Black Guitars sound Better??

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 15 Jan 2008 1:25 am

Forget about color. The real truth is that guitars with the E raises and lowers on the left knee sound better than those that have them on the right knee.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 15 Jan 2008 2:36 am

Sound is vibration and the vibration does not know
what color formica or wood it is vibrating on.

Really ?

Since light is made up of moving photons and black absorbs light the most, doesn't it stand to reason that black has the advantage of its molecules being "Pre-Excited" by the photon flux density.

Of course that then poses the question as to whether 'Natural' or 'Artificial' light is best !

Source

Leland Ogle · Post by **Leland Ogle** » 15 Jan 2008 3:05 am

But practise makes you a better player, so get back to practising.
Lee

Al Collinsworth · Post by **Al Collinsworth** » 15 Jan 2008 3:09 am

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 15 Jan 2008 5:05 am

Here is my 2 cents. In the mid 60's when I started getting interested in the steel guitar, Emmons and Sho Bud were the two dominating brands. To me, Emmons was like the introduction of the solid body Telecaster by Leo Fender and had a totally different sound than Sho Bud. The Sho Bud had beautiful, natural wood cabinets but the Emmons was just simply covered with formica. A high percentage of the early Emmon's guitars were the black formica. When I went to concerts during the 60's era, a high percentage of the pro's were playing black Emmons more thanSho Buds. My ears just really perked up to the sound of the black Emmons played through a Fender Twin with JBL speakers. So that is the combination that I got in 1968 as soon as I graduated from college and got my first job. It may just be psycholocial, but I still like the sound of a black guitar. I have had the rosewood, but it just wasn't the same, so I eventually sold it and got another black PP Emmons. I am once again a happy camper and will keep this guitar for the rest of my life. Also, Jeff Newman said don't ever buy a white guitar, that they just don't have the sound. Jeff did so much tongue in cheek, I never knew if he was serious or not. I read an article once that if you place a person in a room that is all pink, it has quite a calming effect. So maybe it is possible that looking at a black guitar actually does affect some peoples perception of sound. Seems sort of far fetched. So, I still don't know if there is any rational reason for different colors sounding different or if it is just a tongue in cheek rumor that somebody started years ago, but we do have a lot of fun discussing it..

Tommy Detamore · Post by **Tommy Detamore** » 15 Jan 2008 5:46 am

Jeff Newman said don't ever buy a white guitar, that they just don't have the sound.

Tongue in cheek, I'm a-thinking...

I have had several black PP guitars, but the best sounding one was a little white single neck PP....Go figure...

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 15 Jan 2008 6:53 am

They all sound the same of course. But the reality is that formica colors and patterns all look pretty cheezy - except black.Because as artistic,asthetic oriented people,great players like Buddy Emmons seem to have noticed this also. Therefore black mica guitars are now associated with great players in the collective minds of this great herd of sheep called the steel playing community. Laquer guitars don't have this problem and look good in a broader array of colors. Burgundy is my favorite on that kind of ax and I've had 2 of those. Two-tone honey maple/walnut is a close second.
Right now however I'm playing a...black mica guitar. Baaaa-Baaaa

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 15 Jan 2008 7:01 am

I am color blind.

But since black absorbs all light, maybe it absorbs other forms of energy, and thus tone would be trapped.
I love theories.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 15 Jan 2008 7:01 am

My two centavos,

I have played two black steel guitars an MSA and a BMI, and to me both sounded the best. I have also owned and played on a red, blue, 2 green colored, rosewood, white and to me the best sounding ones were the black steels. I currently play a black BMI and have since 1984. I think it sounds best.

Can I explain it no. Would I ever change? I really think there is something to this. THere have been articles by Jeff Newman and others regarding this. Also there was an article years ago, by Reece Anderson, maybe he will share some insight on this.

Terry Wood

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 15 Jan 2008 7:07 am

I don't know; I've heard Buddy Emmons play a brown wood grain steel and make it sound black, and I've heard Lloyd Green play a brown wood grain steel and make it sound green.

Absolute, irrefutable proof that the the color of a guitar is in the players hands!

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 15 Jan 2008 7:39 am

but the best sounding one was a little white single neck PP....Go figure...

Ah, I remember that guitar! Danny Hawk still regrets losing the PP sound when he sold that puppy. As I recall, it was deflocked and had the undercarriage lacquered. Ya know, about 20 years ago, I had an S-10 white Emmons that I got in LA and sold to Herb Remington. I wonder if that's the same guitar. I think Tom Pittman owns it now.

Two of the best sounding guitars I've ever owned and played onstage are both black PP's, now owned by Jim Loessberg and Bobby Flores respectively.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 15 Jan 2008 8:21 am

Seriously, I think the guitar's color may affect the player (and subsequently his or her tone.)

