Early influences that shaped your sound.

[Tweedman]

I know it's been covered countless times on who influenced you to play but this is different. Who influenced you on how you wanted your guitar to sound? Mine was Billy Gibbons and Leslie West. In my mind their tones from back in the day was just superb.

 

[Carlo]

George Harrison
Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
Carlos Santana

 

[TheoDog]

90's Trey Anastasio combined with Delicate Sound of Thunder David Gilmour

I have been through periods where various amounts of my rig were based on their tones. If you looks at my gear now, you'd never know, but the sound in my head is based there and has developed into what I consider my signature sound.

 

[Tweedman]

George Harrison
Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
Carlos Santana

I'm kinda confused on this one. The first three would all be considered somewhat similar in tone but Santana is SO much different than them. Did he influence your sound in another way?

 

[Carlo]

I loved the guitar tones on Abraxas - and it was going between a Les Paul and a Strat that would make the difference. The LP gave me more sustain and of course a bit fatter tone. Couldn't quite nail Samba Pa Ti until I discovered P90s!

 

[Carlo]

P90s and a wah wah slightly open for Samba Pa Ti.

 

[Tone_Terrific]

For rock:
Joe Walsh
Pete Townshend.
Santana
Many others for other sounds and many examples of sound to avoid, as well.

 

[bdm]

Ian MacKaye

My guitar sound is basically early Fugazi even though the music I play bares little to no resemblance.

 

[TubeStack]

Billy Gibbons
Angus & Malcom Young
Eddie Van Halen

 

[mad dog]

Jesse Ed Davis
Johnny Rivers
The Ventures
Hendrix
Clapton

 

[Sean French]

The Rev
Joe Walsh
Michael Schenker
Joe Perry
Alex Lifeson
Tommy Shaw / JY Young
Ronnie Montrose
Duane
Angus

 

[NorCal_Val]

EVH
Allan Holdsworth
George Lynch
Eric Johnson

 

[Astronaut FX]

Earliest exposure to guitar was my Dad. First player who made me think "I wanna do that!" was Ace Frehley, but didn't start playing until a few years later. Earliest influences were Tony Iommi and Ritchie Blackmore. Later, became more influenced by Gilmour and Edge.

 

[eflatminor]

Jimmy Page on the Heartbreaker solo.

I also really dug The Doors sound on "Land Ho"

 

[Tommy Biggs]

I started playing because some guys I knew had a band. (I was in the 8th Grade), no mentors or big brothers - the hot guitar player had a Harmony rocket and played clean into a Deluxe.
Then one day I heard Mississippi Queen, and knew what I wanted to sound like.

 

[speedyone]

Ty Tabor
Yngwie
Paul Gilbert
Eric Johnson

I love high(er) gain tones, and warm/chorusy cleans,
so these guys are the pinnacle of the tones I love!

 

[rwe333]

Early musical heroes included:
George Harrison
Davey Johnstone
Johnny Winter
Rick Derringer
Al DiMeola
Rich Dobson/Stampeders
Joe Pass
Jerry Reed
Jeff Beck
Gentle Giant
Yes
Jan Akkerman

 

[crimson on pink]

James hetfield, stephen brodsky, adam mcgrath, ken andrews, greg edwards. For sheer fat tone, leslie west.

 

[jcgerm]

For me it was mainly...

Clapton
John Mayer
B.B. King
Brad Paisley

I love a warm, "round" tone with some gain. It's evolved over the years though.

 

[LadOfEastPoland]

One ultimate band.
STEAMHAMMER
This is so insanely sick:

Whatcha think?