Ask Lesteban -- Advice For The Toneseeker

[László]

Here's my first question of the day:

"Hey Lesteban, lots of snow; beauty day for hockey, eh? I've always wondered, do the strap buttons on a guitar affect the tone? By the way, I'm a huge fan!"

-- Puckmeister, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Lesteban:

Thanks Puckmeister, it's great to have fans like you. To find the answer to your question, Lesteban conducted a scientific test.

First Lesteban played his PRS Artist V with the strap buttons on. Then Lesteban took the strap buttons off, and immediately wondered, "Hmmm, how will Lesteban hold the guitar up while standing and playing?"

Fortunately, Lesteban knew that Science always has the answer to a question involving tone! One has only to think about the experiment really, really hard, the outline of an experiment will pop into one's head. So that's what Lesteban did. Lesteban conducted a thought experiment just like Einstein. After several days of pondering how to keep a guitar on without a strap, the solution came like a bolt from the blue:

Studio Lesteban has an ample supply of duct tape.

Eureka!

Lesteban found that the guitar would stay put without a strap if he taped the entire body of the guitar to his skin with many layers of duct tape. Using this highly scientific method, Lesteban found that the sound of the guitar changed noticeably!

So yes, Puckmeister, the strap buttons do affect the guitar's tone!

Lesteban also paid a price for this little scientific inquiry when removal of the duct tape also removed his body hair and several layers of epidermis. But knowledge and science are worth a little personal sacrifice, isn't that right?

Lesteban is waiting to answer your very next question! What's on your mind....about TONE?

 

[rugerpc]

"What, pray tell, is the best way to tone my tummy?" He asked, tossing Lesteban a decided softball...

 

[László]

"What, pray tell, is the best way to tone my tummy?" He asked, tossing Lesteban a decided softball...

Ruger, Lesteban thanks you for your question!

For you younger players who want to get more tones from your tummies, Lesteban recommends a diet of beans.

But there can be too much of a good thing.

Lesteban has discovered that as he has aged, his tummy has become more prone to emitting random and uncontrollable tones. And it has been mentioned to Lesteban that these tones are sometimes accompanied by unpleasant odors.

For this reason, Lesteban consulted Eric Clapton, who recommends the musical treatment, Beano.

Of course, pet lovers can simply blame the dog. This is why dogs are often called, "Man's Best Friend."

 

[NomadMike]

Hey Lesteban,
What brand of batteries produce the best tone when I'm using a Chinese copy of a Korean clone of a 1970 EH Electric Mistress stomp box?

 

[justmund]

"Dear Lesteban, I am looking to purchase my first wah-wah pedal however I am concerned I will not be able to make the right wah-faces in order for it to sound good. Do you have any tips or exercises for a budding wah-facist? (not to be confused with a wah-fascist hahaha!) Thank you!"

 

[László]

Hey Lesteban,
What brand of batteries produce the best tone when I'm using a Chinese copy of a Korean clone of a 1970 EH Electric Mistress stomp box?

Lesteban knows this is a trick question. The Electric Mistress wasn't invented until 1976.

 

[NomadMike]

Crap! Do you mean I bought a fake?

Well at least it's not a problem with the Saul Reed Smith Juan Santana IV I got a great deal on from that luthier in China.

 

[AaeCee]

Dear Lesteban,

I've always preferred my guitars in close to natural colors, sunburst about as far as I can accept. My wife and even her brother's wife's sister (and her daughter) think blue guitars sound best, and while listening to a bunch of youtubes I'm starting to think they may be right. Should I sell all of my guitars and replace them with only blue ones?

Help, desperate!

 

[NomadMike]

The one thing I hate about blue guitars is that the fifth is always flat.

 

[dsenoj]

The one thing I hate about blue guitars is that the fifth is always flat.

I have to remember this one. It was definitely an LOL moment.

 

[alantig]

Dear Lesteban,

I've always preferred my guitars in close to natural colors, sunburst about as far as I can accept. My wife and even her brother's wife's sister (and her daughter) think blue guitars sound best, and while listening to a bunch of youtubes I'm starting to think they may be right. Should I sell all of my guitars and replace them with only blue ones?

Help, desperate!

I'm sorry, Mr. Lesteban has requested that all blue guitar questions be directed to his second cousin's first wife's daughter's neighbor's uncle's only child's brother, Sergioban.

Mr. Lesteban will not return to this thread until someone puts their foot in a bucket and sings the second verse of a Creedence Clearwater Revival song of their choice.

 

[László]

"Dear Lesteban, I am looking to purchase my first wah-wah pedal however I am concerned I will not be able to make the right wah-faces in order for it to sound good. Do you have any tips or exercises for a budding wah-facist? (not to be confused with a wah-fascist hahaha!) Thank you!"

Yes!

I recommend watching this video featuring the Master of Wah Faces, Robin Trower:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wzcteihsckw

 

[László]

Dear Lesteban,

I've always preferred my guitars in close to natural colors, sunburst about as far as I can accept. My wife and even her brother's wife's sister (and her daughter) think blue guitars sound best, and while listening to a bunch of youtubes I'm starting to think they may be right. Should I sell all of my guitars and replace them with only blue ones?

Help, desperate!

AaeCee, Lesteban agrees that blue is best left to jeans and University of Michigan jerseys.

After all, did Hendrix play a blue guitar? Lesteban has no idea!

 

[László]

Mr. Lesteban will not return to this thread until someone puts their foot in a bucket and sings the second verse of a Creedence Clearwater Revival song of their choice.

Shows what he knows, huh?

 

[László]

Crap! Do you mean I bought a fake?

Well at least it's not a problem with the Saul Reed Smith Juan Santana IV I got a great deal on from that luthier in China.

What a coincidence! I got my Lesteban signature Saul Reed Smith from the same guy!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Dear Lesteban,
I have really become more advanced at the technique of not looking at my fretboard while playing, but I'm having trouble locking eyes with an audience member during a more difficult musical passage to really emphasize my incredible virtuoso abilities and smiling... Do you have any recommendations on how to keep my lips from sticking to my teeth?

 

[László]

Dear Lesteban,
I have really become more advanced at the technique of not looking at my fretboard while playing, but I'm having trouble locking eyes with an audience member during a more difficult musical passage to really emphasize my incredible virtuoso abilities and smiling...

This is why Lesteban wears a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses at all times. No one knows if one is eye-locked, or not.

Do you have any recommendations on how to keep my lips from sticking to my teeth?

This is a brilliant question! Lesteban was told by the members of a certain band to eat a peach.

 

[Felix]

^ I have heard Vaseline is good for that... on the whole I'd prefer to try a peach.

 

[alantig]

Shows what he knows, huh?

You don't know that someone didn't do just that - I didn't say they had to sing it to you!

 

[László]

You don't know that someone didn't do just that - I didn't say they had to sing it to you!

True enough. But I do know (being the actual Lesteban personage) that I didn't make any requests regarding blue guitars, Creedence or buckets.

So there's that.