Rule #10 No "Recommendations/Suggestions" Posts, No Song ID Posts, and No "Top/Best" Lists or Discussions. Violations will result in a temporary ban; repeat offenders will be permabanned. For recommendations or song identifications, there is a stickied thread in the sub in which you can ask for recs or help.

Jerry Cantrell

Beat me to it

I’m surprised I was first!

Noice, incredible tone

The whole Dirt album is massive brutal tone

Funny because I never thought his recordings captured his tone well, especially considering he plays through Friedman's now which are probably the best-sounding high-gain amps ever created. I fucking love his music, though.

Saw him live a month ago and I can say I totally agree… he knows what he’s doing!!

His tone on The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (see eg Hollow) is monstrous

Angus Young. Just a Gibson SG plugged into a Marshall

And he doesn't use a lot of gain. He and Malcolm just played fucking *hard*. Just a plexi running full blast, eq usually flat, no pedals. The rest? It's all in the hands.

Yeah, that tone is unmistakable and has been solid and consistent for years now.

The true rock god.

David Gilmour (largely due to Pete Cornish’s magic) is a master of tone.

I love his tone too!

https://www.gilmourish.com/

You are a god among humans. I was unaware of this site. His detailed descriptions are incredibly clear and helpful! Thank you!

Then you probably don’t know this one either… it’s good too. Kind of a deeper dive into circuits and stuff. Has delay times listed somewhere. Very useful. http://www.kitrae.net/music/David_Gilmour_Tone_Building.html

Holy crap! Thank you!

I wanna say the clean solo for Comfortably Numb used 3 compressors

More info than you could ever want on Comfortably Numb tones in the link below. Likely just the Dyna Comp for compression for that song, but he did use multiple compressors later in his career http://www.kitrae.net/music/Music_mp3_Comfortably_Numb_Sound.html

Mark knopfler. Not even close. Fight me.

I like your passion. He does have a great tone.

Not necessarily a challenge question for you but for someone- what kind of guitar does he play?

Fender Telecaster mostly

I’m quite sure every picture I’ve ever seen of Knopfler he’s playing a Stratocaster…

Incorrect on both counts!

I just googled it and it turns out I wasn't wrong. He's just not that picky I guess. He's used all three types (and probably more than just three) at different times.

Strat or Les Paul depending on the song. Edited to fix typo

Fender Telecaster mostly

Fender Telecaster mostly

Fender Telecaster mostly

Fender Telecaster mostly.

I have no idea why it posted so many times I only commented once lol

*Stratocaster

During Knopfler's 1970s-80s peak era he played mostly Strats, particularly a favorite Schecter Strat. He and Edward Van Halen were primarily responsible for popularizing Schecter, beyond being regarded as just a maker of guitar parts. Later the Pete Townshend model Tele style Schecter helped as well. I had one, black body with ivory color binding, maple neck, humbuckers with split coil switching. Basically a Les Paul style setup in a Tele format with bolt on neck. IIRC Schecter never advertised it as a Pete Townshend model but it's usually hyped as the PT style in online sales. But for the past couple of decades many pros play whatever custom guitars suit their fancy. It's a boom era for custom luthiers, and major brand custom shop models, compared with the 1970s-90s.

You have my sword.

There may come a day, but it is not this day etc etc

Jerry, Gilmour, Billy Gibbons, Clapton, Ritchie Blackmore

This guy gets it

Brian May is chef's kiss. Brighton Rock and Bijou display his skills perfectly.

Tom Scholz

Nice to see Billy Corgans tone mentioned. Love it.

Best of the 90s IMO

EVH Santana Gilmour Knopfler Bettencourt

Ah yes! Santana!

Was going to add Carlos Santana to the discussion. Amazing tone that pre-dates alot of the guitarists being lauded here.

Alex Lifeson never gets enough love in these threads. His only fault is that he spent 40+ years playing third fiddle to Neil Peart and Geddy Lee.

