Hello again folks. I wanted to try and make a comprehensive list of all the things that can contribute to guitar tone in a live setting. I’ve decided not to go into specifics about pedals and amps because we all know how much variation there is in that department already. However, I have included a few things that aren’t strictly about tone, such as break angle, but i think anything that effects how and what you play should be included.

I’ve put these in the order you experience them, from your fingers to your ears. If you think i’ve missed something please post below and i’ll stick it in. lets see how many we can find.

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finger/hand size – bigger fingers make a more positive connection with strings

nail length/style – finger pads produce a more mellow sound with less attack than nails

pick thickness

pick material – tortoise shell/nylon/ultex/metal/i even saw a felt one once

pick condition – rough edge produces a more noisy attack

pick angle – picks get chamfered when played a lot, which helps your speed, but also effects tone

pick position – near bridge is brighter, near neck is more mellow (side note: most mellow place is 12 frets higher than fretted note)

string material/style – nickel, steel & nickel, stainless steel, flat wound (chrome)

string gauge – higher gauges produce a more rounded, balanced sound. plus they stay in tune better!

tuning – it might not be distinguishable with singles notes, but equally tempered power chords will break up an amp more so than perfectly tuned power chords

action – higher action produces louder clearer notes with better sustain

fret shape/condition – worn frets can produce more noise from bending

break angle – the angle that the string leaves the nut and bridge affects tension

nut – locking/graphite/zero fret etc

scale length – 25.5 = strat/ibanez solid bodies, 24.75 = les paul/ibanez hollow bodies – lower scale length = lower tension

neck/fingerboard wood – lots of variables here

neck join – bolt-on/thru-neck/set-neck

body wood – lots of variables here too!

body style – solid/chambered/semi-hollow/archtop

bridge style – strat/tele/jag/LP/floydrose/ZR/archtop/bigsby

pickup style – SC/HB/P90, active/passive, high gain/low gain

pickup position

pickup height – correctly adjusted pole pieces give a more even balance between strings

pickup EQ – more appropriate for active pickups

pickup phase

tone knobs –  passive tone knobs can only ‘cut’ things from the sound, active systems can boost as well

vol knobs – different ohmages and tapers allow different variations on tone

(possible wireless system)

cable quality – thinner = less bass, longer = less treble (only really appropriate for LONG cables)

pedals – infinite possible variations on tone here that i just wont go into!

amp stuff (preamp)

clean/drive/overdrive/distortion/fuzz

valve/solid state

EQ/scoop

effects loop – more pedals etc

more amp stuff (power amp)

valve bias

transients

(more cables)

speaker cone size/quantity

speaker cabinet style/size/tuning

room size/material

body count – people absorb sound

mic style – dynamic/condenser/ribbon etc

mic positioning

mic phase

(more cables)

desk stuff – EQ etc

(more cables)

FOH/foldback – speaker size/quantity/positioning

room again

bodies again – including yours

earplugs?

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which of these are constants in your playing?

which are variables that you have a degree of control over?

which are variables that you have no control over?