The Quest for the Perfect Sound.

[Pierrot]

As soon as a guitarist begins to mature as a musician, he or she needs to find the ideal tone for their instrument.
Unlike with acoustic guitars—whether nylon-string or steel-string—where practically the only relevant factors are the instrument itself (shape, size, etc.), the strings, and the playing technique (fingers, picks, etc.), the sound of an electric guitar involves more decisive factors.
Basically, the same factors that determine the sound of an acoustic guitar, plus the pickup(s), the amplifier, possibly the pedals, the cables (or wireless system), the cabinet or screen, and finally the speaker(s).
In my humble opinion, and after decades of searching for my ideal tone, I would highlight three factors as particularly decisive:


The strings, the pick, and for me the most important of all: the speaker, which is ultimately the end of the entire chain and what the musician and their audience actually hear.
Interestingly, this may be the most overlooked factor when it comes to rethinking sound.
Many are disappointed with their sound, and the first thing they do is put their guitar or amplifier up for sale instead of starting with changes that are very simple to make and much cheaper. The first of these is the pick, which plays an incredibly significant role in tone production; second in terms of ease and cost are the strings; and third is the aforementioned speaker.
Perhaps an investment of around €100–200 or $100–200 could open up a whole new world of tone.


What do you think?