Pick one tone that shaped you forever.

[Yamaha Man]

The tone of Stephen Still's guitar on "Treetop Flyer". I use that track to sound check my sound system, been using it for years.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by stevo58

https://youtu.be/JB-AvDN6phE

My brother bought this LP when it was released. I was five years old, and I loved it. When he was in school I would sneak into the basement and play it again and again. Loved that sound. Still do.

When I was in high school I lived in Belen, New Mexico. On many Saturdays, Bo Diddley and his small band, would play the Catholic Church CYO dances. He used to live a few towns over in Bosque Farms. I would stand in front of him to learn all the licks. And many years later, my duet, The Legendary Porch Pounders opened a show for him.

After the show was over, I hung out with Bo in the green room. While he was signing autographs for people, I was sitting there playing my resonator guitar quietly in the background. The next thing you know he was looking at me with an intense stare. I thought I was irritating him, so I stopped playing. But it was just the opposite, he liked the way I played, so he had me play some old traditional blues songs while he sang along. It was one of the best musical moments of my life! Yep I jammed with Bo Diddley!

[Ian111]

Jimmy Page. Whether playing a Fender or Gibson.

[dougdnh]

Billy Butler's sweet, ungadgety sound in Bill Dogett's 'Honky Tonk'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fa2ZKzfIP0&t=39s

[armando]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

I don't think there was one, but if I had to pick one person to sound like it'd be Martin Barre (Jethro Tull.) The funny thing is that his tone seemed to have nothing at all to do with what he was playing through. He went through a pretty significant progression of amps and guitars over the years but, at least to my ears, his tone never changed.

Are you kidding? His tone got worse over the years. The early albums done with a LP and Marshall were his best.

[nightchef]

Easy one for me: Roger McGuinn, Mr. Tambourine Man.

[nightchef]

Originally Posted by M19

Steve Howe's ES-175 on "The Yes Album."

This album was where I first fully grasped the power of the pickup switch. What he did with the round, bubbling tone of that neck pickup on "YIND" and "Perpetual Change" remade my world.

[Bluside]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

When I was in high school I lived in Belen, New Mexico. On many Saturdays, Bo Diddley and his small band, would play the Catholic Church CYO dances. He used to live a few towns over in Bosque Farms. I would stand in front of him to learn all the licks. And many years later, my duet, The Legendary Porch Pounders opened a show for him.

After the show was over, I hung out with Bo in the green room. While he was signing autographs for people, I was sitting there playing my resonator guitar quietly in the background. The next thing you know he was looking at me with an intense stare. I thought I was irritating him, so I stopped playing. But it was just the opposite, he liked the way I played, so he had me play some old traditional blues songs while he sang along. It was one of the best musical moments of my life! Yep I jammed with Bo Diddley!

That's a great story. Thanks for sharing.

[jmkratt]

James Hetfield....And Justice For All, I was hooked.

[KCharlesD]

Originally Posted by nightchef

Easy one for me: Roger McGuinn, Mr. Tambourine Man.

Same goes for me!

[6L6]

LATINIA by The Sentinals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at7N...&start_radio=1

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by jmkratt

James Hetfield....And Justice For All, I was hooked.

James Hetfield is an amazing rhythm player, probably my favorite. Fast, tight, complicated riffs and he can still sing while playing.

[gt5litre]

Jim (now Roger) McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacker stylings from Turn, Turn, Turn. What a song, what a great lyric it had and lastly the sounds emanating from that song were so rich. It set me up for a post-teenage search for a 12-string Rick! I have had 3 with my first being a 66 330 Fireglo 12. I wish I still had that one:

gt5litre

[jmkratt]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

James Hetfield is an amazing rhythm player, probably my favorite. Fast, tight, complicated riffs and he can still sing while playing.

Agreed! So precise. Love his tone too, particularly on that album.