The Search for Tone

One of the most frustrating things about being a guitar player—or working with or living alongside one—is the constant pursuit of the “holy grail”… TONE. It’s a quest that not only drives us guitar players crazy but also affects everyone else drawn into our vortex. Don’t mention the “T” word.

Whether you’re just starting your journey as a guitar player or have been playing for a while and find yourself sucked into this search, there’s something here that may be of interest. And for the non-players—suffering bandmates, singers, parents, and partners—this might give you a little understanding.

The Elusive Grail

You think you’ve found it—finally, all your tone dreams have been answered. But this feeling, unfortunately, is fleeting. The number of times I’ve heard a player say, “This is it, the amp, guitar, or pedal I’ve always been looking for,” only to see them using something entirely different a few months later, is almost laughable.

I know a really good player who, over the last eight years, has cycled through 10 to 20 amps, countless guitars, and who knows how many overdrive pedals. Yet, he doesn’t sound any better than when I first heard him.

Ross with his guitar leaning down adjusting his Fender amplifier in the search for tone.

Part of purchasing new gear is convincing yourself that you’ve made the right choice—and then trying to convince anyone else who will listen. Self-deception is a powerful thing. Or maybe, the real tool is the person deceiving themselves in the first place.

It’s in the Fingers, Not the Gear

I know you’ve heard it before, but the truth is, it’s in the fingers. When you try to emulate your favorite players, you can get close—copy their licks, use the same gear. You might get very close, but you’ll never completely nail it.

I remember Mark Goldenberg, a great guitarist in his own right, telling a story about touring with the legendary Peter Frampton. During a sound check, he had the chance to play Frampton’s gear—his guitar, amps, racks of effects. But to his disappointment, he said, “I still sounded like me.”

There Is No Grail

Sorry to burst your bubble, but there is no “holy grail” of sound. There are some great guitars, amps, and pedals out there, and everyone who plays will add their unique touch, resulting in a different tone—not good, not bad, just different.

Different days, moods, stages, rooms, even weather conditions—all these things contribute to your sound, adding or subtracting elements.

What You Can Do

Get yourself a nice guitar and learn to play it. Take the time to develop your craft and your sound. Experiment, play around with different things, buy and sell gear—it’s all part of the learning process, and it never stops. Read up on gear, check out reviews, visit shops, browse online stores.

A good mate of mine, Shane Diiorio, has a great YouTube channel called “In the Blues” where he reviews a lot of gear with some help from Doctor Ric. It’s really informative and can be a great starting point.

Dream Big, But Stay Grounded

Dream of your fantasy guitar. I remember every time I went into the city, I used to check out this guitar through the window of Clements Music. I saved up for a couple of years and was eventually able to buy it. Lucky for me, it was still there—I reckon it was meant to be.

Dream and be obsessed with your instrument. I think this is a reasonably healthy obsession—if such a thing exists. But obsession with the mythical tone? That’s not healthy. It can never be reached, and it will make life impossible not only for yourself but also for anyone you have to work with.