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We Are The Seekers Of Tone

In: Guest blogging Saturday Mar 8,2008

This post is brought to you by Jack Pribek of Pribek.net.

I have discovered Jack Pribek about 2 months ago as a very interesting person, very nice to talk to and always willing to share the experience he gained in over 30 years of guitar playing.

His first gigs were playing in southern rock bands at biker keg parties in the rural Missouri hills as a teenager. He spent much time as a sideman in various rock, country, r&b bands and even had a stint playing modern jazz in San Francisco. After backing a succession of young country singers that aspired to be the next big thing during the line dance boom of the ‘90s, he decided to chuck that life and concentrate on songwriting.

In recent years, he has collaborated with and produced legendary songwriter Bill Dees. This included an appearance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio last year.

Also, beside his music, Jack has some interesting ideas regarding society and politics, ideas that he shares freely on his personal website, site that I’ve come to read every day.

I invite you to read the following article and after this to visit his website and listen to his music! Enjoy (and comment)!

Fellow guitar players; We are the seekers of tone. Tone, tone, tone, have a conversation with another player, pretty soon the talk will turn to tone.

Here’s a funny one, I have some friends that backed guitar legend Bo Diddley for a show a couple of years ago. I asked guitar player, Donnie Thompson; how was the show? How was Bo? Was he good? Donnie said; “Well, he was really good. He just got this new amp and he was over there tweaking stuff during a lot of the songs but, he was good.” 80 years old and he’s still seeking the tone. Does it never end?

The other day, I was thumbing through an issue of Guitar World magazine. There was an article about the history of the Epiphone brand. In it, one of the Epiphone execs stated that the average Epi customer already owns six guitars. Six guitars!

You know, I have told people, other guitarists; “Well, I’m not as much into “gear” as a lot of other players are.” Over the past 20 years, I have usually owned one guitar at a time. I find a guitar I like, something that works for me and, I use for every gig and studio session. But, you know what? I started thinking about it and, in the last 18 months, I have purchased four tube amps and re-sold three, bought a fairly expensive multi effects unit and re-sold that. I tried one stomp box delay unit and ditched it so, I bought a different one. I recently got a compressor. And, I have an A/B box sitting here I used to experiment with the idea of running two amps on stage. So, I guess I’m not different after all. I’m a “gear” guy like everybody else. I just don’t buy a bunch of guitars, that’s all. Yet, I am endlessly seeking tone.

But, I think to myself; six guitars, man that still sounds like a lot. So, I googled this phrase; How many guitars do you own. And, I found this survey page at Harmony Central (http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1908595), “How many guitars do you own?” As of this morning, there were 366 respondents. To my surprise, the results do seem to, at least indicate, that guitar players usually have multiple guitars.

Here are some of the results.

Between two and five guitars-40.71%
Between six and ten guitars-27.87%
Between eleven and fifteen guitars-10.11%

Interesting; these results make me wonder this; “What kind of guitars are people buying?” Not, what brand names or body style, I wondering more about price range.

I found this information at Music Trades (http://www.musictrades.com/census.html). Music Trades is a publication that, among other things, takes census information from music retailers on a yearly basis. This data is from 2006, in the U.S. It shows price ranges and the total amounts of electric guitars sold in those price ranges.

Electrics

Under $100 256,354
$101 to $200 561,537
$201 to $350 195,317
$351 to $600 97,659
$601 to $1,000 61,037
$1,001 to $1,250 24,415
$1251 to $1,600 13,185
$1,601 to $2,000 12,207
$2,001 to $3,000 11,229

Total 1,501,000

A couple of things jump out at me right away. One is that an enormous amount of the guitars sold, are in the very low price range, the cheapos. Two, evidently there are less people buying those Fender Custom Shop, high end Les Paul’s and Paul Reed Smith pieces than I would have guessed. You know, every time I receive a catalog from one of the huge retail gear stores, there are expensive axes prominently featured.

I think that the huge number of guitars sold in the low price ranges (I would consider that to be under $350) is an indication that there are a lot of beginners out there.

This is what I wonder; what are the gigging players using? I suspect that most of the “pro” or “semi-pro” players are using guitars that would fall between the two ranges right above the lower end-$351 to $600 and, $601 to $1,000. Certainly, I would fall into this demographic. The guitar I use on stage is a Japanese made, reissue Telecaster that I paid around $500 for about four or five years ago.

