Tone, and lacquer

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1022089' date='Nov 12 2010, 05:40 PM']Who can say how much the sound of a specific instrument is finish and how much is wood/electronics/hardware?[/quote]
Any one with an internet connection and the ability to post online. I'm more interested in someone who can demonstrate their claims without requiring faith in their abilities though.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1022151' date='Nov 13 2010, 07:49 AM']Any one with an internet connection and the ability to post online.[/quote]
Thats not what I meant. What I meant was its not possible to isolate the contribution of so many different elements.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='1022170' date='Nov 13 2010, 12:27 AM']Thats not what I meant. What I meant was its not possible to isolate the contribution of so many different elements.[/quote]
That makes sense

On a similar note, our eyes are our most precise sense, dig this optical illusion.

[url="http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/possibly-the-best-optical-ilusion-i-have-seen-all-year/"]http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2009/0...-seen-all-year/[/url]

We can't even tell the difference between green and blue looking right at it. To assume we can hear the effects of a coat of paint or a wood species over a tiny wire seems ridiculous by comparison.

[xilddx]

An ES-335 doesn't sound much different to a Les Paul when amplified, why would anyone think taking the paint off a Squier Strat would have any tangible effect?

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='silddx' post='1021292' date='Nov 12 2010, 12:36 PM']Um I would posit that your cable makes more of a difference to your tone than paint ever could.[/quote]
The very fine guitarist Mr Eric Johnson avers that he can hear the difference between different makes of battery in his effects pedals. Among the more excitable readers of certain guitar magazines this makes him a 'Tone-Meister'. Others remain to be convinced.

For myself, the most noticeable tonal improvement I ever made was jacking the action up a bit. Less buzz and a tighter break angle over the bridge.

Edited November 13, 2010 by skankdelvar

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

As everyone knows, the tone is in the fingers. I'm sure I can notice a subtle difference when I'm not wearing mittens.

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1022486' date='Nov 13 2010, 02:48 PM']jacking the action[/quote]

That may well make a tonal improvement but apparently it's detrimental to the eyesight.

[risingson]

Presumably this article is a joke? The effect of lacquer to the sonic properties of an instrument will be so, so minimal. Honestly, this guy would have better spent his time doing the big shop at Tesco rather than writing this article. Some people concern themselves more with the formulas on good tone rather than being a great player with a good instrument, it baffles me.

[skankdelvar]

TBH, a lot of these urban myths sprang up in the 70's when people could [i]genuinely [/i]hear a difference between old electrics and new ones but - lacking the wonderful Internetz - didn't really know why. We were dim in those days and seized on any outlandish proposition in our hunt for tone. So we attributed it all to the paint.

These days we know all about pot values, pick-up winds and fret material. We are so much better informed

Edited November 13, 2010 by skankdelvar

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='1022528' date='Nov 13 2010, 03:31 PM']fret material.[/quote]

No-one brought that up yet. What have you begun?

[northstreet]

Anyone else noticed a difference depending on whether the electricity in the venue is supplied by nPower or Eon?

[MoonBassAlpha]

[quote name='risingson' post='1022506' date='Nov 13 2010, 03:02 PM'][font="Arial Black"]Presumably this article is a joke?[/font] The effect of lacquer to the sonic properties of an instrument will be so, so minimal. Honestly, this guy would have better spent his time doing the big shop at Tesco rather than writing this article. Some people concern themselves more with the formulas on good tone rather than being a great player with a good instrument, it baffles me.[/quote]

He's a German, and an audiophile. The chances of it being a joke are miniscule!

[xilddx]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='1024588' date='Nov 15 2010, 01:29 PM']He's a German, and an audiophile. The chances of it being a joke are miniscule! [/quote]

[stevie]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='1024588' date='Nov 15 2010, 01:29 PM']He's a German, and an audiophile. The chances of it being a joke are miniscule! [/quote]
I hasten to add that the emphasis here is on audiophile and not on German. After all, we are all Europeans here, nicht wahr?

[stevie]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1022192' date='Nov 13 2010, 09:27 AM'][url="http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/possibly-the-best-optical-ilusion-i-have-seen-all-year/"]http://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/2009/0...-seen-all-year/[/url][/quote]
Whaaaaaaah..... that is indubitably the best optical illusion I have seen - ever. I'm still debating whether to believe it.

[fingerz]

Thick Poly lacquers protect the body best, it makes sense to coat a body in the stuff when mass producing. Cellulose lets the wood age easier but isn't so protective as it's thin and can go wrong easily when applying - so is not so common...

I think a good sounding instrument can have either finish IME. But it does make sense to have timbers that can age and improve over time for me, if you can be careful with the finish that is!

Minefield

[risingson]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' post='1024588' date='Nov 15 2010, 01:29 PM']He's a German, and an audiophile. The chances of it being a joke are miniscule! [/quote]

It certainly explains the protracted and fatiguing attention to detail

[LawrenceH]

Tapping against the alder body of my MIM jazz with and without the rather thick polyester finish on (see build diary!) I thought I could hear a difference in the top end. Since putting the new finish on took so long compared to stripping it, I can't really say whether it has changed again. And I don't know if that difference translated to the amplified output. I remain firmly on the fence.

[matski]

[quote name='northstreet' post='1023622' date='Nov 14 2010, 06:25 PM']Anyone else noticed a difference depending on whether the electricity in the venue is supplied by nPower or Eon?[/quote]

No, but I do find that if my bass is correctly lined up with the Earth's magnetic field I get better top-end clarity.