How many times have you ever auditioned a guitar or amplifier in a music store and felt like you stumbled onto the tone of the gods only to get it home or on the stage and find that it didn't live up to expectations?  This is something that musicians encounter a lot. Aside from the design of the equipment, there are a number of variables which affect our perception of sound.  Some of these include:  the listening environment, the overall mix surrounding the guitar tone, and the skill level of the player.

Here are some observations and advice I've gathered from my experiences.  (Keep in mind that I'm not just referring to guitars and amps, rather all types of musical instruments and equipment.)

1. Do not draw a firm conclusion about something in the music store.  There is a human tendency to be very excited at the prospect of getting a new toy.  This can cloud our judgment when initially evaluating gear.  Things may also sound very differently away from the showroom floor.  Some music stores have high ceilings and wide-open spaces which allow the soundwaves to dissipate in a way that is very different than in average low ceiling bedrooms or garages. Professional venues certainly differ from each other acoustically also.  There have been countless occasions where I would play a gig one evening and then have to alter my amp settings dramatically at a different club the next night.

The bottom line is that your primary playing environment is probably going to be quite different from the music store.  Try to project how things will react in the types of places you will be playing. It takes a certain level of experience to be able to do this effectively.  Better yet, try to audition the equipment at home before buying it.   Not only will it give you a contrasting environmental reference, but it will alleviate the pressure of having to make a decision with a bunch of salesmen and other musicians surrounding you.

Work with a dealer who allows returns within reason, so that you can check out the gear in the most important environment..... the one you will be playing in the most.  You shouldn't take a new guitar or amp out in a smoky club and expect that to please a dealer upon return, but you should be able to get a good idea of what the equipment will do between playing it at the store and at home or the rehearsal studio.  If a dealer will not allow returns, you have to decide if the gear in question is worth buying under those conditions.

2. Where does your sound sit in the mix?  A guitar played by itself will sound completely different than when it is played with other instruments.  This applies to both studio and live performance sound.  I can pick up a guitar and play it through an amp by itself and find a magnificent tone only to have it disappear when the rest of the band kicks in.  Sometimes it works the other way around, especially in a recording studio.  For example, I have a setting I use in my studio that doesn't sound particularly rich and full by itself, but when I layer in drums, bass and other instruments (along with some mix-down processing) the guitar tone nestles in perfectly.  The whole tonal spectrum is what counts, and the guitar needs to find its niche, which sometimes means not dominating the scene.  When I'm sitting at home by myself with the guitar, I might dial in more low frequencies and add more reverb to fill the sound out, but when playing with others, I might bring more mids and highs into the mix with less reverb to get things to project the way I like them to.

One thing I like to do when encountering an amp or signal processor for the first time is to start with very neutral settings.  Each piece of equipment has it's own operating range, so locate a flat control setting to begin your experimentation.  It becomes a great launching point for exploring the capabilities of the gear in question and creates a method to the madness.  For instance, if I am trying to dial in tones on an amp, I will keep the volume low and set all the EQs at their mid-points.  Gradually bringing the volume up, I will then adjust each band of the EQ until my ear determines the best setting.  Some electronic controls are interactive and change a lot according to where other knobs are set.  I use this procedure with effects pedals as well.  Even when I am very familiar with an amp or effect and play it in a club, I will start from a flat setting to tailor things to the room environment.

3. Is it you or the equipment?  The reality is that many players are going to sound the same no matter what they play.  This can be a good or a bad thing.  While it is unpleasant to think that you might be the weakest link in the sound chain, try to be honest and assess how much your touch and style is affecting what you hear as deficiencies.  Many times I feel like I am the weakest link in my sound chain.  I either have to work to improve my skills or simply live with it.

4. Throw it all out the window!  Everything!  The advice.  The equipment.  Just play!  Once again the true enlightenment and irony of this column is that this advice means everything and nothing at all.  [An example:  Do you think some of the great blues or folk masters of all-time were concerned about gear as much as some of us are?  For various reasons, most were happy if they could have a broomstick strung with baling wire to play....and they made some of the most heartfelt and enduring sounds in history.  To think that many guitarists (guilty as charged) strive to replicate certain sounds using relatively modern means and with much more analytical fuss says something about obstacles to making music.]  In our defense, though, we should try to find the sound that stirs us to create. Also, sometimes no matter how hard we try, we will have "bad sound days".

The science of sound can be a complex thing to understand.  There are many variables that affect not only how sound is produced, but how it is heard as well.  Guitarists often go to great lengths to find the sound which inspires them to make great music.  For tone-conscious players, unsatisfying sound means unsatisfying music.
 

Jason