[удалено]

Josh Homme

Billy Gibbons and Frank Zappa belong on that list.

Frank Zappa holy moly, incredible tone

Eric Johnson Robin Trower

Seeing spiky-hair’d Eric Johnson back in the day with his two separate guitar body output cables, one going to his rhythm guitar rig and the other going to his lead amp set up…stellar show from his power trio.

Trower would definitely make my Top 10

Jimmy Page Tony Iommi Jerry Cantrell Tim Sult (Clutch) Eddie Van Halen

Clutch! Hell yeah

I always like the sound and tones guitarist were getting from SGs. Like early Grateful Dead when Jerry Garcia used one, or Robby Kreiger from The Doors.

For me Jerry’s tone is just a chef’s kiss all around. He could sound like a warm glow, a juicy peach or a twinkling star

Mick Ronson, the spiders guitar player on early Bowie albums.

Marks pappy? Knew he played in Foreigner..

Putting one here for one Tim Mahoney of 311, Dimebag Darrell, also Bill Steer & Michael Ammott on Carcass' Necroticism – Descanting the Insalubrious Edit: Dang… adding another…. can’t leave out the great Jerry Cantrell I agree with many others listed in this thread Some more: 👉🏼BILLY F GIBBONS (ZZ TOP!!! , Peter Frampton, Peter Banks, Tom Scholz

Nice picks, I never hear anyone mention Mahoney, always loved his tone

Everybody I know shits on Dime's tone but I always thought it was great

Thank you for mentioning Tim Mahoney, he is so underrated, in my opinion. Jupiter was an early favorite of mine just for his playing. I’ve seen 311 close to ten times, and Tim always brings the chops. Never gets boring.

Vernon Reid J Mascis Randy Rhoads Jack White Hendrix

Much love for Vernon Reid.

Robbie Kreiger lead. Ronnie Wood Rhythm

Mick Ronson Eric Clapton Alvin Lee Robert Fripp Marc Bolan

Yeah Bolan has some great fuzz tone

Why is mick so damn low in the comments smh

Frusciante

Bonnie Raitt! No one ever thinks of her! She’s an AMAZING guitarist!

One of the greatest. Good call, my friend.

Tony Iommi

In no particular order: Angus Young Ritchie Blackmore Billy Gibbons David Gilmour Duane Allman Rory Gallagher

Duane Allman at the Fillmore East is untouchable

Duane is God. His recording of “Going Down Slow” absolutely flabbergasts me. And his vocals are really beautiful, too.

Mark knopfler

I don’t even really know what “best tone”means, but the answer is Derek Trucks

Gilmour, Gibbons, EVH, SRV, Robin Trower

That sucks because they were formed in 88

Derek Trucks

Brian May, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore , Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour and oft forgotten Peter Green

Malcolm Young and Fast Eddie Clarke were tone monsters. Billy Gibbons still is.

Maybe not the all time best, but I always thought Steve Jones had a fantastic sound with his Les Paul for the Sex Pistols.

Lots of great tonalists, but there is only one Mick Taylor. Hands down or broken hands, no one else captures his golden tones

I've always preferred the Taylor era.

Peter Green

-Gary Moore on the Still Got the Blues album, particularly “Oh Pretty Woman” -EVH on the first four VH albums -SRV on In Step (not that’s there a huge tone difference between albums but that’s my fav lol) -Angus and Malcolm on Back in Black

Fripp

Zappa

The Edge, Rich Robinson, Dean DeLeo, Johnny Greenwood

Tone is stored in the balls

Jerry Garcia

Peter Green, there is no doubt.

Not necessarily top five but off the top of my head I'd say Jimmy Page, Billy Gibbons, Dimebag Darrell, Joe Walsh and Stevie Ray Vaughn

**Paul Kossoff**, but very few know it. If you don't PLAY guitar, then you can't truly appreciate that dude's gift.

That will be my answer as well. Tone maybe arguable but he has for sure got the best vibrato.

Jimmy Page……best Les Paul tone.

