When did you become a tone snob??

[Carbonius]

I was just listening to Simon and Garfunkel's Concert in Central Park because it was on TV. As a youngster I was transfixed by their beautiful harmonies on Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits LP, so I tuned in to go down memory road. The first thing that hit me was the flat, quacky piezo tone. YIKES! I guess that was as good as it got back then for a big concert venue. I know the album would have had a properly miced guitar... but still. I had trouble getting past it. I was catching the encore and their harmonies were off, it was a short trip!

Then I remembered my early days of solo recording onto a 4 track. I had the identical tone from my guitar. What's worse (or better), is that it didn't bother me in the slightest when I was in my early 20's. What happened???

Did my hearing get more refined?
Is it a change of tastes?
Am I just less tolerant in older age?

I really don't know. One thing I know for sure, I am WAY more picky then I used to be. I don't know when it happened... but it certainly did happen. I became an unrepentant tone snob!

How about you??

Never. Some of the grittiest, most moving pieces have awful tone. e.g. Delta Blues, etc.

[BFD]

Your ear is more educated now; it didn't happen over night. Education tends to change or refine opinions. Doubtless you have a number of them that differ from your 'youngster' views.

[Bob Womack]

I don't know that I've ever become a tone snob. There are sounds that I love and I pursue them. Other people aren't searching for those sounds and they don't have the same sound. I think of Lindsey Buckingham, whose latest album with Christine McVie features a whole lot of peizo pickup sounds. He seems to love that sound, and he makes it pretty. I also realize that on an arena stage with a full band and thousands of watts of power behind you, the best thing in the world to prevent feedback may not be an internal mic.

What really got me into acoustic guitar sounds was the work of Joe Walsh and his producer through the years, Bill Szymczyk. They made acoustic guitars sound beautiful and interesting.

Bob

[Silly Moustache]

When my listening matured sufficiently, to seek out better instruments, and my finances permitted me to buy some.

Electronic amplification of acoustic guitars is STILL a massive compromise.
I have K&K minis in some of my guitars, but even through a good pre-amp, and into a good mixer into a good system - it is STILL a compromise.

What REALY tickles me is the notion of "modelling" ....turn a switch to "Martin D28 .......which D-28? C'mon!

My snobbery limits me to good guitars, and a good large condenser mic.

[Von Beerhofen]

Hi all, my name is Ludwig and I'm a tonesnob. Not that I'm sorry about it but it all happened when I started playing guitar and learned that there are way too many choices in tone for my limited budget.

Ofcourse I tried to get the best but I think I'm still a long way off from fullfilling my dream. I didn't do too bad though but there's still a lot missing and I doubt I'll ever be able to safe enough to cover my want.

However life tought me one thing and that's to cherish what you do have and that it's good to have a dream. If you'd have everything you'd want the dream would die and I can't see much exitement beyond that point.

I'm sorry for those who're still trying to become a tonesnob but I think anyone can become one if you just concentrate on your goals and put enough effort in. Good luck! Hey, and if you become a really skilled guitarist without having reached the tonesnobbery criteria just realise you're way better off and the path is still open.

Ludwig

[Tico]

Setting standards that match one's preferences is not snobbery.

Besides, like beauty, snobbery is in the eye of the beholder.

Personally, the more I learned and experienced the more I cared about sound quality.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by Carbonius

Did my hearing get more refined?
Is it a change of tastes?
Am I just less tolerant in older age?

Maybe all of the above?

Not sure exactly what a tone snob is.

For myself, I do know that I require a guitar with some richness, as opposed to tinny, thin. And it can't be too bright.

It can be a fundamental mahogany or walnut richness -- doesn't have to be the full-on rosewood richness/depth.

Often you have to pay for this quality, so I guess my tastes also got expensive.

[TKT]

Originally Posted by zmf

Maybe all of the above?

Not sure exactly what a tone snob is.

For myself, I do know that I require a guitar with some richness, as opposed to tinny, thin. And it can't be too bright.

It can be a fundamental mahogany or walnut richness -- doesn't have to be the full-on rosewood richness/depth.

Often you have to pay for this quality, so I guess my tastes also got expensive.

Same here, I think I have a better ear now than a few years back, but if all I had was a laminate Chinese made Yamaha JR2 for example (I had one when looking for very short scale steel strings to try playing guitar again), I'd be grateful to just have something to play, and would hope I could develop the finesse and skill to wring the most out of it possible.

[Mr. Jelly]

My opinion has evolved where I look at it from the perspective that no microphone, sound system, recording or pick up or even standing in front of an acoustic guitar player listening is even a close match for the tonal experience when you are playing the guitar.

[Tico]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

My opinion has evolved where I look at it from the perspective that no microphone, sound system, recording or pick up or even standing in front of an acoustic guitar player listening is even a close match for the tonal experience when you are playing the guitar.

I would agree, but I have not yet heard (with high-end headphones) a recording made with one of those dummy head mics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dummy_head_recording

Neumann's is $8,000. https://www.neumann.com/?lang=en&id=...00_description

[s2y]

Snobs care about what other people think and try to impress everyone. I like what I like and make no apologies. I don't care what other people use. I don't tolerate bashing another person's gear because that's about like insulting another person's spouse IMHO.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

What really got me into acoustic guitar sounds was the work of Joe Walsh and his producer through the years, Bill Szymczyk. They made acoustic guitars sound beautiful and interesting.

Bob

Bob,I would wholeheartedly agree.
Just listen to the first two and a half minutes or so of this:
gives me goosebumps every time...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3XSI_xwvss

[brancher]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

When my listening matured sufficiently, to seek out better instruments, and my finances permitted me to buy some.

Electronic amplification of acoustic guitars is STILL a massive compromise.
I have K&K minis in some of my guitars, but even through a good pre-amp, and into a good mixer into a good system - it is STILL a compromise.

What REALY tickles me is the notion of "modelling" ....turn a switch to "Martin D28 .......which D-28? C'mon!

My snobbery limits me to good guitars, and a good large condenser mic.

What he said.

I am not a snob, but I do know what I like. I guess I crossed that threshold when I played a Goodall TROM in a shoppe up in Maryland (shout-out to House fo Musical Traditions).

Since then, I've figured life is too short for bad-sounding guitars and crummy golf courses.

[The Bard Rocks]

"When did I become a tone snob?', you ask.

April 7, 2005. How's that? Actually, I never realized I was one until you asked.