Here’s the thing about that Tele though. When I bought that guitar, I had a vision; a quest for tone. I specifically looked for, what I would consider, a well made but not pricey Telecaster. Because, the first thing I did was, put a set of pricey Joe Barden pickups in it.

I think that’s what a lot of players are doing. I think that, in our quest for tone and, our desire to reflect our individual personalities with that “tone”, we are modifying these mid-level guitars. In essence, we are trying to take these mid-level guitars up to custom shop level. I may be way off base but that’s what I suspect.

So, here is what I want to know, Guitar Flame readers.

How many guitars do you own?
What is your main guitar and has it been modified?
How many of your guitars have been modified?
Are any of you playing these high-end, custom shop level guitars?
Are any of you playing a mid-level guitar that has not been modified?

Thanks Ovidiu for letting me be your guest here and having the floor for a day. And, to all you guitar players out there; Good luck and have fun seeking the “tone”.

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21 Responses to “We Are The Seekers Of Tone”

Ovidiu
March 9th, 2008 at 3:01 am

I think that we should also consider the monthly earnings when asking people how many guitars they have. For ex, here, $400-600 is somehow a medium salary so it is difficult to ask these people to buy a high level guitar. So we should also ask how much money do they earn each month.

Also, from an other point of view, I think that Herman Lee, the guitar player of Dragonforce(even outside of your musical tastes,he is still a professional guitar player ) has an Ibanez S520, I think, which is somewhere around $600 which is not a high level guitar, unless is modified or it is a prestige series that I am not aware of, which may be possible since I don’t follow all Ibanez guitars, as much as I love them.
Dr. J
March 9th, 2008 at 3:31 pm

I own 8 guitars, plus a bass, mandolin, baritone uke, sitar and banjo. My main guitar is the only modified one in the bunch; an Epiphone Sheraton. I’ve changed one pickup and will be having the second one changed this summer. I don’t consider any of my guitars “high-level”; they’re just guitars (and about half of them need new $tring$).

The weight of the Les Paul always bothered me; like wearing an anvil around your neck.
Pribek
March 10th, 2008 at 2:27 am

Well, you got me Ovidiu, Dragonforce is a little different than most of the stuff in my music collection. I was just over at YouTube watching “Through the Fire and Flames” and “Operation Ground And Pound”. There is no doubt in mind that those guys are all “professionals”. Herman and the other guitarist are very accomplished players. They both have more licks than a cat.

8 guitars! Dr J plus all that other gear, I’m envious. The “go to” guitar has been modified, I think there is a lot of that going around. I’ve always liked the Sheraton and have considered it a very good, mid level type, guitar that you wouldn’t be afraid to take on the kind of gigs I play, if you know what I mean.

BTW, the baritone uke is an underrated instrument, in my opinion. The above mentioned Bill Dees used one when he was writing with Roy Orbison and, told me that it was one reason that they came up with the chord progressions that many find so unique.
Ovidiu
March 10th, 2008 at 9:01 am

Yes, but they are too “crowded”, a bit of quiet wouldn’t hurt at all.
Pribek
March 10th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

“Crowded” is an excellent choice of words, Ovidiu.
TheEnemy
March 10th, 2008 at 3:21 pm

To continue the survey- I own four guitars, a brand new mid-high level Acoustic (~ $1100 US), a stock Cort m600 (mid-level, very underated guitar), a MIM Fender Stratocaster hot rodded (Lace Sensors Red-Silver-Blue, 500K CTS tone pots, sheilding, etc.), and then the Custom Beast that I built at a Purdue University workshop put on by Fender, Taylor, Seymour Duncan and Stewart McDonald. The Custom guitar is built on a Fender Scale, Basswood-Walnut-Zebrawood body, Fender Hardtail, Seymour Duncan Calssic ’59’s, Figured maple neck, Zebrawood Fretboard, Jumbo Frets, Assorted Fender USA Hardware. In essence I would say that I fall right into that mid-level hot-rodding group. Not saying if I could justify it I wouldn’t want a Custom Shop Gibson or Fender or PRS, or anything made by Ed Roman. Check him out for some wild, High Quality, Handmade guitars. (Not a plug, just a fun site to browse) Hope my post helps shed some light on the guitar playing public out there.
Sammy
March 11th, 2008 at 12:45 am

I only own three: My acoustic is a mid-low level Canadian made Simon & Patrick spruce top six-string. My two electrics are an ‘04 Gibson Les Paul Studio (all stock) and a 2007 Schecter Blackjack C-1 which is also low-mid level in price.

