Tone: A journey or a destination?

[wickedmartini]

So, here we all are: Swapping pickups, changing tubes and strings, buying new stomp boxes and amps. When do you ultimately get what you have been searching for or is it a never ending quest? How many of you are happy with your "tone" and haven't changed much of anything in several years? How do you know when you've arrived in that respect? What are you searching for?

I have not been pleased with my tone for a while and have been trying a lot of different things lately. I have an idea of what I'm looking for but seem to fall short. Or, I go out and see a player that has this excellent tone and wish I could find something similar for myself. Don't mean to get philosophical here. Just wondering how you all approach it...

[shreder75]

I've found my amp...I've found my number two guitar...all's i need is a good set of cables, a new pickup (or two) and I'm good to go =D I love the sound of my amp and how both my ESP's play and that's all there is to that!

[krankguitarist]

With me it aint no destination. Even now that I've found a set up that I'm really happy with, I still fiddle around with the factors every now and then.

[Guitarist]

More of a distraction than anything.

[Guitarist]

That said...I take as much pride in my tone as I do in my playing.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

I use use what I have or make.
I do not take pride in my playing nor sound, I try to keep my self humble and relaxed about the whole deal, serenity is my ticket, and I still just sound like me, maybe I play alittle more actual music than I did when I started with all this
I never worry about tone or other "magical" things

[Al.C]

My idea of my tone has gradually evolved over the years. There have been some rather dramatic evolutionary steps, like when I got a band together several years ago. Great bedroom tone did not equal great band tone. The further along I have gotten the less I have actually been seeking to change my tone but rather just happened to come across changes that I have embraced.A couple examples; I was quite happy with my boogie Mk 2 and then my brother sent me one of his custom creations -cathode biased amps and I use it almost exclusively. I've been happy with my pu's and along came the brobucker I think I will stick with it in one of my guitars.

[MikeS]

I'm young, so my tone is obviously a journey. I do see older, more experienced players, though, whose tone often changes, yet the sound is still inherently theirs due to their style. So, that said, I'm not going to assume that I'll ever find a tone that I'll stick with for the rest of my life.

[muttonchopsrule]

So, that said, I'm not going to assume that I'll ever find a tone that I'll stick with for the rest of my life.

+1 to that.

i'm going to go ahead and say that it's more of a journey than anything else. it's undeniable that the taste and style of any individual is going to change over time. plus there's too much fun gear out there to be able to stick with one single tone for a lifetime

[daemon barbeque]

we hear every day ,every moment different !!!so tone will never be a destination!!
i am glad to have my guitar with DD ,i use whammy alot and diezel herbert is my favorit amp.BUT hey !!!i have to hear thousands of amp cab mic combinations to say "yes this is it"..
so you will find mornings "ice picky" , and afternoons "middy".thats the way of our hearing!!!.The backround Bass tone is very importatnt too.Some times i find a tone very "loose" and "weak" ,like dave mustains rythm tone.But with bass is awesome.