For some unknown reason, I am adversely affected by the color yellow. This is not just psychological. I was tested by an acupuncturist, aad it was found that when a yellow object was placed in one hand, which I held behind my back, even when I couldn't see it and had no way of knowing what color it was, I lost gripping power in my other hand. The gripping power returned when I was given other, different colored objects to hold.

I don't even pretend to understand how this could be, but the test confirmed what I have always known: I don't function well when I'm around a lot of yellow.

I'm sure that if I had to play a yellow guitar, even if I didn't completely screw up, I wouldn't play at my best, and my tone would suffer.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 15 Jan 2008 10:47 am

Comments on this subject from somebody who probably worked on more Emmons guitars that almost anyone...
From an interview I did with Jimmy Crawford Dec 17 2003

M: Did you notice a tonal difference, or a difference in feel and playing action
on the guitars once they’d been loaded up with all those extra changes, rods,
and levers?
JC: It can dampen the guitar somewhat, but not to where it’s really noticeable.
I had a green leatherette covered Emmons, the one I did “Ton of Steel” with,
and the covering was pretty thick, you couldn’t beat sound out of that guitar
with a sledgehammer. You’ve often heard that great sound comes out of either a
rosewood or a black Emmons...
M: Now there’s a conversation starter!
JC: Well it was often attributed to the color- or to a psychological factor, but no,
it should be attributed to a certain thickness of backing on the mica, thinner
than some of the other colors.
M: We’ve all heard the argument that there’s a real difference, and that no, it’s
just a myth. But there really was a difference in the dimensional thickness of
the black Formica?
JC: Yeah, and that had everything to do with that, the thickness, not the color!
The critical ears are going to be the ones to pick that out.
M: Do you experiment with those minute factors with the JCH, like different
ways of laminating the mica to the cabinets, different glues, and so on?
JC: Funny you should ask that- Wilson Arts glue is different than the others,
and we found a particular brand of Formica that was a different thickness.
M: But you pretty much have to have the guitar assembled to find out about
that right?
JC: Oh, yeah, you have to finish it on out. I just sent a guitar with carbon fibre-
that was the design of the mica- to a fellow in New York. I measured it with the
calipers and it was 37/1000ths thick- you talk about a great sounding guitar,
that thing barked! Your other micas, even the rosewood and black, are going to
measure around 45/1000ths. Some of the decorative micas will measure on up
to 60/1000ths, and it does make a difference.
M: So the thinner the mica, the better the sound?
JC: Exactly, and then pressing that mica into the wood too, with the glue
selection, has everything to do with that.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 15 Jan 2008 12:08 pm

you people are really bored, aren't you!?!

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 15 Jan 2008 12:48 pm

... it should be attributed to a certain thickness of backing on the [black] mica....

Ah ha!

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 15 Jan 2008 1:40 pm

Since light is made up of moving photons and black absorbs light the most, doesn't it stand to reason that black has the advantage of its molecules being "Pre-Excited" by the photon flux density.

Now, wouldn't a black guitar also absorb more heat from a light source (most sources give off heat) and throw the guitar out of tune easier??

Dave Stagner · Post by **Dave Stagner** » 15 Jan 2008 2:18 pm

Someone refinished my Sho-Bud in red so it would play faster.

I have a sunburst guitar... the outer strings sound better than the inner ones. It's not as good as my "agave blue" Tele for playing Western music, though.

Dave Stagner · Post by **Dave Stagner** » 15 Jan 2008 2:20 pm

Oh, and I totally forgot my acoustic guitar, which has a redwood top originally from Humboldt county in California. It smells really good, but if I play it too long, I get kind of confused and really hungry.

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 15 Jan 2008 2:30 pm

Does anyone own a rainbow guitar ? What would that sound like !!!!!
But lets get serious here.... I take it that a black and red guitar would be an awesome instrument then ?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 15 Jan 2008 3:18 pm

fer sure, dude...acoustic guitars are really pungent and organic..........rainbow guitars probably have a happy, bright, gay sound!

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 15 Jan 2008 3:49 pm

I heard of someone several years ago who did own a rainbow coloured pedal steel His name if i remember correctly was Mr Jaynus . Not sure of his first name but I think it was Hugh.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 15 Jan 2008 3:58 pm

mike hunt told me that before...that's funny!!

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 15 Jan 2008 4:21 pm

I had a Black 71 D-10 PP Emmons. Sounded great. My Franklin D-10 is Rosewood and sounds great.

Buddy's "Blade" is Rosewood. So Rosewood sounds best

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 15 Jan 2008 5:32 pm

....it's a joke

...but blue guitars play the blues better

Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 15 Jan 2008 6:32 pm

I have had several black PP guitars, but the best sounding one was a little white single neck PP....Go figure...

Well Tommy that makes two of us.I to had several and the one with the best tone that i had was a (YES!)student model.
Best tone i ever heard in a P/P

Ron

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