Steve Vai Tone?
i always had a problem with the TONE IS IN THE FINGERS thing. *to a point, maybe. *i think that is being mistaken for style and technique. *you can give vai a fender and an old crate 60w amp with NOTHING ELSE and he will sound like vai. *BUT..... tone wise? *not happenin'. *technique yes, but tone, no. *
flesh and bone isn't going to emulate or give you the tone of an H3000 eventide with a DS1 and dual cabs with delay in the right and high compression in the other with the wah tweak just right to get that nasal cool lead tone going through a highyl-modded marshall head. *
NOW..... get THAT tone with that 60watt crate or God forbid a Fender amp. *unless steve's oils in his fingers secrete some tone - generating chemical that transmits through the strings and is picked up by the pickups.... you get the point..... he will need his gear to achieve this! *his technique and genious approach will remain. *
why do metal bands use the amps they do and not overdriven fender tweads? *would you tell them.... dude, you're good, the tone is in your fingers. *WHAT? *you can't shred out or have a power rhythm section charging at you with a fender twead that is using the OVERDRIVE button. *maybe i took this to the extreme.
tone is in the gear..............
technique, heart, and style is in the soul and fingers and mind. *
someone also said above that they need tone to play well or something like that. *i agree. *if my tone is off, i don't wanna play, i hate it. *if i'm playing through a great amp or if my gear sounds just great one night, i really get into it! *if not, i would rather pack it away. *that's just me. *