What makes a tone turd?

[Kinetic]

I always run into the term a "tone turd" LesPaul historic. I "think" I know what it means, but then again the term "tone" itself is highly debatable, so making the term "tone turd" questionable aswell.

Can they really be that bad?! What defect or disadvantage does a tone turd have that make the other historics superior?
Is it just a personal matter or opinion to tone, or is it something obvious and measurable that some Historics, or any LP can have?? In other words, does it really exist?
If you put a tone turd historic up against a Studio, will the Historic always win, or will a turd always be a turd?

 

[vds5000]

I can honestly say that I have never ever heard that term before. It's disturbing yet interests me at the same time.

 

[ryanmichael95]

Don't know. I can just say that to me, at least, my R9 is most definitely not a tone turd.

 

[Fireproof]

I can honestly say that I have never ever heard that term before. It's disturbing yet interests me at the same time.

I'm disturbed that you are interested.


FWIW - I've never heard it before either.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

I think generally it's a term used for lifeless sounding/below average sounding guitars. Some guitars sing and some don't. This is one of many reasons people refuse to buy guitars sight unseen. You don't know what your getting and could end up with a tone turd or just a mediocre guitar.

 

[vds5000]

I'm disturbed that you are interested.


FWIW - I've never heard it before either.

Hahahaha. If by 'tone turd', you mean a 'dud', I'd say of the 300+ guitars I've gone through in my life, the all-time worst sounding was a plywood-bodied Harmony strat copy.

Number two, believe it or not, was a 91 Les Paul Standard that I traded a Fender Strat Plus Deluxe for - it really did sound like there was a very thick blanket over the amp when played amplified. I tried different pickups and they didn't help at all.

 

[Frails]

A Tone Turd is a guitar that sounds like doo doo no matter which pickups or caps you try, or which amp you plug it into.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

A Tone Turd is a guitar that sounds like doo doo no matter which pickups or caps you try, or which amp you plug it into.

+1. I've heard of some guitars sounding great plugged in but sounding like shit unplugged as well. Interesting how that works.

 

[Drew224]

And you can always just flip them for another guitar.

 

[Deus Vult]

you can always tell a guitar is a tone turd when it is constantly being flipped on ebay, TGP, MLP, etc and always retains its mint condition. Buying a used guitar in perfect condition is usually a sign (special runs, sigs, etc excluded)

 

[moodyedge]

I tried a new lemon burst R9 a few years ago in a shop..i went to try a R8 which I liked but the R9 sounded shit...felt shit and was £3700+

Ive decided I want a R7 darkback after seeing agry moore play one....they are awsum

 

[Chicago John]

Eat a tone steak, then wait 3 hours

 

[McLovin]

any guitar I pick up and play.

 

[Liam]

Badly set action, poor intonation, a kinked string, bad neck relief, badly setup pickups, there are lots of things that are easily fixed that can have a major effect on guitar's tone.

The "tone turd" guitar is far more common on internet forums than in real life.

Liam

 

[Droog]

Badly set action, poor intonation, a kinked string, bad neck relief, badly setup pickups, there are lots of things that are easily fixed that can have a major effect on guitar's tone.

The "tone turd" guitar is far more common on internet forums than in real life.

Liam

Totally agree.

 

[rockstar232007]

Badly set action, poor intonation, a kinked string, bad neck relief, badly setup pickups, there are lots of things that are easily fixed that can have a major effect on guitar's tone.

The "tone turd" guitar is far more common on internet forums than in real life.

Liam

+1.

But, then again there are those guitars that the wood is just "dead", and no matter what you do, it won't change a thing. When you've played more than a few of those types of guitars, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

This actually falls into the debate about whether or not wood has any effect on tone, but I won't get into all of that, because I just worked an almost 14 hour day, and my head feels like it's going to go "BOOM!".

 

[Kinetic]

Badly set action, poor intonation, a kinked string, bad neck relief, badly setup pickups, there are lots of things that are easily fixed that can have a major effect on guitar's tone.

The "tone turd" guitar is far more common on internet forums than in real life.

Liam

Nice

 

[jonamojo]

Badly set action, poor intonation, a kinked string, bad neck relief, badly setup pickups, there are lots of things that are easily fixed that can have a major effect on guitar's tone.

The "tone turd" guitar is far more common on internet forums than in real life.

Liam

dang now ain't that the truth.

 

[Kinetic]

+1.

But, then again there are those guitars that the wood is just "dead", and no matter what you do, it won't change a thing. When you've played more than a few of those types of guitars, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

This actually falls into the debate about whether or not wood has any effect on tone, but I won't get into all of that, because I just worked an almost 14 hour day, and my head feels like it's going to go "BOOM!".

Don't mean to blow up your head but what u are saying is wood is the largest factor. If R9's use specially reserved light weight old growth wood, should they not all sound great ? Yet I have seen people suggest that R9 tone turds are around. some times I feel that someones turd is another mans gold.

 

[Es Paul]

Don't mean to blow up your head but what u are saying is wood is the largest factor. If R9's use specially reserved light weight old growth wood, should they not all sound great ? Yet I have seen people suggest that R9 tone turds are around. some times I feel that someones turd is another mans gold.

I think what he meant was, that if the wood is the main problem, all of the other parts (PUPs, hardware, nut) can't save you from a turd. Those parts react to the woods resonance, which give you sustain, clarity and "voice" of a guitar.

Not to say that there aren't R9 turds, but the CS puts out more consistently good sounding guitars than their other lines.

Liam is also correct. A lot of people like to discredit GC or Sam Ash for their "turdy" sounding guitars. But, most of the time it's just because they're poorly set up.