h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Do you mean tone, as in the actual harmonic structure of the sound? Or do you mean something else, perhaps the precise details of dynamics and phrasing?

The tone of a guitar/effect/amp combination is, strictly speaking, independent of the player. If [insert name of hero here] sets up his kit and plays a single open top e on it, then I take it off him and do the same, the sounds will be the same. But as soon as he plays a phrase, my attempt will be different, because he does it his way and I do it mine.

I think you might want to pin down more exactly just what it is that you are talking about. I don't think tone is the right word. "Characteristic sound" is the nearest I can get, but it's not very elegant.

I agree with everything you are trying to say, by the way - I have been after the perfect guitar sound for years and years. In my case it's acoustic, and I have finally realised that I will never get there. The sound I was chasing all those years was actually the product of a Martin D28, a particular player, and a particular studio technique. I am never going to be able to reproduce that. On the way, however, I have developed something that is uniquely me, which is undoubtedly a more worthwhile achievement than copying someone else.

And I do it with a Lowden rather than a Martin!

Even one note played by two guitarists on the same equipment will sound different. All of us attack the string differently, use different ammounts of pressure on the fretting hand and pick at different points of the strings length. These nuances of style come to bear on even single notes giving marked but subtle differences in tone. Your own playing style does affect the harmonic structure of notes giving us all a unique tone from our playing. The only advice I would give is to make sure that you listen to yourself while playing, look for that tone that you long for, it is there. Tone can give as much emotion to a piece of music as the note choice or phrasing. Try playing that high e note as many ways as you can, there are infinite ways, subtle differences, but they all emote differently. It has taken me 13 years of playing to realise this, and come close to playing the way I dream it. I probably will still be searching for the spine shivers til the day I die, and I'll love every second.