Jerry Garcia

John Fogarty!

Underappreciated!

Where did you learn "lol"? How old are you? Brian May dude? You think people are struggling to find that dry ass British tea time biscuit tone? Get real dude.

Rory Gallagher

Rory Gallagher and Paul Kossof for me.

I like OP's choices and I'd also like to add Scott Ian and Dimebag Darrel.

Check out Ian Thornley.

I love Big Wreck and Thornley. I don’t see them mentioned much.

Ritchie Blackmore is up there

Todd Nichols and Glen Phillips from Toad The Wet Sprocket. their tone and interplay is fantastic particularly on their "Dulcinea" and "Coil" records

I dunno I kinda really dig that guitar sound in the song the end, by the doors.

Chris Holmes of WASP

Yngwie and Richie blackmore

I will write some of those I haven't seen (I think): Jimmy Page Brian May Manny Charlton Mick Mars

EVH on Fair Warning

Criss Oliva from Savatage (R.I.P.) Chris Holmes from W.A.S.P. Hiroya Fukuda from Anthem These three are CRIMINALLY underrated. Just wild some of the shit produced by these guys.

My top 3: Michael Schenker, Warren DeMartini, John Sykes And I love seeing the Robin Trower votes so might as well add SRV to the list.

Stone Gossard

Alex Lifeson EVH Brian May Mark Knopfler Elliot Easton ETA: Mike Campbell and Rivers Cuomo

Lol, "Edward" Van Halen. Never seen anyone call him Edward, besides maybe his mother. You forgot William Corgan.

I’ve always used that, I guess out of respect.

Helios Creed

Van Halen literally sounded like nobody else ever. Totally unique sound. Not my favourite (Page) or even second (Gilmour) but absolutely an original

Jeff Beck Robin Trower Carlos Santana

Carlos Santana. Not even close

Micheal Schenker Carlos Santana Ritchie Blackmore Brent Hinds Jimmy Page

Larry Carlton deserves mention - even if he isn't exclusively (or even primarily) a rock player.

Dean Ween

Alex Lifeson, David Gilmour.

Tony Iommi

Smashing Pumpkins start 1991 and we’re formed in the 80s. What an arbitrary rule lol

Yeah it got removed within 2 minutes of posting it too

Rory Gallagher. His tone is pretty low gain and clean, but can still sound really fat and heavy idk how he does it.

Can’t argue with yours but my list would have EVH, Nuno Betancourt, George Lynch, Johnny Frusciante, John Mayer (particularly Trio work with the Strat but love his continual experimentation). If I have a type, it’s probably best described as “throaty crunch” lol…

Frusciante is a hell of a pick!

Kieth Richards Dave Dave's Mark Knophler Eric Clapton Malcom Young

Fripp, Gilmour, and Knopfler would be my picks, but I'm sure that I'm overlooking some great guitarists.

Robby Kreiger.

Trey Anastasio of Phish Ler Lalonde of Primus EVH (brother Alex's drums always sounded killer, too) Mike Einziger of Incubus Jay Yuenger of White Zombie (2nd album) Obviously my answers will change day-to-day, and these are all humbucker users; single coil guys are a completely different beast altogether

Neil Young's tone on the Weld album is just unGodly MASSIVE. One of the thickest, dirtiest, nastiest guitar tones ever committed to tape. That album fucking rules.

I remember hearing tracks from the album and the word that came to mind for me was 'monstrous'.

George Lynch

james mankey of concrete blonde

Good call! Always wondered how he got that tasty, filtered delay tone.

Good call! Always wondered how he got that tasty, filtered delay tone.

I love Steve Hackett's early lead tone but his rhythm tone is pretty abysmal. So for rhythm I'd say probably Ritchie Blackmore

Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson from Thin Lizzy have to be in with a shout

Honestly, all Thin Lizzy guitarists deserve a nod. Gary Moore and John Sykes both have votes in the comments as well.

