Modern mandolin master David Grisman recorded a wonderful series of Tone Poems projects. The first Tone Poems album was all duets featuring David Grisman and acoustic guitar vituouso Tony Rice, with each song recorded using a different vintage instrument, giving the listener a unique opportunity to hear the distinguishing characteristics of each instrument as played by a master musician. The CD came with a substantial booklet describing and showing each instrument and its’ place in musical history.

The next recording, Tone Poems II, was again with Mr. Grisman, but this time with jazz guitarist Martin Taylor and each tune was recorded using a different archtop guitar and mandolin. No flat tops allowed on this one. Once again with equally dazzling results. The 3^rd recording was Tone Poems III and it featured Mr. Grisman, Dobro master Mike Auldridge, and the man who literally wrote the book on National Resophonic Guitars, Bob Brozman, on a staggering variety of resonator instruments, guitars from baritone to tenor, mandolins, etc.

The final recording was a 2 CD package called Tone Poets. One CD was duets and the other solos. Each tune features different guitarists and mandolinists playing the same priceless vintage instrument throughout the entire production. The guitar was a pre war Martin OM 45 and the mandolin was a Lloyd Loar era F 5. On every song the instruments sounded as robust and complex and you’d expect, but in different hands the results were decidedly different.

In all of these recordings the players sound just like themselves, regardless of what instrument is in their hands. Sure, Tony Rice is known as a dreadnought player, but he sounds just like Tony Rice when he’s playing a 00 sized Regal 12 fret guitar.

It would be interesting to do a similar project with electric guitars, although the challenges and details could make it nearly impossible. Dave Hunter has done some terrific video demos of classic rigs, giving us insight into what that gear sounds like. But wouldn’t it be cool to hear what that rig sounds like in the hand of an entirely different style of guitarist? Dion did a superb recording called “Heroes: Giants Of Early Guitar Rock” that’s a great listen, but it also includes a DVD with his guitarist where they discuss the rigs used on each tune. It’s really cool and it illustrates why Dion is one of the all time rock & roll greats.

Tone is such an elusive and subjective thing. What one person perceives as bright sounding another might consider it dark. Some really good players have a tone that I find exceedingly shrill, but it obviously sounds good to them and their fans. I’ve heard people describe the tone from rosewood as being bright and others consider it dark. They’re both right.

Some musicians don’t care as much about tone as others. I know musicians who fuss over every minute detail trying to achieve the perfect tone. The book “Grand Obsession” by Perri Knize tells the story of a woman’s difficult several year long quest to find the perfect piano and then to keep it perfect after she finally got it. Mandolin players and many guitarists will happily plop down $35 or more for a single pick in order to get the desired tone, yet I’ve never heard an audience member comment on the tone a pick imparts. Django Reinhardt was known to sometimes use a button as a pick, so some Gypsy jazz enthusiasts use a fat round pick in hopes of getting that “Django” tone.

There’s been a lot of talk about “tonewoods” lately since the CITES restrictions have been placed on all types of rosewood (dalbergia)*. Rosewood has long been considered the premium choice for the backs and sides of acoustic guitars, with mahogany being considered a lesser wood among many. The truth is that mahogany has always been more readily available and more affordable than rosewood, but is equally as satisfying as a reflective tonewood as rosewood, albeit a bit different with less overtones. Native woods like walnut and maple are beginning to find more acceptance among players, as well they should. Other native woods such as myrtle, sycamore, and ash are among the many options worthy of consideration. The different types of spruce have different tensile strength and can respond accordingly to various players. There’s a reason why you don’t find cedar topped dreadnoughts among bluegrass players, and that is because cedar tops don’t respond well to being driven hard, but they respond beautifully to a lighter touch and fingerstyle playing. Many classical guitars use cedar for this reason.

I’ve never had the luxury of playing through a Dumble amplifier, but I’ve heard them on countless recordings and a few times in live performances. They sound amazing, but so do the players I’ve heard using them. A used Dumble Overdrive Special combo amp has a current market value of at least $50,000. That puts them out of reach of just about anyone except for wealthy collectors and musical luminaries like Joe Bonamassa and Bonnie Raitt. Alex Dumble is apparently still making a few amps each year and he prices them to be competitive with his used amps. In other words, crazy expensive, and yet they remain in demand. Some guitarists are willing to pay literally any cost to achieve the tone they hear in their heads. Then there are those who are content playing with just about any gear and still get the tone that they like. Go figure.

Among many musicians, especially older ones like myself, hearing loss becomes a huge issue when it comes to tone. I’m grateful today that I began to embrace the acoustic side of music at a fairly young age, but I’ve still been known to enjoy cranking an amp up to 11 and wailing. There were nights when I was working at the Fillmore East when the music was painfully loud. For hearing protection we were given cotton balls to stick in our ears. I have some hearing loss, but not nearly as severe as many others. Hearing loss affects what we hear and the way we hear. I can talk with a particular friend of mine in a normal speaking voice and he hears me just fine, but he can be standing next to a PA speaker and not even hear it when it is feeding back. What affect that has on how one perceives tone I don’t know, but it undoubtedly has an affect.

It’s not only loud rock and pop music that causes hearing problems. Horn and reed players, percussionists, and bowed instrument players who hold their instruments right next to their ear are known to experience hearing issues.

I find it especially rewarding, though, to see musicians of all ages on the quest for the perfect tone. The tone we hear in our head is the tone we’re seeking and sometimes a lifetime passes and we never find it. For those, I hope they enjoy their journey as much as I have enjoyed mine.

Now for some shameless commerce:

Larrivee Guitars has announced a C-03 12 fret cutaway Tommy Emmanuel signature model guitar. The label will show the signatures of Tommy Emmanuel and Jean Larrivee. They will be made in very small numbers. We have one coming in the fall. Reserve it now.

*We are now informed that these restrictions are being relaxed for musical instruments.