The Simon and Patrick is underrated and plays like an instrument 3 times’ its value. I love it.
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March 11th, 2008 at 10:55 am

[...] Jack Pribek’s blog, I’ve got inspired for this post. Actually, Jack was speaking about his guest post on my blog, and about a few words in my about page: “because you can not close the soul of an artist [...]
Kenski
March 11th, 2008 at 11:31 am

When I first read the post I thought I only had one guitar, a late ‘06 Les Paul Standard (no mods). Then I realised I have two, an Ovation 1861 Balladeer (USA made, no mods). For some reason I don’t consider acoustics ‘real’ guitars (I know that makes no sense whatsoever).

Then I remembered my old LP copy which plays like a plank of wood strung with twine, but I swapped out the pups for Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates. Sounds very loud and ‘hot’ but won’t stay in tune.

Add onto that a semi-functional banjo and two harmonicas, and that’s about it!
Ovidiu
March 11th, 2008 at 1:01 pm

Well, I also have one electric guitar, an acoustic that I really love and an old Spanish/classic model guitar that is a bit damaged, so I can not say I am one of the persons owning many guitars, as much as I would love to.
Gary Grainger
March 11th, 2008 at 2:51 pm

I only own 2 guitars now - an ESP Telecaster from the early ’90s (I’ve only had it a few months) and a Marlin acoustic (over 30 years old, Martin undersaddle pickup, I love it!)
Modified guitar? The ESP Tele - it looks like a custom model, but even ESP don’t know what it is exactly - it has a Seymour Duncan humbucker at the neck, Seymour Duncan single coil middle and Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck ‘bucker with coil tap at the bridge - 5 way switch too.
Main guitar is The ESP
High End Guitar? I only dream of playing a high end guitar, but I guess I’d be too worried to take it out - whereas the ESP has plenty of dings and character (pix on my blog: http://thumbrella.blogspot.com)
I guess you’ll be doing similar research on amps next, jack?
Ovidiu
March 11th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

Research on amps? Well, interesting thought, Gary! First thanks for commenting, I hope to see you back again commenting here, I read your blog constantly and I would love to know you read mine

Regarding amps, I would be curious hoe many guitar players actually go for the brand. Personally I play on a Russian amp that is old but works great. I would only wish it would be a bit louder sometimes.
Kenski
March 11th, 2008 at 4:29 pm

Back in the day (when I got my first guitar) I was convinced that Marshall was the only brand to have, but all I could afford was a cheap 20W valvestate practice amp.

I now have a 100W Marshall Valvestate VS100 combo, not because of brand loyalty, but because it came along 2nd hand at the right time and at a price that worked for me. The specific model was supposed to be ‘the one to have’ of the VS range. I got it cheap with the hope that one day I’ll be able to get something better.

I like it well enough, but it’s really TOO LOUD for home use. I imagine it may even be too loud for small clubs! It doesn’t stop me from using it at home… Our loft is nominally soundproof, but I just found out that the neighbours like to listen to me play Oops!

Based on ‘amp propoganda’ I’d love to have a real valve amp one day, perhaps a Mesa Boogie, though I understand you have to turn them way up to get ‘that sound’. Some of my favourite players use old Fender Twin Reverbs… modified, of course. I’ve played through a MB in shops whilst trying out guitars. Questionable whether you get any benefit of spending so much money unless you’re going to drive it hard.

I think what’s confusing these days is that you can buy some of the entry level amps from ‘big names’ and find that they’re made under licence, often in the Far East (same as some guitars). I’m not quite sure how you’re expected to appreciate the ‘heritage’ in such cases.
Pribek
March 11th, 2008 at 4:34 pm

Well Gary, you have somehow intuitively extracted what started this whole train of thought. There is this new line of amps on the market , Blackheart, that is a joint venture between Crate and, forgive me I don’t have the guy’s name, a boutique amp tube guru type guy. These amps are class A all tube affairs, manufactured in China and have a low retail price. The way these things are being marketed is this; they are “mod friendly”. These amps can easily be re-wired and they are also selling “mod kits”.