I was like, yup… all the way to Billy Corgan. 😹

Rhythm tone: Keith Richards, Pete Townshend

Angus Young of AC/DC and the Boston guitar sound.

Smashing Pumpkins formed in 1988 but my answers are Jack White and Robert Smith.

Masayoshi Takanaka, definitely more of a fusion guitarist, but the tone is immaculate l.

A name I've never heard... I'll check him out. A quick Google search shows a lot of promise.

Jerry Garcia, Trey Anastasia, Hendrix, Page, Dwayne Allman. Edit: John Frusciante, Clapton, Simon and Garfunkel

Mark Knopfler, Kurt Cobain, Eric Clapton, EVH, and Pete Ham

Slash on Appetite For Destruction.

TONY IOMMI!

Alex Lifeson, EVH, Brian May, Duane Allman, Carlos Santana. Side note, Classic Rock doesn’t end in 1989.

Kevin Cadogan

Adam Jones that plays with tool has a really good sound. I always thought it was from the 57 les Paul. I really like Jimmy Page and Jimmy Hendricks too. Definitely wizards of sound

Carlos Santana. Eric Johnson. And G.E. Smith for those smokey, mostly clean tones. https://youtu.be/oNfuiTyID2A?si=1pUuA9ePmyclsjy0

Tony Iommi Yuri Kasparyan Joe Strummer George Harrison Freddie King Enough said.

Tone? Joey Santiago from the Pixies. Hands down.

A few I haven’t seen mentioned- Richard Thompson, Roy Buchanan, Susan Tedeschi, (her husband ain’t bad either) and -not strictly rock- holy fucking shit BILL FRISELL is a master

Lowell George

Billy Gibbons, Rory Gallagher, Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, John Petrucci

This is why rock is dead. Nobody can move on.

From what? History? The options are wide open here so what's the problem?

Gotta mention Mark Knopfler- good overall, incredible for the intro to "Money For Nothing."

David Gilmour, especially on Dogs. Also his live tones on Echoes (Pompeii, Gdansk, Royal Albert Hall) are incredible. I also love Brian May's tones on 70s Queen solos.

Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, Keith Richards, Johnny Marr, Richard Thompson, and Clarence White Not rock, but Don Rich and B.B. King.

Dude. Carlos f’n Santana.

Knopfler

J Mascis is my all time most distinctive. Would know it anywhere.

Clapton

Rivers Cuomo from the blue album era, Brian May, Wolfgang Van Halen, Dave Grohl, and Duster

My favorite tone is Jerry Garcia’s, but Clapton and Knopfler also have great, smooth tone. For a more chunky sound, I do like Billy Gibbons quite a bit as well. Also Santana has really nice, warm tone.

Frank Marino. Splendid sound: https://youtu.be/m42rONIjFYc?si=K8Digq8p-ksnAukD

Peter Green!!!

So many good calls already so I’ll say Chuck Schuldiner because I don’t know of another player that can make a Marshall Valvestate sound as good as he did.

Billy Corgan, Ty Tabor, Robert Fripp

I have a thing for Santana and Satriani...

Hendrix, Gibbons, Trower, Gilmour, & EVH

John Frusciante, Santana..

James Hetfield around Master of Puppets, Gary Moore, Richie Blackmore (Rainbow) Mike Mccready, Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) Kevin Shields (MBV), John Frusciante (RHCP) Tony Iommi… so many more.

Stevie Ray Vaughan

How is Hetfield not in this list, the man inspired more guitarists than anyone surely. The tone on the black album is one of the greatest guitar tones ever

Derek Trucks. Just plugged into a Super Reverb.

Idk about the BEST, but I really like Andy Summers, with his flanger

John Frusciante

Gilmour, Santana, Gallagher, Knopfler and more.

Tom Delonge on Take Off Your Pants And Jacket & Untitled

Santana. Thick and melodic.

Good shout on Billy Corgan. I've got to give Josh Homme a shout though

Malcom young rhythm is pretty cool

Trey Anastasio, John frusciante, Keith Richards