The Best Guitar Tone, in Your Opinion

Buddy Holly ... Danny Gatton ... Scotty Moore ...

I like those "old" clean tones!

Wow... Slash has been mentioned a few times. I must admit, the pure guitar sound in Sweet Child 'o Mine is sublime.

Anyway... the purpose of the thread was to talk about guitar tone, not favorite guitar players or favorite songs. I don't want people to feel like I asking them to single out a particular PLAYER or BAND and rank them above any other. I was just wondering what guitar tone really gets people excited. For instance, I like G'n'R but the entire "Appetite" album is a bit harsh sounding, but I love the tone on Sweet Child.

I guess I'm partial to the harmonized guitar sound... In addition to the "Boston" sound, I love the tones that Maiden uses on their "Piece of Mind" and "Powerslave" albums.

Even though i like metal music the best tone still has to be an acoustic or clean sound through your amp.
No effects and no bull&%& .

No matter what kind of music i/you listen to that will always draw attention.

Minus Human

Albert King, Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, David Gilmour all had some of the best gutiar tones.

Pat Travers and Pat Thrall
Bob Marley
Ulrich Roth
Glen Tipton and KK Downing

Tom Morello's guitar tone is what made me want to play and his tone still amazes me.

My favorite tone, so far, seems to be the one Clapton had while playing the Cream Reunion concerts. Everything else matters a little less when 'Stormy Monday' or 'Crossroads' starts playing (the DVD version sounds alot better). It's not heavily distorted. It's just Eric playing through his strat, and his (looks like a Fender Twin). To me, this is that nice, pure overdriven tube amp tone that everyone raves about. I would do anything to get a guitar sounding like that.

I have to agree with banre, I love Boston's tone. I'll put my own vote in there for Van Halen as well

I have to agree with banre, I love Boston's tone. I'll put my own vote in there for Van Halen as well...and Zakk Wylde...his tone is just so dirty yet clean enough...I just can't get enough of it.

EDIT: My apologies for the double post

My interests/tastes change from time to time. Right now I am really partial to:

Santana
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jimi Hendrix

I can't seem to get enough of them.

I've just started learning "Sweet Child" and I have to agree the tone on that song is a thing of beauty.

I'm also extremely fond of the sounds John Squire got on the "Stone Roses" self-titled album. It's extremely colorful and unusual in all kinds of ways, great combinations of wah and distortion and other effects that, to me, sound like no other records out there.

Jeff

Seeing that imitation is the greatest flattery and that I can't pick just one tone, mine would be:

Billy Gibbons
Angus Young
David Gilmour

Those are the three guitar tones that I most try to emulate (right now anyway). Each depending on my mood. ZZ Top when I want to get bluesy but with attitude. AC/DC when I want to rock out and Pink Floyd for those mellow moods.

Jason

For my slide playing, I try for Duanes tone (which is insanely difficult to produce on a strat).
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kD2xtn1mjWo

For my acoustic playing, I try to produce a noticeably spacious, airy, ambient tone (which usually means non-standard tunings). Kinda like what Michael Hedges has (another great whose tone, I'll probably never be able to produce).
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sh0vn8TgCeg

A tone much like Joe Pass's is what I like to hear when playing my electric. Low on the high frequencies, and higher on the mid and low. Even when im playing blues and rock (I'll just crank up the high freq. a tad) , I just love this tone for electric guitars.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=waG24FZIIAw

Santana is my favorite, followed by Gilmour and Page.

Knopfler and Gilmore.