Who has the most unique sound?

[monkface]

I wanted to post this and get some discussion going. Who, in everyone's opinion has the most unique tone? Not even necessarily your favorite tone or player, although it's a good chance they are one and the same. Maybe someone obvious, maybe someone obscure. Possible sub categories would be most instantly identifiable. After some consideration I would pick Brian May. He is not my favorite although he is incredible in so many ways. But what a sound and what an amazing amount of variations he achieved. I read somewhere that to hear his full set up live( however many Voxes that is!) is an unreal experience. He may not play with all that anymore,I dunno, but there is such a depth of warm, ringing, chimey, distorted, sawtooth and clanging sounds going on! Bonus for the goofiest metaphors used to describe a sound! It would be cool to get a top ten list of unique sounds going. Hmmmm i will think about it......

[zaphod777]

Adrian Belew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_kk8mGqBj8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MEZ55EQOcE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD-GrAMUzO8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SteadyEddie]

I'd say that Jack White has a pretty unique sound.

[leadguy]

Adrian Belew is pretty unique and would be on my list of unique tones, also Tom Scholtz.

Jack White does nothing for me and I can't see anything unique about him at all.

I'd have to say Brian May as having the most unique tone I've heard, the solo in Killer Queen, great unique tone.

[demonufo]

I'd have to say Brian May as having the most unique tone I've heard, the solo in Killer Queen, great unique tone.

Indeed. And that is a player that even many non-guitarists can instantly recognise from his playing. He stands out a mile on many things he guests on. Even the "Bad News" album (or perhaps I should say especially on...).

[BLOOZE]

Dick Dale has a unique sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52FpuqD3 ... re=related

[fillmore nyc]

Adrian Belew is pretty unique and would be on my list of unique tones

Being a guitar player, thats who I thought of too when I saw this thread. I saw him play with Zappa at the Palladium in NYC years ago, and he just blew my F-in' mind...

BUT,

Since guitar was not specifically mentioned, I GOTTA give a shout out to Yo-Yo Ma. His tone on Cello gives my goose-bumps goose-bumps, especially on the low notes. I WANNA get a guitar to sound like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U4a4jko ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It literally IS the 800lb violin tone.

[SteadyEddie]

Tom Morello's got a unique sound, maybe not his core tones, but his use of effects.
Edge, also.

[Froumy]

Thumbs up on Yo Yo -

Always enjoyed the 2 string slide bass/distortion of Morphine...

Wreckless tones of Jon Spencer...

Robert Randolph, on Lap Steel, did one of the best Voodoo Chile's I've ever heard, with Kenny Wayne Shephard....

At least for me, the Pixies saved the world from cheesy hairband ballads....

[fillmore nyc]

Robert Randolph, on Lap Steel, did one of the best Voodoo Chile's I've ever heard

Yep... he's another one. A GREAT player too.

Frank Zappa was never short for getting a killer, unique tone either:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2J-P291vyE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And Steve Vai in "Bad Horsie" gets a freakishly scary tone as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5BrE1Pi5cU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And Vai's 3 necked guitar solo in the front of "I know you're here" is cool too... from about 2:20 on he kills:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY8wyKuLY2k" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[leadguy]

I read somewhere that to hear his full set up live( however many Voxes that is!) is an unreal experience. He may not play with all that anymore,I dunno,

I read an interview with Brian May and he usually just has around 2 AC-30's on in the wall of Vox's (number depends on the venue) and they are miced and he uses the monitors.

He also uses the Deacy amp in the studio which is a small solid state amp made by the bass player and Brian likes it's tone.
He also uses AC-30's in the studio as well and a lot of his harmony studio leads are the Deacy amp and the AC-30 combined but it depends on the song and how it's arranged.

[HTH]

another vote for Brian May and Steve Vai, you can tell those guys from a mile off - same with Satch, he has a recognisable style.

My fave player is Angus, without a doubt, but he ain't really got a unique tone (much as it is the benchmark tone for me).

[syscokid]

For me, Brian May and Tom Morello, definitely have that tone and style that when you hear it...you know who it is.

I feel the same way about Derek Trucks when he's playing "slide".

[zaphod777]

At least for me, the Pixies saved the world from cheesy hairband ballads....

Every note Joey plays fits the songs perfectly. Great under-appreciated player.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urJW5ed-5G4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JimiJames]

Standing out:
Holdsworth.
Lane.
Blackmore.
Eklundh.
Bonham.
Bruford.
Bozzio.
Peart.
Jaco.
Wooten.
Levin.