My first thought on seeing this marketing ploy was; It won’t work, guys want an amp that sounds good right out of th box. Then, I got to thinking that I’ve been playing modified guitars for about 20 years. I started looking around and, most of the gigging guitarists I know, have some kind of modification, most of the time pick-ups, on a more, mid or low priced guitar. It seems almost the norm and, I would say that the comments here bear that out, to some extent.

So, it seems that we have adopted the practice of hot-rodding our guitars, will we do the same with amps?
Sans Direction
March 11th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

1. no-name classical guitar, more for the kids than for me
2. 1980s Ibanez acoustic with neck problems and, currently, no strings
3. Supro lap steel
4. Fender electro-acoustic dread
5. 1988 MIJ Fender Telecaster, which is my most-modded thing, but so far, all cosmetic mods (black control plate, black knobs, bwb pickguard)

So that’s five. Plus the mandolin and two fiddles….

I have yet to hot rod my guitars, because I don’t really have backups. My acoustic can’t play as an electric, my lap steel is out standing in it’s own field, the classical just has no hole for plugging in and the Ibanez i essentially a dead thing. I’m thinking of getting a #2 Tele or similar guitar. If I had a spare, I would be far less fearful of messing up my #1 with foolhearty modifications.
Gary Grainger
March 13th, 2008 at 6:08 pm

I have what I consider to be the best amp I’ve ever had, which is a Laney VC30 1×12″ 30 watt Class A tube/valve combo - basically, so I’m told, a Vox AC30 clone with an extra drive channel. With that and my ESP Tele (see above) I’m better equipped than I’ve ever been before. I had been a transistor amp user for many years until my GK 250ML combo (really neat!) blew the speakers.

My co-guitarist at that time loaned me a “spare amp that I’ve got at home” - this turned out to be an original Marshall Bluesbreaker combo with a fantastic sound. He wouldn’t sell me it - I offered to have his baby! - but my conversion to tube/valve was instant, and the Laney came highly recommended by people who know about such things, including guys who hand build 7-watt tube amps.

I’ve had it almost 2 years now and I know that I haven’t explored the large majority of what such a simple amp is capable of - this is something I seriously need to do as my new band is coming together.

So for me, tone comes from:
a) the player - the heart, the soul, the brain, the fingers (in that order)
b) the guitar
c) the amp

After that, it is up to the listener to make of it what they will - the notes stop being yours as soon as they leave your fingers.

(Hey, this stuff isn’t too bad, think I’ll post it at my own blog too!)

So, I don’t know if this helps or interests anybody - but there it is.

Oh, and I visit here almost every day - great job, Ovidiu!

And if any of you guys haven’t checked out Jack Pribek’s tunes - go now!
IG
March 15th, 2008 at 5:29 pm

My question re: the guitar sales statistics is always, how many of those guitars (1.5 million in 2006) are in a closet somewhere, not being played? I’ve actually sent a letter to the US census before asking them to add a question to their census that asks household heads if there are any music instruments in their house and to describe what they are. I can guarantee you guitars would show up in lots of households, but who knows if they’re being played.

Anyway, I have 3 guitars, and I am very much like Pribek, don’t like to keep too many around and change main guitars rarely:

1. A Fender Strat, standard, no frills, black body and maple neck, my main guitar for my cover band gig.
2. A weird Ibanez humbucker Les Paul look-alike that has been modified like crazy. I use it mainly for the church gig that I do on Sundays. A nice rocking machine.
3. A Simon and Patrick electric acoustic, which is my main play-at-home guitar (all songs/riffs start with this guitar) and the one I intend to take on my future solo acoustic gigs.

And, I subscribe 100% to Gary’s theory of tone above.

IG
Ovidiu
March 15th, 2008 at 5:50 pm

Thanks,Gary, sorry for not answering earlier! I am glad you like the blog, I also read yours almost every day so this is a small world

For IG: yes, probably there are guitars not used or rarely used, but this still counts at sales, cause nobody bought them to keep them in the closet. I guess at one point they’ve played it!
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We Are The Seekers Of Tone

21 Responses to “We Are The Seekers Of Tone”

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