound pressure level produced by a speaker, under certain conditions. A Celestion G12T-75 would sound different from a Vintage 30 when hooked up to the output of the same amp.

G12T-75 frequency response chart
g12t_75.gif


Vintage 30 frequency response chart
vintage_30.gif


A good example is the Vox line of Custom Classic amps, specifically, the AC30CC2 and the AC30CC2X. Both amps share the same components but differ only in the speakers that are installed. The CC2 uses Vox-branded Wharfdale speakers while the CC2X uses Celestion Alnico Blues, the type of speaker used in the AC30s of yore. The tonal differences are there with the CC2X hitting the AC30's signature tone more easily than the CC2.

This is a video of a comparison between various speakers. The speakers are the independent variable while the other variables like environment and equipment are maintaned.

watch
watch

However, a guitar speaker works to colour the tone of the amp. For a more 'natural' reproduction of the amp's output signal, some like to use monitor speakers in place of guitar speakers, like the Eminence Delta Pro 12A. Was thinking of building a 2x12 cab to try out these babies.
 
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wow up till today i honestly thought that only the head plays the important role instead of the speakers.. haha
 
Also forgot to mention how the speaker cab is built makes a difference as well.

Type of wood used (ply wood, MDF, solid wood, etc), kind of wood (mahogany, koa, birch, etc), type of joint (dovetail, no joint, etc), baffle (read: type and kind), open back or closed back (allowing air to be moved in more than one direction), straight or angled cab (sound projection), grille (transparency of material) and the list goes on and on. Things are never as simple as they seem.

And carbon fibre enclosures are awesome.
 
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dodgethis said:
Also forgot to mention how the speaker cab is built makes a difference as well.

Type of wood used (ply wood, MDF, solid wood, etc), kind of wood (mahogany, koa, birch, etc), type of joint (dovetail, no joint, etc), baffle (read: type and kind), open back or closed back (allowing air to be moved in more than one direction), straight or angled cab (sound projection), grille (transparency of material) and the list goes on and on. Things are never as simple as they seem.

And carbon fibre enclosures are awesome.
Click to expand...

Wow... Even the type of wood on the CAB plays a part now? Amazing lol
 
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